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[jerkash]

I am getting ready to install a Maverick ET 732 Temperature Probe on my OWF.  Where would be the best place to install the probe on the pex line?  My pex comes out of the OWF, into the pump and 125 feet to the heat exchanger in my existing heating system and then back to the OWF.

Thanks
 

[skyking]

I put one of the leads on the pex just below the pump going to the house and the other one on the pex return line just before going back into the boiler.  I insulated all the pipes in the back of boiler with 1" pipe insulation after installing probes, they read about 13* lower than my Johnson controller, because of being strapped to the pex, instead of being immersed.  I also extended the antenna by wrapping a piece of no. 12 coated wire around the little short antenna and routing it out and above the owb so I could see it from house, have real good signal now with no down time.  Had reception problems until, on a whim, I extended the antenna.

[RSI]

Before you spend too much time mounting it, I would just set it there and make sure it is not out of range. If it is then you will probably have to put in in the house.

Metal pipes will give a better reading than pex. In a drywell would be best but not usually an option.

[jimr]

mine is mounted(strapped) to the inlet copper tube of my coil in my house furnace. i read 1*difference then the ranco in the owb

[jerkash]

Thanks for all the post.
Got it hooked up today.  Both probes on the OWF.  Both probes on metal before pex.  Outlet probe is just above pump.  Inlet probe is just before entering the OWF.  OWF is 125 feet from house.  Today is 60 degrees outside.  Pump runs continous. I am using a heat exchanger.  With OWF water temp at 173 degrees, when the house furnace fan is on, the probe on the outlet is 171 and 156 on the inlet.  When the house furnace fan is off, the probe on the outlet is 171 and 168 on the inlet.  Only losing 3 degrees in 250 feet.   I'll post more numbers when the outside temp gets colder.
I did have to add a wire to the transmitter antenna to keep the signal strong like SKYKING said.
This is a great tool. 

[skyking]

Glad the antenna extension worked for you.  I would have put my leads on the steel pipes coming out of the boiler but the leads on the probes were too short, on steel or copper would be closer to what the aquastat reads.

[tbone]

What's the difference between the 732 and the 73?  Is it the range?  I would like to monitor the temp right at my stove which is 100' from my house.  I saw the 73 is only 30 something on amazon.

[BoilerHouse]

  When the house furnace fan is off, the probe on the outlet is 171 and 168 on the inlet.  Only losing 3 degrees in 250 feet.   I'll post more numbers when the outside temp gets colder.

3 deg temp loss for 250 feet is pretty good but I think at least some of that loss is still through the heat exchanger, even with the fan off.

[jerkash]

I had to move my probes from the OWF to the heat exchanger.  My signal was not as strong because the OWF and a pile of wood were in the line of my monitor.
By doing this my reading dropped by about 14 degrees because of the probe being tied to the pex pipe instead of steel pipe.  My dropage in the heat exchanger temp is 4 degrees if my fan is not running.
Now that I know my readings are 14-15 degrees less that the actual temps, it works just as good.

[BoilerHouse]

  My dropage in the heat exchanger temp is 4 degrees if my fan is not running.

I am not surprised to see some heat transfer through the heat exchanger with the fan off.  I had noticed that my detached shop is somewhat warmer even when the fan is off for days or even weeks, as compared to the temp prior to installing the heating system.  It also seems to suggest that  properly installed, insulated pex lines retain heat very well.

[mcarter]

BoilerHouse, do you have an aquastat on your shop unit?

[BoilerHouse]

BoilerHouse, do you have an aquastat on your shop unit?

No aquastat.  Pump runs continuously so water is always flowing through the HX.  With the fan off the temp ranges from about 40 to just above the freezing point in the shop depending on outside conditions.  In the pre-heating system days the temp would drop to about 22 and tended to stay around there until late Feb or so..  When heat is needed, I turn up a 110 volt thermostat which is in series with the HX fan. It takes an hour or so for the shop (700 sq ft) to be reasonably warm.

[jerkash]

I assume you guys are leaving your Maverick Sensors on 24/7.  How long do your batteries last?  My first set didn't last very long at all.

[Bull]

my first set that came with it didn't last long either but it seems that they were cheep ones.

[koutsman]

My batteries have been  in since Thanksgiving. Last heating season I went through 2 sets of batteries from Oct-Jun. Duracell.