Hi All,
I've been using the site for both chainsaw and OWB info for some time now, and I've gotten tons of great info. Thanks. This is my first post. I need some advice with my OWB. Here's the situation. I'm heating an old farmhouse, about 3500 sq. ft. with a Hardy H4. There are two separate loops with Taco 009 pumps running to two separate furnaces/heat exchangers. the upstairs loop (furnace in attic) heats fine, as the area is small and the ceilings are at 8 ft. The downstairs loop (furnace in basement) tends to struggle a little due to larger area and 10 ft. ceilings. It is about 225 ft. with two 90's at the heat exhanger. House insulation is mediocre, and I've replace about 75% of the windows. At best I can get about 110-120 degree air at the registers in the downstairs, and that is with the OWB water set at 190. I don't think I am getting enough flow to the heat exchanger. Temp drop across the heat exchanger is roughly 30-35 degrees. Also, the guy who installed this system used only 5/8" kitec. So (finally getting to the question!), what can I do to improve flow? Do I have to replace the lines with something larger (say 1-1.25")? Or, could I just replace the pump with a larger one (say Taco 013)? One additional point. I get some snow melting above the lines. However, the temp drop from furnace to house does not seem to be substantial. Do you think this is a problem? Or, is it maybe just because I have three sets of lines (furnace 1, furnace 2, hot water heater)?
I'd really like to get this system tuned up. I'm burning a ton of wood, and the heating is just OK. When I bought this thing, I expected to be sweating from the heat.
One more question. Any Hardy users out there who run their pumps 24/7?
Thanks for your help!!
Mark
I've been using the site for both chainsaw and OWB info for some time now, and I've gotten tons of great info. Thanks. This is my first post. I need some advice with my OWB. Here's the situation. I'm heating an old farmhouse, about 3500 sq. ft. with a Hardy H4. There are two separate loops with Taco 009 pumps running to two separate furnaces/heat exchangers. the upstairs loop (furnace in attic) heats fine, as the area is small and the ceilings are at 8 ft. The downstairs loop (furnace in basement) tends to struggle a little due to larger area and 10 ft. ceilings. It is about 225 ft. with two 90's at the heat exhanger. House insulation is mediocre, and I've replace about 75% of the windows. At best I can get about 110-120 degree air at the registers in the downstairs, and that is with the OWB water set at 190. I don't think I am getting enough flow to the heat exchanger. Temp drop across the heat exchanger is roughly 30-35 degrees. Also, the guy who installed this system used only 5/8" kitec. So (finally getting to the question!), what can I do to improve flow? Do I have to replace the lines with something larger (say 1-1.25")? Or, could I just replace the pump with a larger one (say Taco 013)? One additional point. I get some snow melting above the lines. However, the temp drop from furnace to house does not seem to be substantial. Do you think this is a problem? Or, is it maybe just because I have three sets of lines (furnace 1, furnace 2, hot water heater)?
I'd really like to get this system tuned up. I'm burning a ton of wood, and the heating is just OK. When I bought this thing, I expected to be sweating from the heat.
One more question. Any Hardy users out there who run their pumps 24/7?
Thanks for your help!!
Mark
You temps are not terrible, I get around 123-125 degrees, and heats our rancher up pretty quick. I decided to heat my domestic water with a water to water heat exchanger, so I only run two lines to my Hardy H2, and one fill line. Saved the cost of the PEX and insulation, and bought the water to water plate. When the guy wired my stove and thermostat relays, he left me a jumper wire if I want to run the pump 24/7. I was going to try it but never have yet. Seems to work well on demand when the house calls for heat. My FIL seems to think running the pump 24/7 you would use more wood, as the water travels through the loop it will get cooled down.
