Hydronic heat boiler questions

[lively1]

So I finally got my hydronic heating system installed. Ended up going with a Westinghouse combination boiler 144,000 btu’s and a hydro smart integration panel and RHT 10 loop manifold. I got the fluid in and air purged and up and running. Seems to be doing a great job and once the pad was heated not really running that much. However I am interested in tracking temperatures and boiler run times - I love looking at data...

What are you guys using to do this? I just installed a Aube thermostat from Menards (just an ambient air not pad sensor). The boiler also has an outdoor temperature reset sensor installed and the integration panel has a taco single zone controller. I do not want anything overly complicated, but would love to see the data. I also have internet and WiFi in the barn.

My other question is there any benefit to insulating the piping from the boiler to integration panel and from integration panel to manifold?

Thanks for your input.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lively1]

See pics of system





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Vicious_Cycle]

I don't track run time, but you can pick up a 120 VAC hour meter for cheap on ebay.

 

[jlv03]

My Nest thermostat tracks runtime, but only up to a week in the thermostat itself. The app shows about 10 days. Then once a month I will receive an email about the previous month's usage.

I understand Ecobee offers similar functionality. I also have a Honeywell thermostat connected to the Internet via a RedLink gateway, but it only gives me a monthly report sporadically via email.

 

[TurnipTruck]

I use a surplus 20-channel Yokogawa paperless chart recorder to track loop temperatures and air temperatures in three buildings. I infer runtimes from the loop temps.

 

[lockhart3]

Yes on insulation on all piping you can. Your goal should be keep the heat in the fluid to get it to floor.

If you need good source check out Express Insulation on web. They even have sheets if you find it necessary to enclose sections that are piped to tight to use pipe tube type. And glue it shut don’t ignore the gaps that will let heat out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lockhart3]

Oh and if you are new to pipe insulation- try using mitre box and hack saw blade to mitre cut the 90 elbows from the 6’ tubes. Then glue. Ends up looking cleaner and seals better.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lively1]

Oh and if you are new to pipe insulation- try using mitre box and hack saw blade to mitre cut the 90 elbows from the 6’ tubes. Then glue. Ends up looking cleaner and seals better.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What type of glue do you use? I had a box of pipe
Insulation given to me a number of years ago from a professional insulator. The box even shows the numerous ways to make all the 90’s, T’s etc.. and even has a miter gauge on the box.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lockhart3]

I’ve used “320 adhesive” - it seems very similar to contact cement.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tduby]

What is going on in the gray area behind all your pipes it doesn’t look like it is insulated. You could insulate your pipes but with how short everything is you will spend a lot of time and effort that could be spent sealing up air leaks or other things in your garage and get better results

 

[lively1]

What is going on in the gray area behind all your pipes it doesn’t look like it is insulated. You could insulate your pipes but with how short everything is you will spend a lot of time and effort that could be spent sealing up air leaks or other things in your garage and get better results

There about 3-1/2” of foam insulation board with fiberglass backing behind the manifold. It is all sealed up with expanda foam and silicon. I’ve spent a ton of time sealing up any gaps I can find.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[skamin20]

curious are you heating a house or garage or shed. How big and what kind of insulation. Wondering as i am getting ready to install a boiler and i was looking around 140K BTU, i have looked at the westinghous and the hydrosmart panel. I have a 40x40x14 pole barn with spray foam insulation. Just wanted to see if i was in the neighbor hood of the right size.

 

[finn]

I wouldn’t bother insulating the pipes. The heat radiated from the pipes isn’t really lost. It goes into heating the air in the conditioned building.

Might be different if they were domestic hot water pipes running through an unheated basement or some similar scenario.

 

[PoorUB]

I agree. The heat from the pipes escapes into the building you are heating so it is not "lost". If the mechanical room gets ridiculously warm I might insulate the pipes, other than that I see no reason to insulate.