Froling Add-on Install

[Marshy]

Get some extra slip couplings? I had a couple instances where I had to fix something and it was easier and faster to recip saw a section out and solder it back in quick with a couple of couplings.

I have some on hand if needed. I should probably add a drain some where.

 

[maple1]

It really sucked laying out the cash for them at the time, but lots of ball valves for isolating components is nice to have too. Although you don't have to worry about letting a few hundred gallons out to fix something...

 

[Marshy]

Every major component will have a nearby union and a way to isolate flow if need to replace it. The only exceptions are the check valves. So, the emergency dump zone has unions, the storage tanknheat exchanger, the pumps, and diverting valve and mixing valve. The cool part about the diverting and mixong valves are they have a ball valve in their union connection.

 

[maple1]

About those little ball valves. My LK810 has the same ones. I used them last year when I took the plug out of the end of the circ to unstick a stuck pump. They were very hard to turn and as soon as i turned them they started weeping a little out of the stem. I finished what i was doing and opened them again, and they stopped weeping. But next time i will use the other ordinary ball valves further away from the unit, I don't really trust the little built in ones any more.

 

[brenndatomu]

lots of ball valves for isolating components is nice to have too

Yes! Swap out a component in minutes VS hours

 

[TCaldwell]

Looks great, my only comment is on the pipe hangers, while your insulating replace with the cradle type that goes around the outside of the insulated pipe. They are fastened and adjusted with threaded rod, the whole assembly stays at room temp rather than 180 deg legs protruding through the insulation

 

[Marshy]

Thanks for the info @maple1. I suppose a little leak/weap is no big deal just for an emergency repair on something. Probably something I'm willing to tolerate at this point.

Looks great, my only comment is on the pipe hangers, while your insulating replace with the cradle type that goes around the outside of the insulated pipe. They are fastened and adjusted with threaded rod, the whole assembly stays at room temp rather than 180 deg legs protruding through the insulation

Do you have an example? I looked at the split ring hangers like your talking but they were all for uninsulated pipe. Looked like the U clamps used with unistrut can accommodate insulated pipe though. I have no plans to hang unistrut. Besides, heat loss will be within my heating envelope. I could put the strapped the insulation too. I'll remember to leave enough strap to go over the insulation.

 

[Marshy]

I need a peer check, can't find where it's written in my manuals anywhere. Calling @hiker88

Is the hot supply from my boiler piped to the top of my coil heat exchanger, right?

 

[hiker88]

I need a peer check, can't find where it's written in my manuals anywhere. Calling @hiker88

Is the hot supply from my boiler piped to the top of my coil heat exchanger, right?

one sec.

 

[hiker88]

I need a peer check, can't find where it's written in my manuals anywhere. Calling @hiker88

Is the hot supply from my boiler piped to the top of my coil heat exchanger, right?

Per my setup via Tarm (short answer to you is "yes", but read on.)

"If no zones are calling for heat, the zone valve ZV1 will remain closed. All of the hot water being moved by C3 must travel through the heating coils in the tank, moving from top to bottom and then back through Port 2 of the termovar and back to the boiler."

And not to distract, but this is where the BLT controller and that ZV1 valve shine. With any zone calling for heat, storage is bypassed except for some ghost flow. So, as soon as your boiler gets to 65c, C3 kicks on, and you are getting heat to the living spaces. Not a lot at first, but this boiler will get to 65c quick in most cases, and then it just keeps building temps. As soon as heat demand is met, ZV1 closes and forces all the flow through storage.

On a day like today that topped out at 2f at 1400 this afternoon, I can hear ZV1 opening and closing throughout the day when I am in the basement.

 

[Marshy]

one sec.

No hurry, the snow continues to fall regardless lol.

 

[hiker88]

No hurry, the snow continues to fall regardless lol.
View attachment 219456

Wowzers. You must be in the lake effect region? I love snow, but I try to be sensitive because I know not everyone sharers the sentiment. That looks pretty awesome.

 

[Marshy]

Yes, I'm on the south eastern edge of lake Ontario. I love the snow. It's quite entertaining. Thanks for the above info. Was having a hard time finding it.

 

[Marshy]

You know its getting interesting when you have to plow the plow out before you can plow the house out.

 

[Chris Hoskin]

looks like those tees are galvanized.

they are black iron

 

[velvetfoot]

Is that a cast iron air separator you're using?

 

[Marshy]

Is that a cast iron air separator you're using?

Yes, it's called an air scoop. It's made by Amtrol. It has an air purger on top with 1/8" NPT connection and a npt connection on bottom for an expansion tank on bottom. You can get them with an auto-full valve too.
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Amtrol-444-1-1-1-4-Air-Purger-1-8-NPT-Vent-125-PSI-Cast-Iron

 

[velvetfoot]

I personally feel the Spirovent or similar work better than cast iron. I'm not an expert though.
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Spirotherm-VJS125-1-1-4-Spirovent-Jr-Air-Eliminator-Sweat-9307000-p

 

[Marshy]

I personally feel the Spirovent or similar work better than cast iron. I'm not an expert though.
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Spirotherm-VJS125-1-1-4-Spirovent-Jr-Air-Eliminator-Sweat-9307000-p

Two different technologies to do the same thing. The spirotherm will remove more air because it uses a coalescing medium that "scrubs" the air from the system fluid. The air scoop is passive and uses baffels and pressure changes to remove air. Its effectiveness has little to do with the material the body is made from as you can get coalescing air separators with cast iron bodies.

Anyways, its a tradeoff. The Spirotherm air separator is $135, the air scoop wirh expansion tank and purger was about 60-65. I could always add the spirotherm later. If I do, I would probably consider adding the Spirotherm air eliminator/dirt separator. It costs $290, ouch.

Where do you draw the line? What did you use? What is necessary vs what is nice to have?

 

[velvetfoot]

Spirotherm. I think it works better than the air scoop I had. Alas, I have two since I put the first one too far from the boiler, I figured, and didn't feel like moving the first one, lol.

 

[Marshy]

Yes I believe it does, but it is necessary or a nice to have?

 

[maple1]

I don't think I would say it's necessary. I've just got 'old school' stuff on mine.

 

[Marshy]

I'm not trying to be abrasive. I honestly don't know the answers to the questions I posed donuts hard for me to justify the extra expense. What I do know is engrained air/oxygen

 

[velvetfoot]

I usually don't run my system as much you since I have a wood stove too. Maybe the scoop would do better in that case because of all the reheats. I still hear the Spirovent spit when the coolant temp is near max. Maybe not so much now since I'm running exclusively on oil since the wood insert's glass is cracked, but that's another story.

 

[maple1]

I'm not trying to be abrasive. I honestly don't know the answers to the questions I posed donuts hard for me to justify the extra expense. What I do know is engrained air/oxygen

Expensive donuts aren't much better than cheaper ones most times either.