Advice needed for buying new Wood Furnace/Boiler

[tibikedad]

I forgot to answer the question about using 1.25 inch piping. Yes, increasing the length of the pipe will always add more head pressure, which translates into slower gallons/hour, and more electricity needed to run the pump at the desired flow rate. A 1/2 inch pipe is good for about 25,000 BTUs per hour. A 3/4 inch pipe will do a little more than 2 times that much (around 60K BTUs / hour). A 1 inch is good for about 120K, and a 1.25 inch is good for more than 180K BTUs/hour. Of course, these are maximum rates, and they will degrade as the head pressure increases. Practically, with a long run, unless you use a very large (and expensive pump), the one inch pipe will most likely give you less than 90K BTUs / hour.

Remember, these BTU numbers assume a 20 degree temperature loss. The greater the temperature difference, the more BTUs will transfer.

The plumber that installed my boiler used a combination of 1 inch and 1.25 inch pipe, and small Taco 007 pumps. I couldn't run more than 2 zones at a time if I wanted heat in all the zones. Once I upgraded to 1.25 inch pipe everywhere, and increased the pump size to the correct head/flow rate (Taco 012), I could run all 8 zones simultaneously with all the radiators too hot to touch.

When you size your pipes and pumps, make a diagram of each zone, the head and flow rate required / zone, and then add up the total flow rate. This will give you an idea of the size of the main pipe and pump you need.

I got the figures above from the following web site:
Flow Rate and Piping Size for a Solar Hot Water System | Solar Heating System Guide

 

[pook]

my best run with the sawdust burner was~ 30 days with no relighting or shutting down to clean the grates= constant flame which heated thru baseboard with a Taco007 pump that ran on~ 60 watts. A simple,non electric, mechanical thermal sensor can be configured to operate the air intake so it reacts to boiler temp with connecting wire to lift & drop the intake door. The logistics & learning curve for this is quite challenging but the cost of the fuel [$+labor] motivated me to do it
PS= pellets demand for sawdust have since changed the cost though post catlittered sawdust is still free

 

[1harlowr]

Can't we read a post without you three pissing on each other?

 

[pook]

Can't we read a post without you three pissing on each other?

whadda u want me to do, turn the other cheek so they can piss on it too? besidses , its 2 against 1 so i might have to offer all 4 cheeks

 

[CrappieKeith]

Can't we read a post without you three pissing on each other?

I gave up trying to get Pook to understand anything.He is on ignor and unless someone quotes him I'm oblivious to his troll dribble.

I guess if you are ok with him trying to set someone up for a dissaster then so be it.
Darin did put out a warning and I'll be satisfied with that.
When he starts to attack your posts then you'll see what it is like beating a dead horse trying to explain anything to him.

Again he is on ignor for just that purpose....what you said...

 

[radicalRWer]

I have a Tarm gasification boiler with a 820 gallon storage tank (water). \

So is your unit inside your house or in another building? I definitely don't want wood in the house due to critters/spiders.

What does a large insulated tank cost? I thought I heard some people say they have used propane tanks with they insulate.

Thanks for your useful advise on the pumps and tube sizing. I will definitely take this into acct.

 

[tibikedad]

So is your unit inside your house or in another building? I definitely don't want wood in the house due to critters/spiders.

What does a large insulated tank cost? I thought I heard some people say they have used propane tanks with they insulate.

Thanks for your useful advise on the pumps and tube sizing. I will definitely take this into acct.

Tarm sold me the tank. I think it was around $2000, but that was in 2005. It is a flexible round structure, with 2 inches of insulation on the bottom, sides, and top. It has a liner that looks like thick rubber. The boiler and tank are in the basement. I sympathize with your dislike of bugs ... I don't like them either. I inspect every piece of wood before bringing it in, and only keep about 4 days of wood in the house. This keeps most of the bugs outside. The majority of my wood is outside under cover, over 2 years old. I won't burn any wood less than 2 years.