2 pumps in 1 loop?

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swyman

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Anyone tried hooking 2 pumps together in a line, one to act as a booster? I want to increase my flow without spending $500+ on a higher flow pump. I currently have a 014 Taco and want to increase my flow to try and reduce heat loss in my loop. I could buy the next size smaller pump and install it inside the house. Fired up my boiler today and I lose 50deg going through the coil in my duct. My 014 is only net'ing my about 6-7gpm on the return at the boiler on a 240' run (one way). Anyone out there have similar distances from furnace to house an how high is your flow rate?
 
Done all the time in other applications so yes it can be done. It a whole lot more complicated to engineer than it seems on the surface. I would not spend the money without consulting TACO about it. In my conversations with them they where very helpfull people.
 
I'm sort of confused about what you are trying to do.

If you are loosing 50 deg across the coil at 6 GPM you are pumping 150,000 btu/hr into your house, and the most important question is are you able to keep the house warm when it is cold outside, if so you are ok with your current system.

According to the pump curve for an 014 at 6 gpm you have ~ 19 feet of head loss in the loop. If you were to add a second 014 in series you will only increase your flow a couple of GPM, since pressure drop increases as a squared function compared to the flow - double your flow = 4x the pressure drop.
 
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I'm sort of confused about what you are trying to do.

If you are loosing 50 deg across the coil at 6 GPM you are pumping 150,000 btu/hr into your house, and the most important question is are you able to keep the house warm when it is cold outside, if so you are ok with your current system.

:agree2::agree2:

Exactly. The heat is not being "lost" - is is being transfered through the coil into your house as it should. Maybe your fan is blowing too much heat off the coil.
 
Sounds like your coil and blower are doing there job well.If the house is warm enough,id leave well enough alone.
 
I'm sort of confused about what you are trying to do.

If you are loosing 50 deg across the coil at 6 GPM you are pumping 150,000 btu/hr into your house, and the most important question is are you able to keep the house warm when it is cold outside, if so you are ok with your current system.

According to the pump curve for an 014 at 6 gpm you have ~ 19 feet of head loss in the loop. If you were to add a second 014 in series you will only increase your flow a couple of GPM, since pressure drop increases as a squared function compared to the flow - double your flow = 4x the pressure drop.

My kitchen is 400sqft and all tile and 14ft ceilings and 2 heat runs which makes this room about 5 deg cooler than the rest of the house. I want to add floor heat only in this room as it should make it very comfortable but am concerned about lowering my boiler return temp even more.

As far as the rest of the house goes, it's an old farm house and I still have some draft issues on the West wall. There are many 20-30mph West wind days throughout the winter here and when it gets below zero my furnace will not keep up. I have a CB 6048 and the boiler stays at temp but my furnace blower will not shut off and I will lose temp in the house. It's not the end of the world, the coldest it got in the house was about 60 deg, but with the thermostat set at 74 we kind of get spoiled. I think I need to remove the trim around the windows and use some spray foam to try and seal the house up better.
 
Sounds like your coil and blower are doing there job well.If the house is warm enough,id leave well enough alone.

John, I have a Bobcat 873 and also made my own splitter. Could you send me pics of yours? Always looking for a better way of doing things. I am using a
12" #45 X 15' beam with a 5" bore and 48" stroke cylinder. My push plate and wedge is 18" tall and can split just about anything, all at the push of a button! Still would like to make a 4 or 6 way wedge. Ultimately I want to tear it apart and put it on a running gear and make a processor.
 
2 pumps in series will overcome high head issues,in parallel, they will give more flow. I think solving your insulation/draft issues first is an excellent idea.
 
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