Gregg,
I definately am on to improved performance. This is the challenge when you know you can get better results, you keep poking and prodding!! My issue now is ideling even when a zone is calling. It seems to me that this should be a big enough demand to keep the boiler from hitting its high limit. It also seems that as the tank temps rise it takes longer and longer to add more heat wich equals more wood burned.
quote author="Greg H" date="1231481705"]Larry I don't remember seeing a recommendation for low temps but I just know that the smaller the delta T the less efficient the heat transfer is. Its a lot easier to heat a room to 68* with 180* water than 130* water. You can do it, it just takes a lot longer.
We have been running it to 120* sometimes lower. Perhaps that explains the length of time to heat zones as well "re charge" the tank. I have started to use 130* is our lowest we let the tank get down to.
Where/how are you measuring your tank temps? When I say I'm at 170* that's at the top of the tank maybe 6" below the surface. The bottom of the tank may be as much as 15* cooler.[/quote] I have a stss tank with 3 temp probes one at 15" and then two evenly spaced from there. I have the tank at 160* but it has taken all day.
I definately am on to improved performance. This is the challenge when you know you can get better results, you keep poking and prodding!! My issue now is ideling even when a zone is calling. It seems to me that this should be a big enough demand to keep the boiler from hitting its high limit. It also seems that as the tank temps rise it takes longer and longer to add more heat wich equals more wood burned.
quote author="Greg H" date="1231481705"]Larry I don't remember seeing a recommendation for low temps but I just know that the smaller the delta T the less efficient the heat transfer is. Its a lot easier to heat a room to 68* with 180* water than 130* water. You can do it, it just takes a lot longer.
We have been running it to 120* sometimes lower. Perhaps that explains the length of time to heat zones as well "re charge" the tank. I have started to use 130* is our lowest we let the tank get down to.
Where/how are you measuring your tank temps? When I say I'm at 170* that's at the top of the tank maybe 6" below the surface. The bottom of the tank may be as much as 15* cooler.[/quote] I have a stss tank with 3 temp probes one at 15" and then two evenly spaced from there. I have the tank at 160* but it has taken all day.
