After much deliberation, I have decided to order a Biomass 60 and install my system this summer. I can't begin to tell you how much this form has helped me in my decision making process. However, I need a little help in integrating the new wood system with my existing hydronic system.
First some basic information... I will be heating both a 21' x 60' greenhouse (triple wall insulated, polycarbonate glazing) and my 4500 sq ft home. For storage, I have a 500 gallon propane tank and am currently trying to locate another 500 or 1000 gallon tank. The Biomass 60, the storage tanks, and a backup propane boiler will all be located in an outbuilding approximately 110’ from my house and the greenhouse will be approximately 30’ from the outbuilding. My plan is to plumb the system along the lines of the “Simplest Pressurized Storage System” and integrate it with my existing system.
My house currently has two separate forced air hydronic heating zones which are completely independent of each other, each with separate thermostats and circulators. What I would like to do is plumb the system with the “Simplest Pressurized Storage System” design, but instead of using zone valves on all three zones (the third zone being the greenhouse), I'd like to use my existing circulators and thermostats in the house, and use a zone valve or circulator for the greenhouse zone.
I guess my first question is should I plumb the load lines (a 1” pex circuit for each zone… making a total of four 1” buried lines) so that they bypass the load circulator or should I wire the house relay to the load circulator relay so that the load circulator operates in the series with either one of the house circulators? Or should I just do away with the load circulator and zone valve completely, and operate each zone with its own circulator?
One problem I see with using circulators instead of zone valves is that when two or more of the zone circulators are calling for heat, the propane and wood circulators won't be able to supply the needed flow causing undesired flow from the storage tanks. If this a real big problem, perhaps I be should looking at a “primary/secondary” type system instead…would it be more adaptable to my existing system?
If anyone can give me a push in the right direction on this I would really appreciate it
First some basic information... I will be heating both a 21' x 60' greenhouse (triple wall insulated, polycarbonate glazing) and my 4500 sq ft home. For storage, I have a 500 gallon propane tank and am currently trying to locate another 500 or 1000 gallon tank. The Biomass 60, the storage tanks, and a backup propane boiler will all be located in an outbuilding approximately 110’ from my house and the greenhouse will be approximately 30’ from the outbuilding. My plan is to plumb the system along the lines of the “Simplest Pressurized Storage System” and integrate it with my existing system.
My house currently has two separate forced air hydronic heating zones which are completely independent of each other, each with separate thermostats and circulators. What I would like to do is plumb the system with the “Simplest Pressurized Storage System” design, but instead of using zone valves on all three zones (the third zone being the greenhouse), I'd like to use my existing circulators and thermostats in the house, and use a zone valve or circulator for the greenhouse zone.
I guess my first question is should I plumb the load lines (a 1” pex circuit for each zone… making a total of four 1” buried lines) so that they bypass the load circulator or should I wire the house relay to the load circulator relay so that the load circulator operates in the series with either one of the house circulators? Or should I just do away with the load circulator and zone valve completely, and operate each zone with its own circulator?
One problem I see with using circulators instead of zone valves is that when two or more of the zone circulators are calling for heat, the propane and wood circulators won't be able to supply the needed flow causing undesired flow from the storage tanks. If this a real big problem, perhaps I be should looking at a “primary/secondary” type system instead…would it be more adaptable to my existing system?
If anyone can give me a push in the right direction on this I would really appreciate it