baseboard heating; low temp goals

[barnartist]

Since some areas of my floor are not feasable to install radiant, I am looking to finish some areas with baseboards. Id like to plumb it all in series so that I can still heat with temps as low as 100 or so. I realize it may take more baseboard that I want to use, but I need to learn more about double pipe(?) boards and where to purchase them at a fair price.
I am thinking it is possible to start the water at the baseboards as this is the hottest, and finish the run through the under floor radiant. It looks like I would have 2 circuits of 300' 1/2 pex, and two 8x5 rooms and a 12 x 18 room that will need baseboards. I know I need a heat loss calculation to be more accurate, but I'd like to start by looking at the common supply store for prices if those of you can provide some good sites to check out and what to look for.

 

[in hot water]

SlantFin does have an output chart for their baseboard products down to 110F supply. You might search their site for higher output elements or double stacks.

hr

 

[Chris Hoskin]

steel panel rads would be a good option and, I think I would recommend setting up each different type of radiation (baseboard, floor, panel rads) as a separate zone so you can send different temperature water to each if needed. Consider zone valves and a Grundfos Alpha pump in order to minimize electricity consumption.

 

[in hot water]

Here is a look at 180F and 110F supply and the difference in board required. Putting baseboard and radiant on one loop may not be the best plan.

Any way to run a 180F loop to the baseboard, then use a mixing valve to lower the temperature for the radiant. there are a number of ways to pipe a low temperature loop from a baseboard loop.

hr

 

[Justburnit]

When I originally changed my house from forced air to hydronic I had one end done with baseboard and under the bath with copper radiant. After a few years I combined them with the water running through the BB first. This was with the oil fired system. Now with the addition of full underfloor radiant the BB is only used when it is cold out and the radiant can not keep up in this old house. Basically when the temps drop to 20 below I let the BB share the load in the morning.
This is needed more on the 200 Yo end of the house that the wood floor is 3' thick. I run the water fairly hot under this section.
What I have learned from my fiddling over the years is that regular baseboard works fine with low water temps, you just have longer cycle times.
For the best performance you may want parallel systems though.

 

[barnartist]

Oh yes I will be mixing the water, I just want to have my storage tanks charged at 180-190, and not have to recharge till 100-120. So average temp will be in the middle.

I dont really need to figure on a 0 degree day at 100F water temp, just looking to extend the time between fireings and continue the comfortable house. Should be noted the rooms already have forced air heat from same source (storage tanks), just want to eliminate the forced air. The forced air can serve as a backup on extreme cold days.

 

[Justburnit]

With that in mind, run the BB hot. Select a good thermostat that works in 15min cycles. They respond better to the wide variation to input temps.

 

[Blevesque]

Here is some low temp baseboard. Nice stuff!

http://www.smithsenvironmental.com/heatingedgegreen-brochure.pdf

 

[RowCropRenegade]

I'm in the same situation with my baseboard. I have many more useable btu's in storage that I can't utilize because of high required temperatures.

I like the ratings on that heatingedgegreen.

I would prefer radiant but no crawl space. Would have to tear up the floors to insulate and run tube.

 

[Willman]

I would prefer radiant but no crawl space. Would have to tear up the floors to insulate and run tube

You could do radiant in the ceiling. For a low water temp panel rads check out jaga. From mild to wild.

http://www.jaga.be/Default.aspx

Will

 

[barnartist]

For a low water temp panel rads check out jaga. From mild to wild.

http://www.jaga.be/Default.aspx

Will[/quote]

Look nice, but its all foreign.

 

[woodsmaster]

Houseneeds.com sells myson rad panels, they are a good brand. I bought stelrad panels, 10 year warrenty but no one around sells them thaat I've found. I got lucky and found them on craigs list locally. The shipping
is where they get you on the rads, they are quit heavy. If you want to buy some you may want to send heaterman a privit message, I remember him saying he has a connection on the east coast. Ocasionally there are
some on e-bay. there are three different types so be sure to look at output and not just size.

 

[woodsmaster]

The rad panels are like 70% radiant and 30% convection . baseboard is just convection I believe.