one pump or two

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
Status
Not open for further replies.

marvalus1

New Member
Hearth Supporter
Sep 8, 2008
4
Berkshire Hills
Hi everyone great site. I am just an average Joe that has just purchased an OWB and is presently in the installation process. I have a boiler which is a pressurized system, heating my residence with hot water baseboard. My dealer said to depressurize the sytem and install the OWB direct. But in reading this forum I will install a Hx it makes sense. I then told my dealer my intentions and he says that I will need an extra pump on the boiler side of the Hx because if I use the pump that's on the boiler now it will only turn on when there is a call for heat, and the water inside the boiler may not be hot enough at the beginning of the cycle in which case the oil boiler would turn on . At least that is what I understand. So my question is is he right and would that extra pump have to constantly be running. PS quick install diagram would be apriciated theres is pretty vague. Thank you much!
 
What is the make and model? Some OWB are open systems and some are semi-pressurized. I understand going direct if the OWB is at least partially pressurized. If direct piping is what is suggested by the manufacturer, then this is the simplest and most efficient way to go.

For a hx you do have to have a pump on both sides in order for the water to move through both sides and exchange the heat. I assume this is what he means by a second pump. I am not sure where the aquastat to control that usually goes in that type of system. Hopefully someone with one will chime in.
 
Thanks for the quick reply. The OWB is non pressurized I have one pump on the back of the OWB. There is a pump on the oil fired boiler that circulates two zonee of radiator baseboards 1st floor and second floor of house there is also a Boch with an internal coil in the tank which is the primary zone
 
Yes, there needs to be an additional pump that circulates water from the oil boiler through the hx and back in order to keep the oil boiler hot. That will probably need to run whenever the OWB one does.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.