Introduction

[j.w.young]

Hi everyone, I just started reading this site, this looks like a great bunch of helpful people. I have been burning wood since the 60s but 4 years ago we built a new highly insulated home with some help from friends that are builder.& plumber. we have in floor heat with a Munchkin 140M boiler. The guy I hired to install the heating system insisted on 140M based on old standards of sq ft but other contractors did a modern heat calc at 60M. We burn 1000 gal of lp per year for heat,dhw,stove,dryer,bbqgrill. Now I want to return to wood heat with the gas as backup. We have all the tools, saws,tracktor,splitter,30acres of hardwoods. I just bought a small used boiler & plan to run it pressurized with a hx to an unpressurized 800gal buffer tank with a hx to the Munchkin's primary loop. My weakness is in the controlling of the pumps so wood is primary with gas as standby if we go out of town. Plumbing & simple wiring like aqustats & snapdisc switches are ok with me but logic systems are past me. Anyone have suggestions on control systems, differential temp sensors & the like? I'd like to keep it simple to moderate if I could. I'd also like to find a temp sensor for the buffer tank that I can read from the living area of the home so I know when I need to reload the boiler. Thank You
John in the enchanted forest

 

[Nofossil]

Welcome to the boiler room. There are several ways to accomplish what you're looking for, and complex controllers are not necessary. I have on approach documented in the sticky at the top of this forum labeled 'simplest pressurized storage'. The basic approach would work with unpressurized storage as well - just envision a coil going through the storage tanks.

Wireless barbecue thermometers would be one possibility for your remote temperature readout.

 

[j.w.young]

I picked up the used milk tank today. It turns out to be a 1000gal non pressurized insulated tank with a 24" man hole in the top. When I figure out the photo thing I'll post a pic. Thanks for the tip on bbq temp sensors, I'll read your sticky. brought home the used boiler today too.