Laddomat 21 Questions

[hayrack]

I have a laddomat 21 on the return of my eko 40 and I have a 1,000 gallon pressurized tank. I have been burning off and on for a couple of weeks with mixed results.

One of my main questions is are most pumping to their tank with just the three speed pump on the laddomat or does any one have an additional pump in the same loop? I have 1 1/4" copper to and from my tank.

My next question is what are most people using for a thermostat. Mine came with a 72 degree and I used this for the first few fires. I also had a 63 degree that I tried last night. I would like to get my storage up around 180 to 200 if I can

Last question is how to stop the pump in the laddomat from coming back on after the 30 minute shutdown after fire is out. My fire is ending and my eko goes in stop mode. When my zones call for heat and draw from the tank some return goes back to the wood and warms the boiler back up which activates the pump again. The pump will stay on all night while zones are running and the result is the tank mixes completely and I loose my stratification. I have a ball valve that I can close if I am there when the fire goes out and this cures the problem. I am thinking I need to install a 1 1/4" zone valve to close at a certain temp. I would like to wire it in conjunction with the boiler shutting down, but my boiler is 230 volts and I think a zone valve will be 120 volts.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

I have yet to hook up my Lado & hope I can help a little anyways. You shouldn't need any other pumps except the included one for the short boiler loop & the loop to the tank. I'm going to use the standard included thermostat. The Lado should be run off a flue gas thermostat & when this temp drops it will not come on again until more wood is added to bring temps up again. Hopefully I understood this question correctly. Zenon can possibly suppy this item. Good luck, Randy

 

[Gooserider]

I could be wrong, but I'd gathered the impression that the Ladomat pump was mostly just to return water to the boiler, and that the main circulation was done with a separate larger pump....

As to keeping it off after the boiler shuts down, I thought there was a switch output on the EKO controller that goes on and off with the boiler - If you use that to control power to the Ladomat would that work? (possibly with the help of a relay) The ZV idea would also work, again with the help of a relay (BTW, I think a lot of ZV's are 24 VAC, not 110, but that just means using a different relay, and possibly an extra power supply...)

Gooserider

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Likewise, I can also be wrong as I haven't even hooked mine up yet. As I understand it the Lado circulates water through a short loop from the top to bottom fittings of the boiler to bring it up to temp fast. Once the boiler is about 170 degrees the thermostat opens the water is pumped to the top of the tank & some return water from the bottom of the tank & hot boiler water are mixed both heating the tank & keeping the boiler hot. Anyways , this is the way I understand it, Randy / The main circulation through radiators etc is done with a separate pump.

 

[DaveBP]

My next question is what are most people using for a thermostat. Mine came with a 72 degree and I used this for the first few fires. I also had a 63 degree that I tried last night. I would like to get my storage up around 180 to 200 if I can

Hayrack, do you have the 3 thermometers in your Laddomat ? What temp does the 72C thermostat return to the boiler? Does it stay the same as the boiler continues to run or does it start lower than 72C and climb to 72? How about the 63?

 

[hayrack]

Dave I would love to answer your questions and talk with you about this, but I am a little confused about your questions. I will try to answer. I am not sure about three thermostats that you refer to. It came with the 72 which I tried for a couple of weeks and then I tried the 63 for 1 fire. I started a fire tonight with the 72 back in. It seems to be charging nice and I think that has alot to do with the warm outside temps. No zones are running so all is going to the tank. Im not sure if lower temp thermostat will charge the tank quicker or if I am better off with the 72 or even higher.

 

[barnartist]

I use the Laddomat. I pump to 1000 gallons presuurized as well. My zones draw heat from the top of my tanks, not from a manifold that is also tied to the boiler loop. If I remember right, I had trouble like you when I used a manifold that wass all tied together. When a zone kicked on, it would drain the boiler immidiately.
If it helps you at all, feel free to call, it might be eisier to exchange ideas over the phone. I'll be up tonight til 10:30 or 11. 740 926 2445.

 

[DaveBP]

hayrack,
The Laddomats I have seen pictures of have 3 dial thermometers in them. The Termovar loading unit (same thing, different company) has them too. They read the temps of the water coming into it from the boiler output, the temp of the water coming back from the heating loads, and the mixed temp going to the boiler. It's how you know what is happening to keep the temperature of the water coming back into your boiler above 140F (60C). Return water temps lower than that will cause condensation and corrosion in the boiler very quickly. The thermostat in the Laddomat opens gradually over a range of 20F or so. I don't think either of the two cartridges will effect how hot you get your tank except at the first of the burn, especially if the tank is really cold. It mostly is there for protecting the boiler.
Didn't mean to baffle you. I think you read my question as thermostat not thermometer.
I am just interested in what temperature the water is that the Laddomat is sending back to the boiler with the two different thermostat units.

It would help a lot to post a diagram of your system. Doesn't have to be state of the art computer graphics. A pencil sketch on paper shot through a cell phone can work.
At the top of the Boiler Room forum page is a post about putting pictures on the net and forums.