Need Help With Biomax 60 Installation...

[Sunshinetreefrog]

New member to site. A lot of great info & a lot of smart ideas on site. Purchased Biomax 60 approx 6 mths ago w/intent to use storage for this winter. Now, just want to get hooked up w/no storage for this winter with plans to get storage after the winter. Have had quotes to install boiler but too extreme for pocket book. My background on this project is over my head & hope someone can help.

Background on where @ with project. Boiler in barn approx 100 ft from house. Underground tubing, chimney installed. Just purchased a lot of the tubing to begin the installation. Biomax doesn't have install manuals. Have the EKO manual but w/my background, need all the pictures can get. Does anyone have basic pictures / diagrames indicating where each component goes, how they are hooked up, etc.

When talk to folks, they make it sound simple (and it probably is). Pictures say a lot to my knowledge base. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Steve

 

[Eric Johnson]

Welcome to the Boiler Room, Steve. From what I hear, the Biomax is a great boiler.

Here's a picture of how I piped up my EKO prior to hooking it up to the system. The same photo is in the EKO manual, I believe, with some of the components identified.

Probably the best approach for you would be to isolate the job into manageable, discrete pieces, and then post questions about how to do those. You're right--it's not all that hard, but knowing where to start can be a challenge if you've never done it before.

 

[stee6043]

Here is a quick review of my "story". It may help. My understanding of the near-boiler plumbing improved greatly after reviewing the diagrams that came with my Danfoss valve. The bypass is quite simple. From there you can take the water wherever you choose...

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/32524/

 

[taxidermist]

see my blog bottom of this page

 

[Sunshinetreefrog]

Thank you for the info. I think, what you have done, is quite amazing. Eric, think you are right, try to break it down. Taxidermist, we're virtual neighbors, Pinckney & Fowlerville...

I'm keep going back & reviewing your pic's, etc., and to be honest, pretty overwelming. I'm starting to get some of this stuff, but have some questions...(feel free to laugh)...but trying to save some dough...

(1) Prior to your pic's, was wondering why constantly going from 1 1/2" to 1" with the circ pump, bypass valve, & air separ. Bought a lot of plumbing to go this route (can return). Should I be plumbing my boiler piping / tubing with 1 1/2"? Is is wrong to plumb it down to 1"? Started this route because of the size of the underground pex @ 1".

(2) Mixing Valve - Going to go back through your postings, but where does the the mixing valve go? The one I have is 3/4". Am I to plumb this up to 1 1/2 if it is the going size.

(3) Low H20 Cutoff - Looking @ pictures, having hard time to understand. If understand the correct component coming out of the cold h20, it looks like the box is also attached to the plumbing...not just the sensor. Just wanting to make sure the sensor is the only thing that needs to be hooked up here (plumbing)?

(4) Expansion Tank - Not using storage tanks this winter. Where do I connect the exp tank to?

(5) Underground tubing to boiler - Where do I connect within the system?

Thanks again for your support,
Steve

 

[stee6043]

Thank you for the info. I think, what you have done, is quite amazing. Eric, think you are right, try to break it down. Taxidermist, we're virtual neighbors, Pinckney & Fowlerville...

I'm keep going back & reviewing your pic's, etc., and to be honest, pretty overwelming. I'm starting to get some of this stuff, but have some questions...(feel free to laugh)...but trying to save some dough...

(1) Prior to your pic's, was wondering why constantly going from 1 1/2" to 1" with the circ pump, bypass valve, & air separ. Bought a lot of plumbing to go this route (can return). Should I be plumbing my boiler piping / tubing with 1 1/2"? Is is wrong to plumb it down to 1"? Started this route because of the size of the underground pex @ 1".

(2) Mixing Valve - Going to go back through your postings, but where does the the mixing valve go? The one I have is 3/4". Am I to plumb this up to 1 1/2 if it is the going size.

(3) Low H20 Cutoff - Looking @ pictures, having hard time to understand. If understand the correct component coming out of the cold h20, it looks like the box is also attached to the plumbing...not just the sensor. Just wanting to make sure the sensor is the only thing that needs to be hooked up here (plumbing)?

(4) Expansion Tank - Not using storage tanks this winter. Where do I connect the exp tank to?

(5) Underground tubing to boiler - Where do I connect within the system?

Thanks again for your support,
Steve

I'd suggest you get 1-1/4" minimum for everything. If your Biomax 60 is similar in output to an EKO 60 you may even want to go 1-1/2". I would not use smaller shut-off's, air sep's or anything else since 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" are available just about everywhere. Of course, if the Biomax 60 only has an 80,000btu output you may be okay with 1". I'd start there - what is your output?

I hope your underground pex is big enough? I know some folks will run parallel shots of pex to keep up with their boiler output.

With no storage you can screw your small expansion tank directly into the bottom of your air seperator (assuming it's a Taco I suppose).

Your underground tubing will ultimately connect to the hot supply from your boiler, after the bypass loop connection, and directly into one of the ports of our mixing valve on the return. Inside your house it'll connect to your load (whether that is a water-to-air HX, baseboard, etc).

 

[RJP Electric]

Welcome to the boiler room and I hope you love your Biomass as much as I do!

I did use 1 1/4 like stee6043 recommended and you are adding 30 gallons of water to your existing system plus what ever is in the underground pipes, so a larger expansion tank on your existing boilers is needed or a separate one on the biomass.

A parallel setup is the way to go like the sticky on the main page if you are redoing your pluming or doing it from scratch. If money is an issue you can do a series setup with the hot water running through the boiler like I did or you can put it in the other location marked on the picture for a semi-parallel setup. Everyones layout is different, I hope you find one to work for you.