Taco RMB-1

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bpirger

Minister of Fire
May 23, 2010
632
Ithaca NY Area
Any experience or comments about the Taco RMB-1 mixing unit? Seems like they have integrated everything into this unit, controller and injection and loop pump. It's not cheap....but it does appear easy to install. Looks at outdoor temp for reset control. I wish it had a slab sensor as well, to set a minimum temperature.

Anyone using these?

Thanks.
 
I'm using a Taco RMB for my in floor heating. I have hardwood floors, and running excessive temperatures can damage them. The RMB is awesome! It has a variety of control schemes like min boiler temperature, outdoor reset, Target supply temperature... Being worried about the wood floors - I run the max supply temperature scheme with outdoor reset. The RMB then mixes the boiler water with the water circulating under the joists to maintain a target temp (based on outside temp) without exceeding a maxium temperature. It is very accurate, and the PID controller responds rapidly to changes in conditions.

The outdoor reset varies the supply temperature to my floors, depending on the outdoor temp. The maintains my house temperature very consistently.


The only downside to running one of these in this mode is electrical cost. The unit draws about 80 Watts with the circulating pump, and up to 160 Watts with mixing pump running at 100%. I set my max supply target @ 110F - so mixing pump is usually running at a fraction of full power (the RMB has a frequency drive for the mixing pump - so it draws full power only when fully mixing is required). With my storage tanks at 180F, the mixing pump barely runs and the unit draws about 90 Watts. When my storage tanks are down to 110F, the mixing pump is running at 100% and the unit is drawing 160 Watts - which can add a bit to your power bill.

I really like this unit, I think it is worth the money!
 
It looks like Tekmar made the controller for Taco. I have Tekmar 363 and 362 controllers....and I love them. Everything is programmable and they appear to be rock solid. Couldn't be happier with them, well, they are pricey. The RMB appears to be about $800 or so, and that's including the injection and circulating pump, controller, and considerable plumbing!

I could use this for one of my new loops, as the primary loop is near the manifolds for the floor, but my other two new loops are remote. I don't think they'd work all that well since I'd have to circulate through all the "feeder line" to the manifolds.
 
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