Tremovar Piping Comments ?
- Thread starter RobC
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Rob - I assume the T at the boiler is "up" to system supply and "horizontal" supply to Termovar; that opposite side of Termovar is system return; and that "down" from the Termovar is return to boiler. Proper install of the Termovar has the "big" arrow system return to Termovar and the "small" arrow system supply to Termovar.
Your picture looks like the Termovar has the ball valve fittings on each port. I think you are using the system supply to Termovar ball valve as the balancing valve. Are both system return to Termovar and Termovar return to boiler ball valves fully open?
Using the system supply to Termovar ball valve as the balancing valve should be able to work, but I've considered these port valves more as on/off valves used to remove/service the Termovar. When I looked closely at these valves, it seemed to me to be difficult to adjust the supply ball valve to serve well as a balancing valve, and especially to do any mid-burn adjustments as supply and return temperatures rose. It looked like small movement of the ball valve could result in a big change in the open/close position, and that any "fine" adjustment would be problematical. But if you find it works OK, then proof is in the use.
I still would recommend a future project to add a more functional balancing valve between the boiler supply and the Termovar. Ball valves seem to be popular, although I use a gate valve, mostly because I had one. But in using the gate valve, I find it very easy to fine tune the balancing valve to achieve the result I want. I have a DS18B20 digital temperature panel meter which monitors Termovar return to boiler, and an adjustment of even 1/4 turn of the gate valve handle, aa very small change, will result in a change in boiler return water temperature, which means that the balancing valve setting is fairly critical, at least if you want flexibility to change it. I also have DS18B20 digital temperature panel meters which monitor system supply and return temperature, so I know at glance total system performance. Others may use other types of balancing valves, and they can report their experience.
FWIW, with cold system return, I have the balancing valve open 10 - 1/4 turns. This results in boiler return of about 145F with system supply of about 165F. Then as system return temperature rises to around 135-140F or so, I close down the balancing valve to 4 - 1/4 turns open, and generally leave it there. I may, when system return rises to 160F, fully close the balancing valve. But I have more than once forgotten to open it again on a subsequent firing of the boiler, so current practice is to not close it more than 4 - 1/4 turns open. Failing to open the balancing valve from fully closed results in cold system water to the Termovar, no hot boiler water to the Termovar, and thus no system return water allowed to pass through the Termovar to the boiler, causing the boiler to continue to heat until the boiler draft fan shut down at about 190F and also has resulted in overheat.
Those are my thoughts, long and rambling.
Your picture looks like the Termovar has the ball valve fittings on each port. I think you are using the system supply to Termovar ball valve as the balancing valve. Are both system return to Termovar and Termovar return to boiler ball valves fully open?
Using the system supply to Termovar ball valve as the balancing valve should be able to work, but I've considered these port valves more as on/off valves used to remove/service the Termovar. When I looked closely at these valves, it seemed to me to be difficult to adjust the supply ball valve to serve well as a balancing valve, and especially to do any mid-burn adjustments as supply and return temperatures rose. It looked like small movement of the ball valve could result in a big change in the open/close position, and that any "fine" adjustment would be problematical. But if you find it works OK, then proof is in the use.
I still would recommend a future project to add a more functional balancing valve between the boiler supply and the Termovar. Ball valves seem to be popular, although I use a gate valve, mostly because I had one. But in using the gate valve, I find it very easy to fine tune the balancing valve to achieve the result I want. I have a DS18B20 digital temperature panel meter which monitors Termovar return to boiler, and an adjustment of even 1/4 turn of the gate valve handle, aa very small change, will result in a change in boiler return water temperature, which means that the balancing valve setting is fairly critical, at least if you want flexibility to change it. I also have DS18B20 digital temperature panel meters which monitor system supply and return temperature, so I know at glance total system performance. Others may use other types of balancing valves, and they can report their experience.
FWIW, with cold system return, I have the balancing valve open 10 - 1/4 turns. This results in boiler return of about 145F with system supply of about 165F. Then as system return temperature rises to around 135-140F or so, I close down the balancing valve to 4 - 1/4 turns open, and generally leave it there. I may, when system return rises to 160F, fully close the balancing valve. But I have more than once forgotten to open it again on a subsequent firing of the boiler, so current practice is to not close it more than 4 - 1/4 turns open. Failing to open the balancing valve from fully closed results in cold system water to the Termovar, no hot boiler water to the Termovar, and thus no system return water allowed to pass through the Termovar to the boiler, causing the boiler to continue to heat until the boiler draft fan shut down at about 190F and also has resulted in overheat.
Those are my thoughts, long and rambling.
All a aspects of plumbing in Tremovar, as you stated, are correct. All "service ball valves" are open. Adjusting mixed flow is something to be done once with this valve, it is temperamental.
Thank you for the look over.
Thank you for the look over.
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