let the fun begin

[superduty_59]

Doug I thought I read that your system is a closed system. Do you have a water line trenched to your boiler to add water when it needs or a ( I know they make automatic valves to refill)? Do you only have one zone? Do you use your boiler to heat your water tank too? How many pumps and what brand size, ect. (for example Taco 007). Thanks

Doug, I just went back through some of your thread and found the answers to some of my questions.
1) is the boiler pipes and water suppy trenched below frost line?
2) do you have a mixer installed ( I have read that especially with cast iron boilers the return needs to be mixed with a little of the supply to prevent boiler shock)?  Thanks

[doug]

the boiler pipes are buried 4' deep with a foot of sand surrounding them for protection. water supply is connected feed pipe coming in to basement.  once the system is charged there is no place for water loss of any volume, it is closed system.

[superduty_59]

Thanks for the reply Doug! So in a closed system you really do not need to add water. 

2) do you have a mixer installed ( I have read that especially with cast iron boilers the return needs to be mixed with a little of the supply to prevent boiler shock)?

[doug]

I didn't say that.

[superduty_59]

ok, still learning about the different devices ona boiler system! Thanks Doug.

[Russ]

I think Super was just asking the question about mixing the water to prevent boiler shock from too cold of water coming back in.  I have heard that before, but dont know if there is any truth to it.  I have a small water heater inline that helps with thermal storage and probably would help with boiler shock, but my return line never gets that cold.  I would imagine if you had a larger heat exchanger, or several, or a sidearm on your water heater, it could bring the temp down.  A friend of mine has a sidearm on his water heater and he says that running the hot water in the house can drop the boiler temp in a hurry.

[superduty_59]

Yes Russ, I have read that if you have 180* leaving your boiler you should not have more than 10* ( have read varying temps from 10*- 20* so...) difference in your return. With a mixer /bypass it take some of that 180* water leaving the boiler and t's off like a zone but feeds back to the return to the boiler so it tempers the return water so you don't get "Boiler Thermal Shock". Like I said I'm far from an expert and I am still learning and don't want anyone to have a short life for their boiler.

[doug]

water supply trenched below frost line

2) do you have a mixer installed ( I have read that especially with cast iron boilers the return needs to be mixed with a little of the supply to prevent boiler shock)?   

you have me confused. you asked about my domestic water supplying the boiler system. then you ask about boiler shock with a mixer valve in the supply line. no mention of the mixer being in boiler supply line.

I have no temperature gauge in the return line to the boiler.

I say this with all kindness "it is possible to over think a project".

[superduty_59]

Doug I was asking 2 different questions.

1) about water suppy for adding to the system when needed and
2) mixer for boiler shock prevention installed in the (boiler out supply to your house)

I only have a crawl space like Russ. I was trying figure out if I needed to run a water line (below frost line) out to my shed or I found out by asking you which I never thought of that I could just add water as needed right in my crawl space and not have to run it to my shed.

[superduty_59]

I have another question. What would happen if your system stopped working for some reason or you ran out of oil or you didn't want to leave it unattended while on vacation. Is your system well insulated to avoid freezing? Do you have to have alternative heat in your shed? Would your heat exchanger back feed heat back to your boiler in the shed? 

Thanks James

[doug]

my neighbor hand dug his water lines from the boiler to his house. I don't think they're over 2 feet deep. I'm sure he insulated them well.

[doug]

I have another question. What would happen if your system stopped working for some reason or you ran out of oil or you didn't want to leave it unattended while on vacation. Is your system well insulated to avoid freezing? Do you have to have alternative heat in your shed? Would your heat exchanger back feed heat back to your boiler in the shed? 

Thanks James

I had that issue on cold night. I'm sure that when you get your system up and running and when that happens to you, you will be able to figure it out.

[superduty_59]

Thanks Doug! I guess I'm a perfectionist. I have had trouble over the years starting or completing projects because if I can't work out all the little details in my head first it doesn't make sense to even start. My dad alwals says do something even if it's wrong. Appreciate the help!

[Russ]

If you are running water in situations where it could freeze, would it just be a good idea to use antifreeze to avoid any freeze up problems?  If your pump is running 24x7, yes, I would think the exchanger would keep the water warm from your other heat source preventing a freeze up.

[superduty_59]

Well there you go Russ. I don't know a lot about these closed loop systems but that certainly sounds like a good idea running anti-freeze.