Recirculating Pump For Trough Heat

[2Biz]

For those of you that heat your trough with a small hot water heater, what circulating pump are you using? I found this one that looks promising:
http://www.plantdrive.com/shop/product.php?productid=16240&cat=255&page=1

But its pricey. Its rated at 50,000 hours. I’m sure there is something out there a lot cheaper and will work just as good. I am planning on making my own setup using a thermostat and relay to power the heater and pump. Other suggestions?

Also what are you using for coolant? A mixture of Ethelene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, or ???

I'm wanting to iscolate my floor heat boiler from trough heat so I can be more selective when I run the boiler. I got my first NG bill and know there must be a better way!

 

[Earl Weiss]

For those of you that heat your trough with a small hot water heater, what circulating pump are you using? I found this one that looks promising:
http://www.plantdrive.com/shop/product.php?productid=16240&cat=255&page=1

But its pricey. Its rated at 50,000 hours. I’m sure there is something out there a lot cheaper and will work just as good. I am planning on making my own setup using a thermostat and relay to power the heater and pump. Other suggestions?

Also what are you using for coolant? A mixture of Ethelene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, or ???

I'm wanting to iscolate my floor heat boiler from trough heat so I can be more selective when I run the boiler. I got my first NG bill and know there must be a better way!

Well, here's a bunch.
http://www.nextag.com/Plumbing-Supplies--zzhot+water+circulating+pumpz2700430zB6z5---html

You have at leat 2 concerns. 1. Durability
2. Capacity. An 8 bay will require you to move more volume through the trough quicker to keep the temperature up than a 4 bay.

 

[2Biz]

I have a 4 bay...I'm wanting to know what others are using and if there are any complaints or something that should have been done differently...

 

[Earl Weiss]

I have an 8 bay and use 1 like this rated at 45gpm.

http://www.toolsforplumbers.com/ProductDetail.asp?Product=27949&AffiliateID=NexTagTFP

With a 4 bay you could probably use this rated at 23gpm
http://www.pexuniverse.com/store/product/taco-007-circulator-pump-ci

Mine is tied to a thermostat monted in the trough. Only goes on at 40 degrees and below.

The one you listed did not seem to have a flow rating. Could you find one?

 

[car washing systems inc]

I use a TACO 007 circulator on all my trough heat systems.

 

[2Biz]

I found this interesting reading at PexUniverse:

http://www.pexuniverse.com/content/how-size-circulator-pump

I have a 6 gallon 220v heater coming. Assuming I use 3/4 I.D. pex tubing, I'm only going to have a total of about 10 gallons of glycol in the entire loop (roughly 200 ft. of tubing). Wouldn't a 23 gpm pump be a little much? The example in the link above calculating pump size for (8) 300ft 1/2 tubing loops would be to use the Taco 008 rated at 0-14 gpm. The example given has a total capacity of 24.47 gallons. So Shouldn't I be looking for something smaller given the size of my system?

I'm going to be mounting my heater close to the ceiling, so I will have no more than 2 ft of head.

Sorry for all the questions. I am learning a lot from you and the links posted. I'm new to this and want to make sure I get it right and make it as economical to operate as possible. Thanks for the input so far...

 

[car washing systems inc]

All the systems we do have the 6 gal heater next to the ceiling or in the attic and we have done up 8 bays with a 007 pump and 1/2 pex . Plus if you lose a circulator you on a sunday you can find one at the big box stores.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I found this interesting reading at PexUniverse:

http://www.pexuniverse.com/content/how-size-circulator-pump

. So Shouldn't I be looking for something smaller given the size of my system?
...

Couldn't tellyou since the article cited factors in heat loss which involves length of tubing, environmental conditions etc. wich is way beyond me.

Fargo North Dakota would need a bigger one than St. Loouis.

FWIW I have a 40 gallon Natural Gas unit for an 8 Bay

 

[cantbreak80]

The Taco 007 will work just fine. My 3000 sf house with baseboard heat…approx 180 ft of copper-fin convectors and approx 250 ft of ½” copper pipework… uses a 007.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The Taco 007 will work just fine. My 3000 sf house with baseboard heat…approx 180 ft of copper-fin convectors and approx 250 ft of ½” copper pipework… uses a 007.

Do you use a 6 gallon heater to heat the water? To what temperature?

 

[cantbreak80]

Do you use a 6 gallon heater to heat the water? To what temperature?

110K Btu boiler at 180 drgrees.

 

[car washing systems inc]

We use a RUDD 6 Gal heater i think its 6kw

 

[soapy]

I stopped using a hot water tank and recirc. pump years ago. I installed some heat cable ( Raytheon winter guard wet) over 12 years ago and have never had a trough freeze or had one breakdown with it. It has its own GFI circuit breaker and all I have to do is plug it in the fall. It is self regulating for temp and provides 6 watts of heat per foot. I have it in multiple locations and recommend it highly as a way to heat the trough.

 

[2Biz]

Thanks for the tip. Definately something to look into. Sounds a lot less complicated too!

 

[2Biz]

The only thing I could find about "Raytheon Wintergard Wet" pointed back to this site. I found this at Grainger, is it the same?

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/RAYCHEM-Heat-Cable-Kit-4E516?Pid=search

It is called Raychem. It is 120v and is self regulating at 6w per foot. I'm wondering how it is self regulating? Anyone know? I need appr. 100ft....At
600w, this sounds tempting instead of running a 1500w HW heater and circ pump. Just need to research a bit more. Its definetly got my interest....Its a little pricey, but probably not as much as a Water Heater, pump, pex tubing and all necessary hardware. Off to do more research....Thanks again for the tip, Soapy!

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Are you guys not weeping water? I weep warm water. It keeps everything from freezing and I don't have any extra parts to maintain. I must be missing something???

 

[2Biz]

Update....I installed 75' of the Raychem heat tape in my trough instead of using a water heater and pump. I also put two electronic thermometers in the trough to monitor the temp which is displayed in the ER. At 450w the heat tape keeps the trough just above 80°. Its on a t-stat that is set to come on at 30°. Glad I went this route. Thanks Soapy for the suggestion....

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Update....I installed 75' of the Raychem heat tape in my trough instead of using a water heater and pump. I also put two electronic thermometers in the trough to monitor the temp which is displayed in the ER. At 450w the heat tape keeps the trough just above 80°. Its on a t-stat that is set to come on at 30°. Glad I went this route. Thanks Soapy for the suggestion....

Where did you get it and how much was it?

 

[2Biz]

I bought it online but can't remember the company. It was about $175.00 for 75'....Do a google search for RAYCHEM W51-75P . I've found sites that have it for $180.00....Some sites have it for 2-3 times that price...So be leary! I'll see if I can track down were I got it.

edited to include website I got it from, it went up a little:

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/j...ing-cables/120v-75-preassembled-heating-cable