Normal operation of hot water based heating system?

I have a central heating system in a 3000 sq ft house that works by taking hot water from the main water heater (a high efficiency 48- gallon unit) and sending it to the air handlers. (When cooling, the same air handlers take cold water from water chillers outside.)

What is the range of temperature I should expect to see between the air intake and the registers when the system is operating normally?

(The water is 120 degrees.)

Thanks!

-ted in AZ

Reply to
Tuno
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What's the problem with the unit?

Reply to
<kjpro

I&#39;m trying to verify that there is none.

The house is under a purchase contract, but the buyer&#39;s home inspector failed the heating system because he could not get hot air from the registers. That was because the water pumps were not plugged in (it was still in "summer" mode). I now have the system configured to work correctly, and I&#39;m getting 15 degrees difference between intake and registers. I&#39;d like to know what I *should* be getting, so I can confirm for the buyers that it&#39;s working properly.

Reply to
Tuno

Typical Home Inspector...

Since he failed the unit... (I&#39;m not saying it&#39;s actually bad here...)

Why not have someone that KNOWS what they are doing inspect it now?

It could end up saving you LOTS of money... remember, just cause it works to your satisfaction... doesn&#39;t mean that it&#39;s operating SAFELY.

Reply to
<kjpro

An HVAC professional as at the house as I type this. (He&#39;s the one who measured the 15 degrees delta temp.) But neither of us know what is

*normal* for a unit like this. (This kind of heating is unusual in the Phoenix area, which is mostly heat pumps and furnaces.)
Reply to
Tuno

Then you better call someone that *IS* familiar with a system like this.

OTHERWISE, how will you know if he MISSED an item that *IS* a safety concern?

**Afterall, you already know he&#39;s unfamiliar with your unit**
Reply to
<kjpro

Then you better call someone that *IS* familiar with a system like this

Gee, why didn&#39;t I think of that?!?!

Let&#39;s see. I called the company that installed the system. They are out of business and gone. Next I called the company that manufactured the cooling side of the system (Robur) and asked for qualified service techs in Arizona. They gave me the name of the number of the company no longer in business and the names of two other outfits that never heard of Robur. Next I called the company that serviced the cooling side last fall (Parker and Sons). They&#39;re familiar with the cooling side, obviously, and a little with the heating side, and they&#39;re the ones who looked at it this morning. Next I looked for but could not find a web page for the company that made the air handler. Meanwhile, my realtor has been on the phone looking for HVAC techs with experience with hybrid systems like this, to no avail.

So if there&#39;s anyone on this newsgroup who KNOWS this kind of equipment and can offer assistance that goes beyond "call a professional" (gee, why *didn&#39;t* I think of that?!), it would be greatly appreciated.

-Ted in Chandler

Reply to
Tuno

Hi Ted in Chandler,

Some of the old Arkla-Servel&#39;s (now owned by Robur) had a boiler alonside the chiller portion. Those old dogs were called chiller heaters. Typically they produced 45 degree chilled water for cooling and 155 degree hot water for heating. Two seperate pumps were involved.

Your situation sounds somewhat different, in that the hot water you say is being supplied by the domestic hot water heater, with a temp of

120 degrees.

To realistically arrive at a correct answer for you, we need to know cfm in airflow, & gpm in hot water flow.

Ideally when the t-stat calls for heat, the circulation pump is interlocked thru the controls so the pump runs as long as the t-stat is calling for heat.

On the chiller side of the coin, usually there is 7-10 degrees drop across the indoor coil. 45 degree water in and 52-55 degree water out.

With your supply water temp of 120 degrees, I think you will be very lucky to get 15 degrees across the coil in heat mode.

At one time SoCalGas Co listed all of the Robur certified installing contractors, I dont know if they still do. There are damn few of us left in the state of Ca. There&#39;s a pretty good outfit in Palm Springs who do Robur work, their name escapes me at the moment.

Reply to
gofish
120F where? Are you testing tap water? That&#39;s no good. There&#39;s probably a mixing valve or anti scald valve installed for domestic hot water, that&#39;s why you only get 120f at a tap. The air handler bi-passes the ASV or mixing valve. It should be fed 140f at least. Look for a thermostat control on the tank itself. See what the setpoint is. Go to the air handler walk 6 feet away and measure your supply temp in the duct. Then measure the temp in the return air duct. There&#39;s no way your getting 120f out of a register....that&#39;s crazy. The poor dog would burn his nutz.

Your shooting for a 30-60f difference with something like your system. So if you had 68f coming into the air handler, you want at least 98-128f in the supply duct leaving the handler.

Also check for dirty filter, faulty pump-melted impellar, or air in the system. Attach a hose to the drain valve in the air handler and let it rip.

-Canadian Heat

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Reply to
Anonymous

DANgER (dangerThere&#39;s no way your getting 120f out of a register....that&#39;s crazy. The poor dog would

so first you tell us 120f at the register would burn the dogs nutz, then you tell us he should have 98-128f in the supply duct leaving the air handler.

you indeed are a

Reply to
gofish

snipped-for-privacy@gonefishin.net wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

There&#39;s a reason his nickname is "Danger", as in "Warning". When this guy approaches your door, a warning flag should go up....

Reply to
Bob_Loblaw

LOL you idiots think a 130f supply temp at the air handler, 6 feet away, will result in a 130f at a register?

You clowns make me laugh...

bobby have you figured out how a G26 works yet? Your a waste of time bob...you have no skill or understanding...still posting questions asking how a fan belt works...LOL

Isn&#39;t it clear you guys are just wasting your time around here....noone has ever found either of you helpful...and quite frankly you give the trade a bad name. Maybe gofish can explain what temps he would expect to have at a register? Or would he measure tap water too? BAHAHAHA

Waiting for your technical response fishy....

-Canadian Heat

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Reply to
Anonymous

DANgER (danger LOL you idiots think a 130f supply temp at the air handler, 6 feet

Oh, gosh, golly gee, no!! It would be around minus 7, right Dangerous?? HAHA. If you want it hotter, you&#39;ll have to jumper the gas valve , right dangerous?? HAHA

P.S. HAHA

Reply to
Bob_Loblaw

On 09 Mar 2007 21:05:03 GMT, DANgER (dangerLOL you idiots think a 130f supply temp at the air handler, 6 feet away, will result in

ever found

In case you havent figured it out yet DANgER, nobody has to respond to you. You are the clueless idiot and EVERYONE knows it, INCLUDING the homeowners. All we have to do is watch your responses and guesses and switch jumping. You ARE DANgEROUS. That is a given. Here&#39;s hoping you bash you own head in with a rock someday soon. Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

"DANgER" LOL you idiots think a 130f supply temp at the air handler, 6 feet away, will result in

What a clueless twit.... just what do you think it&#39;s going to be??? -130 F

LOL, you must run your ducting OUTSIDE, so you can save all the space you can, inside your cardboard box. LOL

has ever found

You not only give the trade a bad name, but Canada also... Dipshit.

You almost make Stormy Moron look like a pro.... LMFAO

Reply to
<kjpro

Actually I get emails from people all the time, thanking me.

Most people here are amazed at how useless your posts are, and even more amazed by how you seem to waste your time.

If it weren&#39;t for hacks like the furnace cleaner gang, I wouldn&#39;t make 6 figures a year.

;)

Thanks for making me look good out there ladies! Trunk slammers HAHA

-Canadian Heat

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Reply to
Anonymous

"DANgER" Actually I get emails from people all the time, thanking me.

figures a

If you&#39;re making six figures... you&#39;re selling dope.

How do I know... cause dopeheads are the only poeple stupid enough to buy off your dumb ass.

Reply to
<kjpro

On 10 Mar 2007 01:08:44 GMT, DANgER (dangerActually I get emails from people all the time, thanking me.

figures a

Six figures..........hehehe. We all know thats a lie. You cant even count to six. Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

ever found

Bubba, I view the Canadian Hack as the current town clown or village idiot. DANgEROUSLY entertaining, yet still just another troll.

He thrives on chumming the sharks. Once you figure that out, you&#39;ll sit back and enjoy the show. :-)

Reply to
gofish

result in

ever found

Actually, I like chumming the waters a bit myself to see him pop up. He is quite a show piece. Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

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