I posted a few weeks ago about a problem my BIL had with his zoned hot
water system. The system had a circulator pump on the inlet side of
the boiler and a circulator pump for each of the 3 zones (4 pumps
total). Following each of the circulator pumps was a flo-control valve
(http://www.bellgossett.com/Press/BG-flocontrol.asp), there are no zone
valves.

The problem was the pump on the inlet side of the boiler would kick on
whenever any zone called for heat. The pressure was enough to send hot
water through each zone even if though there was only a call for heat
from one zone. He told me it always worked this way and the upstairs
was miserably hot.

To me it seemed as though the 3 pumps and flo-control valves were a
botched add-on to zone the house.

I went over on Sunday and disconnected the pump on the inlet side of
the boiler and ran each zone separately. The system worked fine, only
got hot water in the zone that was calling, boiler reached temp and
shut down then restarted when it cooled off again. I verified that
each zone worked properly.

I'm going to leave the pump in place for a few weeks just in case a
problem comes up but everything seems OK. There is a little bit of hot
water creeping up the return side of a non-calling zone but it
shouldn't be a problem. The original threads can be read here if you
are interested.

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.h...c9bfaf976c9 d

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.h...24450af54a2ac6

"RayV" wrote in message

I went over on Sunday and disconnected the pump on the inlet side of
the boiler and ran each zone separately. The system worked fine, only
got hot water in the zone that was calling, boiler reached temp and
shut down then restarted when it cooled off again. I verified that
each zone worked properly.

Thanks for getting back about this as it is always good to find out if a
problem has been resolved.

RayV wrote:
I posted a few weeks ago about a problem my BIL had with his zoned hot
water system. The system had a circulator pump on the inlet side of
the boiler and a circulator pump for each of the 3 zones (4 pumps
total). Following each of the circulator pumps was a flo-control valve
(http://www.bellgossett.com/Press/BG-flocontrol.asp), there are no zone
valves.

The problem was the pump on the inlet side of the boiler would kick on
whenever any zone called for heat. The pressure was enough to send hot
water through each zone even if though there was only a call for heat
from one zone. He told me it always worked this way and the upstairs
was miserably hot.

To me it seemed as though the 3 pumps and flo-control valves were a
botched add-on to zone the house.

I went over on Sunday and disconnected the pump on the inlet side of
the boiler and ran each zone separately. The system worked fine, only
got hot water in the zone that was calling, boiler reached temp and
shut down then restarted when it cooled off again. I verified that
each zone worked properly.

I'm going to leave the pump in place for a few weeks just in case a
problem comes up but everything seems OK. There is a little bit of hot
water creeping up the return side of a non-calling zone but it
shouldn't be a problem. The original threads can be read here if you
are interested.

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.h...c9bfaf976c9 d

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.h...24450af54a2ac6

For safety reasons, I'd be partial to having circ-pump on the inlet
side-
to keep the firebox covered in water as possible.

Sounds like the system needs some (3) circ pumps replaced with
solenoid valves.

J

"RayV" wrote in message
ups.com...
I posted a few weeks ago about a problem my BIL had with his zoned hot
water system. The system had a circulator pump on the inlet side of
the boiler and a circulator pump for each of the 3 zones (4 pumps
total). Following each of the circulator pumps was a flo-control valve
(http://www.bellgossett.com/Press/BG-flocontrol.asp), there are no zone
valves.

The problem was the pump on the inlet side of the boiler would kick on
whenever any zone called for heat. The pressure was enough to send hot
water through each zone even if though there was only a call for heat
from one zone. He told me it always worked this way and the upstairs
was miserably hot.

To me it seemed as though the 3 pumps and flo-control valves were a
botched add-on to zone the house.

I went over on Sunday and disconnected the pump on the inlet side of
the boiler and ran each zone separately. The system worked fine, only
got hot water in the zone that was calling, boiler reached temp and
shut down then restarted when it cooled off again. I verified that
each zone worked properly.

I'm going to leave the pump in place for a few weeks just in case a
problem comes up but everything seems OK. There is a little bit of hot
water creeping up the return side of a non-calling zone but it
shouldn't be a problem. The original threads can be read here if you
are interested.


You could leave the extra pump there in case you ever have a failure
of the others. Turn it on, and have heat until you get it fixed.

Bob

Bob F wrote:
"RayV" wrote in message
ups.com...
I posted a few weeks ago about a problem my BIL had with his zoned hot
water system. The system had a circulator pump on the inlet side of
the boiler and a circulator pump for each of the 3 zones (4 pumps
total). Following each of the circulator pumps was a flo-control valve
(http://www.bellgossett.com/Press/BG-flocontrol.asp), there are no zone
valves.

The problem was the pump on the inlet side of the boiler would kick on
whenever any zone called for heat. The pressure was enough to send hot
water through each zone even if though there was only a call for heat
from one zone. He told me it always worked this way and the upstairs
was miserably hot.

To me it seemed as though the 3 pumps and flo-control valves were a
botched add-on to zone the house.

I went over on Sunday and disconnected the pump on the inlet side of
the boiler and ran each zone separately. The system worked fine, only
got hot water in the zone that was calling, boiler reached temp and
shut down then restarted when it cooled off again. I verified that
each zone worked properly.

I'm going to leave the pump in place for a few weeks just in case a
problem comes up but everything seems OK. There is a little bit of hot
water creeping up the return side of a non-calling zone but it
shouldn't be a problem. The original threads can be read here if you
are interested.


You could leave the extra pump there in case you ever have a failure
of the others. Turn it on, and have heat until you get it fixed.

Bob

or set it up to come on only when the other 3 are all on....

or set it up to come on at a slower speed....

Mark

In article . com, "Mark" wrote:

or set it up to come on only when the other 3 are all on....

or set it up to come on at a slower speed....

Or just leave it OFF, for Heaven's sake, since it is NOT necessary, and the
system works just fine without it.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

"Flow Rate"

wrote:

For safety reasons, I'd be partial to having circ-pump on the inlet
side-
to keep the firebox covered in water as possible.

Sounds like the system needs some (3) circ pumps replaced with
solenoid valves.

J

I agree with you on both points. Since everything is already wired and
plumbed all I would need to do is replace the zone pump/flo-controls
with zone valves and run the wires from the thermostats to them.

Then he would have three spare pumps and three spare relays.