Floor heating

[Digit]

This is more related to Energy saving than to HA.
But because there always seem to be a lot of people that are interested in how to save energy (even when HA doesn't play a role in it), i wanted to share this with you:
http://blog.hekkers.net/2010/05/15/floo ... gy-saving/
Good thing to know is that a regular Grundfos pump can easily be replaced with the Alpha2, the one that i have installed.
Time will tell whether this was a good investment or not..

[Bastiaan]

Thanks for the info, curious about the follow up.
In my house there are three pumps, therefor it is an interesting subject.
How are you controlling your floor heating?~

Bastiaan

[Digit]

The floor heating has become the main heating for the ground floor now; only 2 radiators left (was 5). The heating is controlled with my Proliphix NT20e Thermostat. I am monitoring power usage now:

Capture_5-5-2010-0.59.0116-5-2010-10.58.52.png

to see what it's using. Temperature sensors are ordered to also monitor supply and return temperatures. It will be hard for me to compare this pump with a standard pump cause i never had one of those. The floor heating consists of 5 groups with approx. 350 meters of tube.

[Bastiaan]

Although hardly in use (hopefully) I will put a plugwise plug on one of my floorheating systems to compare.
It seems you use the same way of controlling the floor heating with the room thermostat. How do you regulate the main heater?
BTW the main heater (Bosch) has been measured for a while and is using a minimum of 85 watts and using 160 watts when heating). Plenty of room for improvement there too it seems.

[Bwired]

Although hardly in use (hopefully) BTW the main heater (Bosch) has been measured for a while and is using a minimum of 85 watts and using 160 watts when heating). Plenty of room for improvement there too it seems.

Is that an old Hvac system?, mine (Nefit) is using 6.4 watt when no water or heating is being provided for (10 watt per hour).
I have also floorheating as main heating and I switch my pump of and only goes on when needed, if it goes on it takes like 40 to 75 watt depending on speed.
So I could use Digits pump

[Digit]

How do you regulate the main heater?

The main heater (Remeha Calenta) is controlled by the Proliphix thermostat, nothing more.
I to think your heater is consuming a lot... i don't know the exact numbers for mine anymore (only thing i can remember is that idle is around 6W), but they are more in line with Pieter's than yours, that's for sure...

[Harry]

our Nefit is using about 10W and when he runs on max heating 100W

3.JPG

we have a addition to our livingroom, about 50m2 and has floorheating connected, to the regular system to the rest of the house.
that use radiators.

the pump is using 40W when running.
I switch it of at night, but when the outside temp is below 5 degrees i leave it on.
during day time i switch it of when the set temperature is reached,
but that not often happens, only when the sun heatsup the room/

[Bastiaan]

Robert if I understand it well, the same thermostat switches the heater and the floorheating at the same time?
if so, what if the floor is warm enough but another room needs heating?

I have double checked a few things on my system. I have a combined water/heater.
My floorheating pump draws almost 70 watts.
My heater while in idle draws almost the same. (and it is already in economy mode).
When it starts to heat-up, power use goes up to 120 watts.

I have switched it to summer mode, basically switched off except for warm water heating and it still draws 70 watts.
disturbing find I must say. Meaning that with my 2 floorheating systems the pumps draw over 200 watts.

First of all you 7 watts pump seems interesting but only if it indeed uses 7 watts while in use. I am curious how they could make it so much lower on power consumption.

Secondly I am on a quest to find out why my heater uses so much power. I assume that by using the temperature adjusted mode, where the system keeps the water temp regulated in balance with the temp outside, keeps the pump running to measure the water temp and is able to be 'adaptive' with adding heat.
Seems time to check, if a system like the Honeywell zone system might be interesting on the long term....
Robin is happy with it.

[Harry]

our system is also weather regulated,..keeps it in the right balance compared to the outside temp.
poweruse in idle 10 W

[Digit]

Bastiaan,

You understand right. The thermostat only switches the central heating, nothing more. The hot water from the central heating ran through the radiators on the ground floor (and 2nd floor), but now that same hot water runs through the floor heating and also still through the same radiators on the 2nd floor. Those other rooms (bedrooms and bathroom, all on the 2nd floor) have never had the ability to ask for heating; not in the 14 years that we are living here and they still do not. This has never been a problem.

[pd1acf]

Hi All,

I just wanted to react to his thread with the following question :
- would it be smart to add a interface in the central heating unit, watching the central heating's pump, and use this as a trigger for other (floor heating) pumps ?

I have a Intergas central heater, and the pump in there is 220V. I should easily be able to insert a interface, and build a macro around the switching times for the other pumps.
The pump in each HR system should also be activated some minutes a day to prevent the locking/blocking of the axles and cycling the water...

(off course the break of guarantee could be a issue for some people ?)

Looking forwards for reactions,

ron

[Bwired]

yes you are right, this is the way I handle my floor heating as well.
My floorheating pump is always off (beside maintenance run)
Once my HVAC system goes on for house heating the pump for floor heating goes also on.
If the floorheating water return temperature is on a certain level the pump goes off and if I want I can turn my HVAC off.
All combinations are possible, could be better if controlled with Opentherm, but the best for now
Still need some good valves for my radiators on the second floor to make it complet, but like Digit I'm not using them very much throughout the years.

I have sensors on Hot tap water, House heating and HVAC Burner On and off.