How a furnace operates and what you can do to troubleshoot.

posted on Dec 16, 2009

 

Courtesy of FixYa.com

On a call for heat, the 24 volt thermostat sends a signal to the control module. The control module will indicate a call for heat with a light on the control either blinking or remain solid depending upon model. The inducer (exhaust) blower will purge all gasses from the furnace and pressurize a pressure switch. Once the pressure switch tells the module to continue, the electronic ignition will energize and send 120 volts to the igniter. The igniter will glow and you will be able to see it if viewed through the small inspection port. Once the igniter gets hot enough, it sends a signal to the module opening up the gas valve (24 volts). Either a pilot will come on or the burner tube will ignite then spread the flame to all burners. Lastly a safety sensor will be looking for a certain temperature within a few seconds and the furnace will continue to operate and the room air blower will turn on in a minute or two.

What could go wrong? The unit will not run if there is no signal from the
thermostat (bad thermostat or broken wire), the control module does not sense a signal from the thermostat (bad control), the inducer does not energize (bad motor), the pressure switch does not close (blocked vent piping, bad switch, plugged condensate hose), the igniter does not energize (bad control, bad igniter), the gas valve does not open or there is no gas (bad gas valve, broken wire, no gas), the pilot does not light (dirty pilot), the burner does not light (bad burner, plugged orifice, not enough combustion air), the flame does not spread to each burner (bad flame spreader, dirty flame spreader, more bad burners), the flame safety sensor does not detect flame (dirty or bad flame spreader, bad flame sensor, broken wire, bad control), or the room air blower does not energize (bad fan motor, bad control).

Many newer furnaces have a diagnostic light viewed through a small window in either the top panel or bottom panel. If you remove a panel to see it, you may erase the code. If that happens, tape down the door safety switch and cycle the furnace with the panel off until the code appears again. Find the wiring diagram that is glued on one of the panels. There will be a diagnostic or error code chart that will give you a starting point where to look based upon the number of blinks the circuit board flashes

 Heating Systems

How to Hookup Your Outdoor Wood Boiler to Your Existing Heating System

posted on Dec 03, 2009


 

Courtesy of FixYa.com 

Outdoor wood boilers come in many shapes and sizes. For the most part bigger is better for these things. The next thing you need to consider is whether the boiler is open or closed. It does make a difference in the way it gets hooked up. Closed systems can be hooked right up to your existing boiler system in a primary secondary configuration. This means that the wood boiler circulates to two tees in your home system and the home system circulates the water through the home. The two waters mix through the tees.

If your wood boiler is an open system then you need to install a
stainless steel flat plate heat exchanger to divide the two waters. The hookup of the heat exchanger is not that hard if you follow the instructions properly. This heat exchanger is very effect in transferring the heat from the wood boiler to the inside heating system. It also keeps the water of the inside system pressurized and isolated.

If you are installing your outdoor furnace to a hot air heating system then you need to buy a coil similar to your
car radiator to install in the plenum on the supply side of your existing hot air furnace. To this coil you will hookup the water pipes from the outdoor boiler. The water running through the coil will heat it up so that the air going through from the hot air furnace will be warmed. The water hookup for this style of heat is very simple, but the electrical hookup of the blower, pump, and circulator may not be as simple. You may need someone with a good electrical knowledge to make everything happen in the right sequence.

Outdoor wood boilers can heat your home effectively if they are installed to your existing heating system properly. If they are installed properly you will notice no difference in the heating of your home. It will be warm and comfortable. Make sue that you do your
research properly before trying to install your outdoor wood boiler.

 
 

 

 

 Radiant Floor Heating - Overview

Courtesy of: http://www.eagle-mt.com/index.php


Hold your hand over a hot cup of coffee and feel the radiant heat. The logical conclusion is that heat rises. Logical maybe, but incorrect! "Hot air" rises but "heat" can travel in any direction. That is why you can feel the radiant heat of the cup when you place your hand to the side of it.

Radiant heat transfer is caused by a warm surface giving up its heat to a cooler surface. The radiant heat travels in the form of infrared light which is absorbed by the cooler mass.

Whenever there is a temperature difference between two surfaces, both surfaces will attempt to equalize. Radiant heating energy travels through space without heating the space itself. It only turns into heat when it contacts a cooler surface.

Our human comfort relies just as much on radiant heat transfer as it does on air temperature, yet the majority of heating and air-conditioning professionals think only in terms of air temperature. As a result, most people are missing out on a truly comfortable living environment in their own homes or places of business.

By controlling both the air temperature and the radiant transfer, radiant panel systems deliver a comfort that is unsurpassed and more economical to operate.

Radiant floor heat is highly energy efficient since it heats objects which retain heat instead of moving air. In addition to the bodily comfort provided, radiant floor heat is quiet since there are no blowers, all mechanicals are hidden from view, and it doesn’t spread allergens like a forced-air system.

What is Geothermal Heating / Cooling?

Courtesy of:  http://www.geothermaldiy.com/

A geoexchange heating and cooling system uses the consistent temperature of the earth to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for both residential and commercial buildings. Water is circulated through polyethelene pipes in closed loops that are installed below the earth's surface. These loops can be buried horizontally in the ground or submersed in a pond. The loops are connected to an extended-range water source heat pump installed in your home. Click here for more information on how TERRASource systems work.

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Can I install the TERRASource Geothermal System myself?

Yes you can. Our system is pre-engineered to make the installation process simple that anyone can do it. Everything is color coded and labeled to eliminate any guess work.

 

TERRASource offers a unique ground loop system that you will only find with Geothermal DIY or a TERRASource Distributor. Our ground loops come pre-filled with antifreeze and equipped with quick connect fittings which enables the consumer to bury the loops according to the specifications provided (i.e. trench length, width and spacing). Each loop has quick-connect fittings and manual shut off valves that slide onto manifold ports. Just add water, and the antifreeze will mix throughout the loop field while it purges the air from the system.

 

The manifold is equipped with an 8’ 110 volt power cord and a 25’ colored micro plug control wire that plugs directly into the heat pump. We provide everything you need except for the digging and duct work, pre wired for a “plug and play” installation. There no special tools to purchase for the installation of a TERRASource Geothermal System.

 

Once your TERRASource geothermal system has been installed, in most cases’ you can see the savings immediately. For example . if your average heating and cooling cost are $7000.00 annually you could save up too an estimated $4200.00 dollars per year. This doesn’t include the estimated 30% saved annually on your domestic water heating or the $400 dollar rebate offered by the Energy star program.

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What are the advantages of installing a TERRASource Geothermal heating and cooling system?

Once you install your TERRASource geothermal system, in most cases, you will see the savings immediately. Energy savings can range from 30% to 60% annually compared to conventional heating & cooling systems. Depending on the state you live, there are incentives available from federal and state governments and some utility providers which can further reduce your overall system costs. With eliminating the high contractor installation costs and utilizing some of the rebates available, your TERRASource geothermal systems should pay for itself in less than five years. With today’s rising energy costs the investment you make today will pay dividends long into the future and with our TERRASource system, we have made it easy!

 

 

 Geothermal Heating And Cooling

Courtesy of: http://www.arit.com/index.htm

EcoTrol connects you to the Earth's own geothermal properties to use as part of your heating and cooling solution.

  • Saves Thousands On Your Heating And Cooling Expense.

  • Huge Federal Tax Credits Available Now.

  • Save Money by Installing Our System Yourself.

Patent Numbers: 7,407,003

                           7,571,762

These are just few reasons why people are raving about the EcoTrol geothermal flow control unit for geothermal heating and cooling systems.  Our flow control system is far superior to other flow control systems on the market.

 EcoTrol  is a superior quality, patented, geothermal heating and cooling flow control system.

Utilizing unique design innovation, the EcoTrol System significantly reduces installation costs and greatly improves performance over other flow control systems on the market.  The installation process is so simple, many owners are saving money by installing the unit themselves.  EcoTrol residential units are available both for new homes and retrofit solutions for existing homeowners seeking to reduce their annual energy costs.

 EcoTrol also offers cost-effective, custom design & build solutions for multi-residential, commercial and industrial projects, with multiple advantages and benefits for the project owners

System Design & Costing

Ease of Design
EcoTrol Fluid Control System eliminates engineering calculations required for pipe sizing, antifreeze concentrations, pump sizing and trench length/depth in a simple, easy to understand selection program.  EcoTrol supplies system specifications based on your project’s location and soil type, to ensure success.

Design Adaptability
EcoTrol is adaptable to any vertical or horizontal geothermal design, whether a single or multi-loop system, including reverse return (2X1), in-line, closed pond, vertical, slinky or branched loop variations.

Eliminates Guess Work
EcoTrol supplies a variety of specifications for individual projects, including those for minimal, optimal and balanced heat pump efficiencies. These efficiencies are created simply by increasing or decreasing trench lengths to adapt to seasonal returning water temperature differential in both ground loop systems.

Costing Simplicity
EcoTrol eliminates time consuming calculation of pipe sizes, loop lengths, pump requirements, antifreeze concentrations, header distances, and friction or head losses. Select the appropriate BTU output, efficiencies, loop type and soil conditions for your water source heat pump.

Choice of Loop Type
We developed an estimation software that quickly and efficiently aids in costing for each loop type, depth, soil condition and circuit spacing, providing design information and a fixed price for the  EcoTrol Fluid Control System appropriate for your heat pump…in seconds.

Heat Pump Compatibility
GMG supplies the pipe fitting adapters for connection to any water source heat pump currently available. Simply specify the make and model, and GMG ensures that your EcoTrol  Fluid Control System will be compatible.

 

System Installation & Start-Up

Minimal Assembly Required
The EcoTrol Fluid Control Center, trench header pipe and branch loop piping are all shipped preassembled, and prefilled with Bioglycol™, dramatically reducing the time and labor required to complete the system installation and start-up.

Ease of Installation
EcoTrol multi-speed pumps assist in the fine tuning of operating efficiencies, while allowing higher flow velocities for purging. Increasing or decreasing the pumps’ speed settings adjusts the temperature differential, setting flow rates to an optimum level, which increases the energy efficiency of the water and heat pumps.

Direct Electrical Connectivity
All units come with 230VAC pumps which can be connected directly to most heat pump manufacturers’ compressor relays. (For relay power requirements or alternate output switching connections, see individual heat pump manufacturer’s recommendations.)

Environmentally Friendly Glycol
EcoTrol Bioglycol™ is the only truly environmentally safe antifreeze available. Derived from corn, rather than petroleum, Bioglycol™ is non-flammable, with no dangerous vapors or inhalation risks. It is approved for use in all states and provinces in North America. Thinner than standard glycols, Bioglycol™ requires far less energy to circulate the fluid through the system, while retaining excellent thermal characteristics.

Eliminates Antifreeze Installation
With the loops already pre-filled with the required concentration of Bioglycol™,  EcoTrol eliminates the need to calculate, add or mix the required antifreeze at the job site.

Ease of Purging
The  EcoTrol “plug and play” fluid control center and loop requires no flushing of loop lines or measured mixing of antifreeze. With the loops completely pre-filled with the proper concentration of Bioglycol™ antifreeze, simple connections, requiring no special tools, are used to interconnect piping. The fully pre-filled loops allow for the automatic purging of any loop type installation, including vertical and horizontal “slinky” designs, with no need for extensive flushing or fluid reversing. The overall purge head pressure on the system remains very low, allowing the fluid control center’s multi speed pumps to easily move any air through the system.

Elimination of Fusion Welding
Requiring special knowledge and tools to complete, as well as pressure testing to ensure welds are water tight, fusion welding is expensive and time consuming. Unlike other systems,  EcoTrol requires no fusion welding. Comprised of plastic and stainless steel, the underground, non-degradable field piping connections, with double locking compression fittings, provide a major  EcoTrol advantage: a water tight connection for every installation.

Elimination of System Flushing
EcoTrol was designed for simplicity. Provide a temporary water supply to the unit, and turn the water on. The system will fill and air will automatically purge from the system. After a few minutes, turn on the heat pump and the EcoTrol pressure tank allows for replenishment of the fluid. The air eliminator keeps the lines permanently air-free. No call backs, and far less time spent flushing the loop, saves hours of work and reduces expenses.

 

System Performance, Maintenance & Expansion

Quality Control
At GreenBild Manufacturing Company, quality control is maintained through stringent pressure and function testing of all  EcoTrol  Fluid Control Centers and loop systems prior to shipping.

Increased Thermal Ground Transfer
The  EcoTrol plastic loop tubing has a higher heat transfer surface to fluid volume ratio than other products, and the loop piping is longer than standard installations. This causes the fluid to become more turbulent inside the EcoTrol piping and provides a larger surface area for heat transfer, reducing the temperature differential between the returning water and the entering water from the heat pump. The improved heat transfer to the soil, over a greater contact area of excavation, increases heat transfer efficiency. Averaging 20% more loop for the same investment increases the energy efficiency of any geothermal heat pump.

Multiple Heat Pump Capability
Designed for maximum flexibility,  EcoTrol easily accommodates multiple heat pump requirements, meeting the maximum flow and volume of the multi speed pumps.

System Expansion
EcoTrol manifolds are easily adapted for additional heat pumps or increased loop capacity without the need to drain or dismantle the existing installation. Expansion of the loops to increase operating efficiencies, or increase heat pump capacity, is achieved quickly and easily.

Less Troubleshooting
Differing pipe lengths, trench depths, damaged piping, backfill voids or differing sub soil conditions can cause some loops to absorb more of the load than others, decreasing the effective heat saturation area and causing heat pumps to work harder, less efficiently. This can reduce unit operating efficiencies by up to 30% or more, and in extreme cases, render the heat pump inoperable.  EcoTrol allows for easy expansion to problematic loops, permitting the simple repair or replacement of a partial or non-functioning loop.

Ease of Repair
The simplicity of the  EcoTrol Fluid Control System makes repairs much less complex. Should you accidently cut a line, the double locking connector system allows the splicing of loops and tubing together quickly and efficiently, without reducing the interior clear dimension. The tees or couplings do not reduce the overall volume flowing though the loop system, regardless of the number of joints.

 
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