Flow checks , advice

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Dave 1234
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Post by Dave 1234 » Sun. Mar. 22, 2020 9:12 am

Morning ,

This heating season was uneventful . Added 4 cast iron radiators to the system, that was a great low cost upgrade.

So the next addition I want to make is ''flow checks''. I'm looking for what has proformed best over many years.

Any top picks ?

I see some have a nice bypass lever so you can let them gravity flow. Or stop flow for warm weather. My system is a ''monoflow loop''. So one circulator per floor.

This system works nice,{zero drama,low consumption} but after it gets to around 65 deg. I have to close ball valves or I'm cooking up-stairs.





Thanks !! Dave.

 
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nepacoal
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Post by nepacoal » Sun. Mar. 22, 2020 9:56 am

You can probably just add integrated flow checks to your circulators. Don't know what you have, but all Taco circulators are now machined for the IFC module even if they aren't sold with it... So unless gravity flow is a must, adding IFC's would be the easiest and most cost affective if you can add them to your circulators.

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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Mar. 22, 2020 9:59 am

Bell and Gossett flo-control valves are my top pick. They work great, and you can usually find NOS ones on eBay cheap.

If your circulators are on the supply side, you could also consider using circulators with internal flow checks. If the circulators are on the return, I would go with separate flow checks on the supply side.

The risk of gravity circulation in a single pipe is low, but it can happen (especially in larger pipe sizes) - hence my suggestion to put the flow checks on the supply side.


 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Sun. Mar. 22, 2020 10:49 am

I've previoslly attempted in another thread here to make this point...here it is again...
IFCs and weighted 'flow-cheks' are two separate animals with two different purposes.

Bascically a IFC is 'not' weighted' and only stops a reverse flow and offers nearly zero resistance to any non-reverse 'ghost-flows'...these nylon balls can only flutter to one postion or the other with out being weighted.
A weighted Flow-Chek's purpose is to resist any trivial 'ghost-flows' due to being unable to on itself to lift the weight. That weight that only the pump can over-come to open it. For a desired Bypass or gravity flow through the flow-chek the weight is manually disabled.
B&G and Taco 'Flow Cheks' are both equally good.

BTW: There are at least 2 other 'checks', a swing and a spring.
End of todays lesson, ;)
Last edited by McGiever on Sun. Mar. 22, 2020 11:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

 
Dave 1234
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Post by Dave 1234 » Sun. Mar. 22, 2020 11:04 am

The first floor has a 1 1/4'' loop, two of the mono-flow branches heat from ghost flow. It does help even the peaks and valleys of temp. So its nice to keep that constant trickle of heat when its cold out.

The pumps are on the end of the loops, ahead of the boiler return, that was the only place they fit in nice.

Dave

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Sun. Mar. 22, 2020 11:10 am

Dave 1234 wrote:
Sun. Mar. 22, 2020 11:04 am
The first floor has a 1 1/4'' loop, two of the mono-flow branches heat from ghost flow. It does help even the peaks and valleys of temp. So its nice to keep that constant trickle of heat when its cold out.

The pumps are on the end of the loops, ahead of the boiler return, that was the only place they fit in nice.

Dave
Sounds like you have it already the way you want. ;)


 
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nepacoal
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Post by nepacoal » Sun. Mar. 22, 2020 1:27 pm

I assumed you were getting ghost flow through your return pipe and already had the typical flow check on the supply... I had ghost flow through my return even though my Taco swing flow check on the supply was working correctly (huge converted gravity piping). I added IFC's to my circulators and the ghost flow was eliminated.

 
Dave 1234
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Post by Dave 1234 » Sun. Mar. 22, 2020 6:12 pm

Loved the quality of B&G stuff, put in a B&G blow-off valve this fall so guess that will be the pick Rob.

I have 2 flange ball valves at the 1st floor pump, must be made out of old '76 Chevy fenders , cause they rusted up the 1st year we had them. So its a good time to fix all of that mess waiting to bite me in the a...... The B&G can be installed as part of that repair.

Thanks for the replys guys. :!:

Dave

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