circulator pump ?

[talldog]

Just wondering if a circulator pump can get weak and still work to a degree? I have an E-2300 that feeds into my basement into my propane boiler.The propane is shut off for the winter. If I turn down my heat just a few degrees,it seems to take forever to recover when I turn it back up.The temp in my wood boiler is right up there .The water level is perfect.All 3 zones seem to act the same,so that makes me think that there is an issue moving the water from outside to inside. I know some of you smart guys will have some ideas.Thanks

[beenthere]

talldog
To learn what is happening, find a way to measure the temps of the water at different locations both with the propane boiler and then with the OWB. You will need to control the other variables when doing the tests, such as similar heating needs in the house.
Maybe it is just the difference in the heat exchanger, assuming you are not heating the house runs with the same OWB water.
Is the house system a closed system and the OWB an open system?

[Holmes]

If all the zones seem to be working properly you most likely do not have a real problem. Hydronic baseboard heating is  slow for recovery. If you turned the temp down more than 3 degrees it will take a good amount of time to heat up.  It may be best for you to just plain old keep it warm. 

[talldog]

Thanks for the replys  guys.I have no heat exchanger. This is a non pressurized system.My outdoor boiler is running at 185-190 degrees. I only have a 30 foot run to to basement.My indoor propane boiler temp is reading at 120 degrees with all 3 zones running all afternoon.It is about 67 degrees in the house. Am trying to get it up to 70. Was gone last night and had set it back to 65.And its 20 degrees outside with no wind.Not too severe for Maine. This is my 3rd winter with this and don't seem to remember this being a problem before.It's like the heat is there,but it needs a little something extra to get it inside.

[Holmes]

Those numbers help.  The indoor boiler temp at 120* is not hot enough. Baseboard heating is Designed for 180 degree water temp. At 120 degrees you are getting about 50% of the possible  heat  from the baseboard radiation. Is there a tempering valve on your system? Is there a open bypass on your system?
   The other possibility your system needs to be purged.

[Holmes]

Boilerman stated something you should read about purging under "Taco replacement cartridge" on this board

[MJD]

My setup is like yours, boiler in basement and about a 40 ft. run to the house, my owb is set at 175 to 185 degree and my temp in the basement boiler is always around 180. I would think weak pump or plugged somewhere or do you have zone valves not opening all the way. Yours seems like way to much of a drop in temp.

[talldog]

It is too much of temp drop! It hasn't always been this much.What do you mean when you say purged? Why has this happened? Nothing has been changed.I really appreciate the responses guys.I have no zone valves to my knowledge.Just gate valves that are open.

[beenthere]

Need to purge the air out of the heat runs, and that sometimes is difficult to do.
Any air trapped will just keep the water from moving through.

I fought that early on in my system, as the installers did not put in air bleeder valves at the high points. They are important and especially with an open system there will be a lot of air in the water being released. In a closed system it is possible to degas the water and keep that from happening so regularly. At least that has been my experience.
For mine, I went around the house and added the elbows with the air bleeder valves.

Here is a video that talks about purging the air in the lines. By opening up a valve (spigot ) then replacement water flows quickly around and blows any trapped air out the spigot. Hopefully you find it helpful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG-CqFr6FLM

[Holmes]

I have over 10 years on my Taco 009 and have helped install many systems where the original pump is still working.
I think the main cause for pump failures is the fact that most people just plug them in and expect them to start pumping water.
This may work with pressurized systems.
Most OWF systems are open, non pressurized systems, so the pumps and PEX loops need to be filled and purged under pressure on initial install or if a pump replacement has taken place. Household domestic pressure (typically 40 PSI) should be connected to a drain valve teed somewhere into the loop, with water pushed back to the OWF through both the return line and the supply line by opening and closing the supply/return valves at the OWF (yes backwards through the pump) before ever plugging the pump in for the first time. Without doing this, the water lubed cartridge never fills correctly and all the air may not be pushed out of the lines and exchangers for full water flow, which is why pumps can fail in short order. I have even silenced noisy pumps by doing this proce
   " Boilermans reply on Taco replacement cartridge"............

[NWP]

I've had air in my lines before.  If you have a garden hose inlet on the OWB, you can hook up a hose and turn it on.  The pressurized water from the hose will push the air right out of the line.  My inlet is on the supply side right after the pump so it works good for this.  I close the valve at the pump so it forces the water through the house and back through the return.

[talldog]

Thanks guys,You've given me something to start with.At least it's not 10 below with the wind blowing.

[albirk]

what brand of pump are you running i have seen the impeller break on both 007/009 tacos i would start their first

[barbender]

Is your system topped off with water? I have to add water to mine on occasion. The only other experience I've had with something like this was a plugged heat exchange, but you said you don't have one.

[wheelinguy]

I did have a pump weaken and die on my system.  Something didn't seem right to me and i went to check it, it was noisy and HOT to the touch, it was on its last legs.  Do you have hard water, that was the only reason that we could come up with for the failure other than just a worn out circulator. Couldn't get the impeller to spin, froze up solid.