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Post by Watts Radiant on Sept 1, 2011 8:25:20 GMT -6
Well, we've done transfer plates a couple times with Onix. We have a plate called FlexPlate that 3/8" Onix will work in. You'll get a little more efficiency, but depending on the construction, it may or may not translate into floor temp gains. Plates are also expensive and labor intensive (compared to adding insulation).
One thing you can also do is check your return temperatures. Your mix-valve may be not working quite like it should and may need to be replaced.
Just throwing out other ideas here, you may also think about pulling off a water line and running some above-floor radiators in the rooms that you need it the most. We don't sell them, but it's a good way to get a little extra heat into the room, especially since you already have the hot water source.
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Aug 31, 2011 9:24:30 GMT -6
Yup, easiest and cheapest are staples. It may get you an extra degree or two.
How often does it only get to 65 degrees? Is it only a couple days per year? Most systems, HVAC and radiant, aren't designed for worst-case apocalyptic conditions. That is, many many systems on the absolute coldest days of the year will not get to 75 degrees (or whatever temp you want). We typically design radiant systems for 68 degrees, so being 65 degrees a few days a year isn't really that bad.
Depending on your floor construction and floor coverings, you may just have to rely on better insulation, above AND below the tubing. Especially, as you say, since you have an over-sized boiler to begin with.
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Aug 31, 2011 8:00:07 GMT -6
Oh New England... you cold heartless soul.
It sounds like your installation of the Onix is good. Just to get the easy stuff out of the way, how far are the staples spaced apart? If the pipe is sagging at all, even enough to slip a piece of paper in, go through and put a bunch more staples (like every 8-12"). This may smash the Onix enough into the subfloor to give it that little extra oomph on those super cold days.
If the Onix looks good, then you may have an undersized heat source, or not enough flow. Without knowing the design of the system, it's hard to take a guess.
Another thing you may need to do is just go around and insulate. Old houses (like mine!) have some terrible infiltrations around windows and doors, and replacing weatherstripping and caulking can do wonders. Attic insulation is a biggie, too.
Feel free to give us a call at 800-276-2419 if these simple solutions don't work, and we can work through the heat loads to see where it is you're lacking.
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Aug 19, 2011 10:12:20 GMT -6
Hey depawl-
Ahhh, gotcha.
There's no problem using PEX to do a long manifold if that's what your contractor feels comfortable with. I'm guessing he'll be using a larger diameter PEX (1" or 1-1/2")? Also, every bay he'll need to splice in a branch fitting and transition to Onix. But, in theory, it should work fine.
You lose a little bit of the circuit balancing features when you do this, so be sure your circuit lengths are as close to equal as possible. If you have a long circuit and then a short circuit, you'll get a hot spot in the floor due to more fluid flowing through the short circuit.
Be sure to install as shown in the manual, the proper supply-return configuration is essential to the effectiveness of the system.
Thanks!
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Aug 18, 2011 8:48:09 GMT -6
Hey depawl-
Onix is the way to go for underfloor, good choice.
I guess if you could explain a little bit on how your contractor is going to construction manifolds out of PEX? There are a few different options for Onix manifolds, but typically we use either copper or stainless steel.
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Apr 14, 2011 7:56:38 GMT -6
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Post by Watts Radiant on Apr 14, 2011 7:50:02 GMT -6
Hello skrestore-
The short answer is that since using Onix+staples creates a tight surface in a staple-up application, the heat transfer plates aren't really necessary.
The typical (historical) application for PEX was a suspended system, doing so dramatically decreased the amount of total heat transfer to the floor. The transfer plates allow the PEX to utilize conduction and keeps the PEX in place during thermal expansion. Staples with PEX is also sometimes seen, but this is a terrible application and we don't even talk about it.
We have not designed nor installed an Onix+plates application at this point as the plates are designed and tested for PEX. You could theoretically use Onix with transfer plates, but due to the difference in outer diameter sizes, cramming the Onix into the plates would most likely either distort the plates or the Onix (or both). This is not an approved application however, and we would not be able to guaranty the integrity of the components.
You'd be better off beefing up insulation underneath and around the perimeter than spending the extra money on plates.
Hope this helps!
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Jan 20, 2011 13:54:45 GMT -6
Dave-
Chris is talking about a few different things. First, the 'floating around' refers to the heated air by the radiant system. If the air is heated close to the floor, it will naturally rise to the ceiling by convection. If the air is heated by the ceiling, it won't naturally flow "down" to the people, it'll just hang out in high places.
The radiant portion, as you noted, doesn't really care where it's positioned, it shoots out in all directions until it finds a mass to heat up, line-of-sight. Back in the olden days with ceiling radiant panels, the radiant energy spread down into the room, but when people had their legs under tables and things, they were cold because no radiant energy could directly hit them. When you have the floor heating instead, you're more likely to hit cold feet and legs, creating a more comfortable atmosphere.
Lastly, when you have ceiling panels, there is no conduction taking place, i.e. there is nothing in contact with the ceiling. When you have a floor that's heated, the people are in direct contact with the floor creating more heat transfer from the source to the person.
Ceiling panels will work in most cases, but the common practice now is to use floor heat given the comfort issues identified above.
Michael, is there a reason you selected ceiling instead of floor? Is it a construction constraint or ? We can pretty much design anything in house with a little leg work, however our RadiantWorks software is limited to floor heating.
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Jan 6, 2011 8:33:55 GMT -6
pcs-
We appreciate the feedback, we've been working on integrating a search function on the website that will hopefully help alleviate some of your frustration. If there are specs or documents that you need and you can't find, please send us a message and we can get them posted up for you.
Thanks!
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Dec 28, 2010 10:00:20 GMT -6
Yes, I had one done but they figured it out for 7/8 pex and I am using 1/2" They came up with 34500 btu's/hr with tubing output of 50000 Hey Matt- You can use the following formula to figure out GPMs as needed: GPM = BTU / (500 x ΔT) In this case, assuming you designed for a 20 degree delta T: GPM = 50,000 / (500 x 20) = 5GPM Now that's the GPM for the entire zone, so if you have 5 circuits, then that would be 1GPM for each circuit. As a side note, the GPM required for the zone is not dependent on the type of tubing or manifold, it's only dependent on the design. However, to figure out your pump specs (pressure drop), you do need to know the type of tubing, circuit length, and GPM requirements. -MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Oct 4, 2010 10:13:40 GMT -6
Hello jasonbold-
I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to say here, can you elaborate?
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Aug 10, 2010 11:42:14 GMT -6
Another option, for that small of an area, is to use WarmWire (electric radiant cables) embedded in thinset. You could space them at 2" on center, and have a good chance of heating the space. This would also save you some height on the floor, if that is a concern.
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on Aug 9, 2010 11:02:08 GMT -6
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Post by Watts Radiant on Jul 7, 2010 6:27:47 GMT -6
Hello cbulow!
Typically, if a wall is below grade, we do not take into account the heat flux through that wall. The heat loss through a wall into the soil is minimal in the grand scheme of things.
If the wall is partially below grade, just add a wall and specify the total area of that wall that is above grade. So, if you have a 100sqft wall, and it's 1/2 below grade, you'd specify a wall that's 50sqft.
Hope this helps!
-MDR
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Post by Watts Radiant on May 5, 2010 14:20:47 GMT -6
There is no way to add supplemental heating to the reports in RadiantWorks as you described. You can, however, override the calculated load by clicking on the small calculator icon next in the room interface next to Total Heat Loss, and entering a number.
-MDR
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