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Hot Water Heating
Hey Ken,
These WaterFurnace guys claim a 400% efficiency spec, I had come across this ad sometime back and dismissed it as “flubby” dust when they never responded with a system data sheet. Maybe I’ll try them again.
I assume you got one since you installed their system … how many BTU’s is your system?
After seeing your post I thought about it a little further and now I wish I could see a data sheet … but I applied their web claims to my house --- consider the following:
My current air handler, (approx. 40K BTU system), draws about 50 amps at 230 volts, or approx. 11.5 KWH. So according to their claim, (given a matched output), their combination of heat exchanger / pump and whatever other electrical stuff is on would only draw approx. 29 watts. For argument sake, assume that this all goes to the pump, this equates to approx a 1/26 hp pump --- .
I must be missing something. I’m of course making the assumption that the system would require a pump motor combo closer to at least a one hp motor rating which is going to require approx 750 watts, it certainly would be larger than 1/26 hp.
Do they talk at all about the gals/min of fluid exchange? Can you see the motor in your unit? What does the nameplate say?
This analysis completely ignores the aux coils. As far as I can tell the efficiency claims don’t seem creditable.
But this doesn’t explain why your system doesn’t heat the house.
I haven’t seen a description of your collection field … what type did you have installed? Who sized the system … are you sure they did what they claimed.
Interesting topic, something I’ve consider doing, please keep us posted.
Regards and Good luck
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Hot Water Heating
Ken,
Just caught the error of my ways,
My arithmetic was off --- assuming 11.5KW output with a 400% eff, would dictate an input of about 2.9KW, not 29W. For sake of arguement again, assume that all the energy went into the pump, in theory, a unit of up to 3.87 hp could be used. I'll assume that a unit of half this size could actually provide enough drive to cover the flow requirements.
So the up shot is that I now believe that the eff spec's do seem plausible, provided the assumption about the flow requiremnts are correct.
My home is relatively small compared to yours, (2500 sf, 24ft vault only in the living rm and kitchen), but based on these numbers I could in theory have this unit on for 16 hours a day, 31 days a month and expect to pay approx. 105 bucks for heating, (albeit it be damn hot). Based on how we actually use our forced air system, it would actually be closer to an ave of less than 5 hrs a day. Looks like quite a savings provided the system actually worked.
Having said all this I really haven't priced out a system, but I suspect for us the time to pay off may be a really issue considering that we generally only have 3-4 months of any substantial heating bill per year.
Again good luck, too bad you're having such problems. But I know how frustrating it can be when the "supposed" experts come out and aren't very helpful. Worse when they deceive you and you've paid good money.
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Hot Water Heating
Thanks,
I'm going to do some more research and thinking about our requirements. Good to have access to a group of people with experience on both sides of the coin.
Priceless.
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