How To Connect an Outdoor Wood Boiler to Indoor Furnace Pt1

Jeff Luff from Alternative Heating & Supplies walks you through an Outdoor Wood Boiler installation to an Indoor Furnace using a Plate Exchanger. This is Part 1 of 2
Visit: www.altheatsupply.com for plate exchangers and more.

[@ummbeer1]

This is a great explanation of how this works, I am in need of doing this in a few years and wasn't sure how this worked. I have hydronic in floor heat in my shop and small cabin, 2 zone using a Weil Mcclain Ultra 155. When we build the log home and move to this property I want to heat both the Log home and shop /cabin with wood but have a backup propane boiler in each so we can leave and not worry about running out of wood while gone.

[@diceman220]

Great instructions. With fuel prices up, this is a good way to go. Thanks for sharing.

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Thanks for watching!

[@michaeldreves5072]

Really good video very informative and well thought out excellent explanation of how the system works and how it should be connected to one another keep up the great work and keep making great videos thanks again

[@joshk6058]

Excellent video.

[@alanhorrison6735]

good video, and nice work,

[@trevorgey2422]

You should change title of this video. It was exactly what I was looking for but kept scrolling past because it says hooking a outdoor wood boiler to indoor furnace. The video is actually an outdoor boiler to an indoor boiler.

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

I am so glad you found it! I will look into that thank you for the suggestion!

[@patrickmcneely7388]

Excellent tutorial.

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Thanks appreciate that... Jeff

[@robg4416]

EXCELLENT series on hooking a wood boiler up. You've answered almost every question I had thought about over the last year. One question you may cover in another video but not in this one, if the boiler runs out of wood and the gas kicks back in, will the gas furnace heat the the water in the wood boiler so it doesn't freeze? Or does the circulation pump stop working on the outdoor boiler when it quits pumping heat? Thanks Rob

[@Littlelewie151]

Awesome video!!! You answered quite a few questions for me! Lol

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Glad you liked it!

[@timberandtools]

Great info, much appreciated

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Glad it was helpful!

[@briannikkivandrese627]

Your videos are awesome! I am tying a new(er) outdoor wood boiler to my propane furnace. I would like to use a water modine as a dump zone in my attached garage to prevent overheating my wood boiler. What parts do I need to do this? I want to also install a thermostat in the attached garage to adjust the temperature when needed that will work independently from the "dump zone" application. I plan on having the house circulation pump run continuously along with the wood boiler pump to prevent freeze up (no antifreeze $$$) when the stove runs out of wood (weekend away) with use of a plate exchanger (size?? 2800 sq ft house). I also have a seperate run of rehau pex insulated to my shop that I am planning on having the pump circulating to a modine but the fan controlled by thermostat. Any help is greatly appreciated!

[@dhp7481]

thank you!! I've been looking for a video diagram or anything to help me get my boiler connected properly.

[@TheBegoing]

Okay I have been kicking around ideas for using outside wood boiler and using a exchanger setup to supplement/replace the electric heat component of the indoor electric furnace. I don't know what I don't know so if this is a bad idea okay but resources to do research and figure out if this is feasible would be greatly appreciated. Also as a side note wanting to use the exchanger 2 fold and use it for cooling aid during the summer with understood plumbing involved. To give perspective of this project and help with helping me is I am wanting to modify/replace the electric furnace inside a mobile home to lower my electricity use and have a method of keeping a method of heating in the event of power failure.

[@kevinehlert3877]

Do you have any videos with more detail on installing the loop that you talk about at about 9:40 in this video? I just connected an outdoor boiler to my indoor propane boiler through a BPHE, and the temp gauge on the indoor boiler is staying around 120 while my wood boiler is set at 180. I turned up all the tstats in the house and let it run for a 10 minutes yesterday, and the indoor boiler guage got up to 155, so I think a bypass loop would keep the temp up. I'm also thinking about using snap disc limit control mounted on the incoming wood boiler line wired in series with my indoor boiler aquastat to prevent the indoor boiler from firing up when hot water is coming in from the outdoor boiler. Does that seem like a good solution?

[@richardbarber4444]

Jeff Luff:- talking to most outdoor installers about connecting to indoor furnace system one is usually told that an 'air handler' water to air heat exchanger installed in the air plenum after the furnace will provide the necessary heating. However many furnaces supply air to the plenum at much more than 200 degrees, mine has a high temp cutoff at 220. If this is the case and boiler temperature is 180 and plenum air flow is somewhat restricted by the air handler does it not follow that heat output when outdoor boiler is being used will be significantly reduced?? I feel you should mention the importance corrosion inhibitors in the system.

[@2treekiller2]

Where would the circulation pumps be for the exchange plate? Or is there none except for the zones? I'm trying to re-work the plumbing from the previous house owner. He has the oil boiler setup with one hot supply (out of the top with T's...also where exchanger hot comes in). Then 2 return lines (each with own circulation pump) coming into 2 spots on the bottom of the oil boiler. A third pipe (out of the bottom, with a pump) is the cold out to exchanger.

[@michaelcook5446]

So if you wanted to run them independently of each other, would you just tie the wood boiler to the supply and return with valves to isolate the wood boiler?

[@jerryhetzler5517]

would like to see video on hooking up a 500gal hot tub

[@AdamSmith-ql9ok]

Looking for wiring diagram to use existing thermostat for oil furnace , biggest question is how do you keep fan from running at the time because of the snap disk , fan will always want to cool down the furnace Till it’s cooled down ?

[@sims2bavaroTd]

I have a coal boiler inside and want to add a hot air vent in the floor of our great room. The baseboard in that area is just not keeping up on the very cold days. Is there a video for this? I don't have any hot air system yet.. I see there are units like toe kick and in floor exchangers. I already have a toe kick. But need something bigger in floor.

[@logandow1550]

I have a NTI vmax 153p, three zones in my 2400sq ft home, it loves to eat the propane during the winter. In definitely purchasing a wood boiler, can you point me in the direction for what wood boiler you recommend, I live in the interior of BC. Our vmax boiler is a combo unit that we use for direct hot water and central heat, is there any way to introduce the wood boiler for the direct hot water supply?

[@jedcook5976]

Thanks for sharing this! Quick question: would the same method/theory apply to an On demand boiler? Thanks!

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

No not really, the recovery time of a wood boiler is slower then a on demand unit. I t will help a little.

[@johndavidson1217]

Great videos, thanks. Currently installing a new wood boiler. I'm not electrical or HVAC savy. I have a two wire thermostat and I have a thermopride oil furnace. Do you have a link to somewhere that shows the aquastat wired in?

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

No Sorry, Every system is different. Jeff

[@adamfishbaugh1992]

how do you know what size plate exchanger to buy?

[@SelfSufficient08]

Great information. I wonder if this type of tie in would work with a geothermal system. Seems like it would but maybe the internal thermostat works differently for the better.

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

It does work with Geothermal, I have Geothermal in my house and it works great with this kit. Jeff

[@SelfSufficient08]

@@AltheatsupplyLLC that is awesome ! My geothermal has 2” lines coming in. I don’t know the flow rate or I could probably easily pick a model. Did you have to modify the internal thermostat on your system ? I was/am hopeful there isn’t anything that needs modded in the unit since it’s not a boiler.

[@JCC1256]

Do you have any information on emissions controls for upgrade/rebuilding older boilers for gasification?

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

No I have seen nothing that is worth the effort. I think the traditional units work best. Mother nature burns this way and we all know Mother Nature is never wrong. The regulators try to make it sound like we are killing the world so they can pass their regulations on to us and they make more money by finding yet another way to tax us.

[@jamescullison2148]

When you run radiant heat under an existing wood floor, do you reduce the heat with a mixing valve??

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

I would consult with a radiant floor expert on that one!!

[@raypruitt9955]

I have a question I use a taco 009 and I in floor radiant heat would a taco 007 be better?

[@Pierced777]

Great video. Do you actually think though that it's more self sufficient to use an outdoor wood boiler than a natural gas furnace let's say since they both require electricity to run? I'm curious to know your opinion. Thanks.

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Yes the both use electricity... But the fuel is the big expense. for most people wood is free (With Labor and hard work) and you don't pay tax on wood. Thanks for your question..

[@Pierced777]

Alternative Heating & Supplies Thanks for the reply and I agree about wood being a relatively cheap to free energy source. I guess when I think self sufficiency I think off grid. In a total power failure both systems will fail. I guess the next best thing is solar backup or an indoor woodstove for grid free heat.

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Yes off grid is the Holy grail. We are needing one thing less and not paying for another product and taxes. Yes solar and battery backup is the best. unless you have good wind.

[@portzfamily]

@@AltheatsupplyLLC tell that to my CPA lol..

[@craigsteinfeldt432]

Any suggestions with a setup involving a Prestige Solo 110 gas boiler? The outdoor boiler is set higher (190/180) than the gas boiler (170/146), but the gas burner is still running. The install follows your video.

[@anthonyspadafora1384]

Your prestige boiler most likely is piped with a primary secondary piping arrangement. This is the proper way to tie in your wood boiler. You must install 2 more closely spaced T's next to the T's that the Prestige enters. This will allow for the hydraulic decoupling of the boilers from the system and prevents one boiler from circulating through the other. Your Prestige comes with an outdoor reset control that will adjust water temp according to outside temp. I would use either a 3 or 4 way mixing valve with an outdoor reset of its own on the system side of your plate exchanger. This is not really necessary if you have baseboard or radiators but you will have to adjust your comfort level to having 180 degree water throughout your system no matter what the outside temp is. If you have radiant floor heat then you must add the mixing valve with the reset or risk overheating your floors. You could install a manual mixing valve and use it as a high temp stop but then you would get extreme overheating on warmer days.

[@therianstrauss]

If someone is really concerned about the heat exchanger reducing circulation can they not just use two of them in parallel?

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Yes they can use in Parallel. to reduce resistance and larger heating needs, Great question...

[@mikerowe1791]

Nice. Where would you hook up a buffer tank and DHW tank with this set up. Have outdoor pellet boiler(Prime heat) and gas boiler inside as back up. Thank you

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Not understanding buffer tank unless you have instant hot water system?

[@mikerowe1791]

@@AltheatsupplyLLC Sorry, not sure if you could provide a suggested diagram. Have a Outdoor wood boiler and runs into a 40plate heat exchanger inside. From the heat exchanger were not sure where to put a buffer tank(120gal) and connect indoor gas boiler(backup). The buffer tank will heat main loop which heats forced air furnace, basement infloor and garage infloor) Have another heat exchanger for DHW which plan to use as well. OPB(90gal Maxim P255)-40plate heat exchanger-buffer tank(120gal)-gas boiler(baxi 1.7 as back up) --- 10 plate heat exchanger - 50gal DHW tank. Sorry for my poor description hope you have a suggestion.

[@workingwiththeweez]

I know this is an older video but am wondering what the rear aquastat should be set at for the spring and fall months when thermostats aren't calling for heat?

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Depends on your application, turn it down as low as 160 if you like, but not lower then that.

[@jacquesdanis5368]

I want to install a weather sensitive thermostate on an électric boiler that has 4 manual thermostat. I'm looking for the control that can be ajusted to the temp ouside to the temp of the wather. To do that I'm thinking a 100amp switch that is controled by the 12 or 24 volt programable thernostat. Manualy cranking up my 4 manual thermostate to the maximum, puting a sensor on the boiler to know the temp and letting the programable thermostate start or stop the elements when needed. If this makes sense to you (I'm french) can you point me to the right equipment? Thanks

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Sorry I know wood boiler hook-ups and not systems like you described.

[@garzonlaperle9403]

Im sure you may build it too guys. Just look for wood prix page and build it too.

[@jennyrawler5410]

Fantastic to me too

[@billwise1967]

I installed a 10 plate from another company a few years ago. First year it worked awesome 2nd year pretty good 3rd year it did nothing. I am on city water. I think it must have plugged up. Has this happened to anyone else? Does any know why this would happen on city water. Was it just a cheap plate heater?

[@richardbarber4444]

Billwise, I worked with plate heat exchangers in milk pasteurization. Identical to these shown EXCEPT they were neoprene gasketed between plates and clamped together, not brazed, to facilitate cleaning and plate repair.Plates do occasional crack due to operational stresses. With milk it is essential to run a wash cycle every four hours or the system plugs. The same thing can happen with domestic water but over longer periods. I have a plate exchanger between my boiler circuit and hot water tank and found it to eventually scale up despite running supply water through softener and carbon filter so am making a tube exchanger. FYI a 48 X 12 part of my house has in floor radiant heat supplied from my heat tank in an isolated circuit and through a 30' loop of 3/4' copper within the tank.

[@diceman220]

Question: If hot goes to cold. Heat exchanger, should the oil boiler be set at a lower temp? The wood boiler a little higher? Should there be a difference, if so how mant degrees? Thank you.

[@diceman220]

I would think when the load is on the oil boiler, it would be lower.

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Yes you can turn the temp of the oil boiler down a little bit, nothing lower then 155 degrees.

[@timsheehan3290]

Can you hook a inside wood boiler using a heat exchanger to .? Tim

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Not understanding your question. Try to re word for me.

[@tomcarter9580]

Ty. A mEr i CAN. GET TO WORK AMERICANS. BE SAFE OUT THERE.

[@grahampeterson3293]

Could this system work with a split system electric heat pump?

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Not versed in split systems. Sorry

[@brianmontero6454]

So this is another (easier) option than hooking the outdoor wood boiler to the plenum ?

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Yes, your always going to mount the water to air exchanger to plenum, this will make controlling it much easier and simple.

[@JCC1256]

What if I have an indirect water heater would that change anything?

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Yes it is hooked to the boiler for heat, Watch the video for hooking up a boiler. You can still do this but it isn't necessary if the inside boiler is already hooked up.

[@JCC1256]

Alternative Heating & Supplies Yes I has a propane boiler hooked to the indirect water heater. The boiler has 4 zones. I just bought an indoor wood boiler that I want to put in an outdoor shed. I just wanna ensure I run it into my existing setup correctly.

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

watch this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqXYiHeNntWdm68 to help

[@JCC1256]

Ok what if I decide to not run the outside wood boiler and just run the indoor furnace does that water now always Travel through outdoor boiler or am I not understanding plate correctly?

[@JCC1256]

And with the outdoor boiler do I need a separate aquastat, pressure relief tank, and pump or is it completely ran by indoor current setup?

[@ScottHeidelbaugh-ub8ke]

What is the hookup if your furnace heat domestic hot water

[@AltheatsupplyLLC]

Not understanding your question.

[@blakewill1933]

I think the question is what if your indoor oil boiler also has an internal coil/heat exchanger for domestic hot water. In this diagram, the hot boiler water will only circulate if a heating zone is on or open. @@AltheatsupplyLLC

[@aacconcrete3550]

One boiler emits the same amount of particulate matter that 3,000-8,000 homes heated by natural gas would

[@standegroff3270]

Get a life. Quit drinking the coolaid

[@inthewoods5640]

You never mentioned if you run out of wood your gas boiler will try and transfer the heat in reverse to heat the water with in the wood boiler!

[@Z-Bart]

Thank you for pointing that out. Now, I don't have to.

[@pollocko91]

That was my question thanks for the answer

[@yukonheart]

I have to disagree with thius setup. If that outdoor boiler is not heating you will be transferring heat from the house to the outside ! I set my system up using a "H" prior to the exchanger on th eoutside system . The system will just pump the outdoor boiler water in a circle (bypassing the exchanger) this prevents heat transfer from inside to outside . When until the inside return temp is 5 degrees lower than the outside boiler a valve opens and allows the outdoor water to go the exchanger . Refrigeration controls work excellent o do this type of comparison