Swapping one “box” for another

The Glitch:

Given the current prices for fuel oil and propane, and current state and federal incentive programs, many homeowners are asking heating contractors to replace their aging boilers with a geothermal heat pump system. One installer, whose typical routine was to swap out an older boiler with a new boiler, with no consideration of the distribution system, was asked to make the switch from an oil-fired boiler to a geothermal heat pump. The system he installed is shown in Figure 1. Use your knowledge of heat pump operating characteristics and basic hydronics to identify at least five design errors in this schematic.

Are you an ace troubleshooter?

Within the pages of this magazine, PM’s Hydronics Editor John Siegenthaler, P.E., will pose a question to you, our readers, to review a system’s schematic layout and discover its faults, flaws and defects. Discover archived “The Glitch & The Fix” exercises at its radiant-focused website, www.radiantandhydronics.com. Good luck!