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Originally Posted by Joehvac25

It's complicated, put it this way my boss over kills everything, my guess is it won't modulate down far enuf for the smallest zone. The one thing I like about it is when I add antifreeze all I har to do is fill the buffer tank with 100% and I don't have to purge any air out if the loops which in most cases is a pain when you have antifreeze. The more you tell him one thing the more he does the other so questioning him is useless.


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Hey, it's his money I guess! Could be a nice mark-up waiting to happen on a warehouse full of boiler buddies for all I know.

Originally Posted by larobj63

Nice looking work!

I don't see the point to a boiler buddy with a mod/con boiler but that's me. Seems like a really expensive way to decouple primary/secondary loops. Why not just do closely spaced tee's and a spirovent in one of the loops? Cast iron non-condensing non-modulating boiler is a different story, short cycling is much more of a concern ...

It's complicated, put it this way my boss over kills everything, my guess is it won't modulate down far enuf for the smallest zone. The one thing I like about it is when I add antifreeze all I har to do is fill the buffer tank with 100% and I don't have to purge any air out if the loops which in most cases is a pain when you have antifreeze. The more you tell him one thing the more he does the other so questioning him is useless.


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Nice looking work!

I don't see the point to a boiler buddy with a mod/con boiler but that's me. Seems like a really expensive way to decouple primary/secondary loops. Why not just do closely spaced tee's and a spirovent in one of the loops? Cast iron non-condensing non-modulating boiler is a different story, short cycling is much more of a concern ...

Originally Posted by ascj

I was not familiar with the Boiler Buddy.......but apparently a air vent on the top of the buffer tank is all that is needed. They incorporate air elimination into the buffer tank. As far as, copper to steel in a closed loop........it isn't black or white. So it's better to be safe than sorry.

It's mainly about electrolysis, a domestic water line is grounded and oxy rich. A boiler is neither. I helped a boiler maker change out the tubes in a 300 gallon water boiler, if a hole in the plate was to large a copper sleeve was inserted and the tubes were rolled tight against that. That is standard procedure and a state inspected job, after that day I changed my opinions.


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I was not familiar with the Boiler Buddy.......but apparently a air vent on the top of the buffer tank is all that is needed. They incorporate air elimination into the buffer tank. As far as, copper to steel in a closed loop........it isn't black or white. So it's better to be safe than sorry.

Cu to steel is fine in hydronics, ya it comes with a spyro vent.


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Originally Posted by ascj

This is a temporary setup?

The electric to you zone circulators is just draped all over. Steel to Copper connections.......is a no-no. Is that an expansion tank laying on the ground with tubing to the drain of the buffer tank? Air separator?

What's wrong with copper to steel? Spirotop on top of the boiler buddy.

It's not done yet, had 2 days to get it running for the weekend, also Waiting on the right size exp tank, I buttoned up the wiring after, also have a tekmar to install.


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This is a temporary setup?

The electric to you zone circulators is just draped all over. Steel to Copper connections.......is a no-no. Is that an expansion tank laying on the ground with tubing to the drain of the buffer tank? Air separator?

BTW, The job looks good.

Nice work

they are nice pumps but, wont move a lot of GPM at higher head.

i have read a lot of curve charts for various pumps. A lot of good info to read when you think you have the proper GPM for a boiler

Originally Posted by SolarMike

Have you used many Alpha pumps? How do you like them?

Those were my first alphas, there really cool, they are supposed to ramp down to nothing so you don't need a pump control. If they work like the should I think for the price they would be worth it. I haven't had a chance to really look into it but as far as I could tell they didn't shut off all the way.


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Have you used many Alpha pumps? How do you like them?

2 challengers/boiler buddy

Had an emergency change out. It's not finished and yes the gas tight looks like **** but I don't know what to tell ya.Attachment 319031Attachment 319041Attachment 319051


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