Regular Guest
Are there duct dampers that provide both duct balancing and motorized on/off zone control? My hvac contractor would like to add some balancing dampers to the duct work that feeds a new addition. I anticipate the need for full motorized zone control in the future. Is there something that can be upgraded with motors when the need arises?
Professional Member*
He would need to do A manual j and manual d for the whole house including addition... Not just adding duct and some dampers.. The whole dust system will more than likely need to be redesigned or you may need to upgrade system size. This is what manual j will tell you. Then you will have a option to use manual dampers and balance system properly or you do a complete zoning system... You can't do both.. But as long as its designed properly then system should thrive..
Regular Guest
Let me start over. The addition is already in. It gets way too much air from the furnace, the rest of the house is now too cold. Manual J and manual D will be done. Is there a motorized damper that can be used to manually balance now, and then be used as a zoning device if it we opt for that in the future?
Professional Member*
Before any work is performed you need to perform a manual j and d. This is your main issue.. After this is performed then the design process is done. Then the work will be performed... Besides the fact that your contractor is not concerned for your comfort or system performance I will get back to your question.. There are two options with design either manual dampers and proper balancing or a zoning system.... Good luck... Either one would need manual j and d..Originally Posted by Eastman342
Professional Member*
To answer your question...no, not that I'm aware. You'll use manual dampers (for balancing the airflow) or you can upgrade to motorized or nematic dampers if you want to have zoning (more than one thermostat).
Professional Member*
Just to add to my last post.......the manual dampers should be there already. We always install volume and supply dampers.
Professional Member*
I would say yes. http://www.forwardthinking.honeywell..._products.html
Install the motorized dampers, for now adjust the damper for a stationary position. When you're ready install a zone board, bypass damper and tstat..... there you go.
Professional Member*
of course there are motorized dampers for residential hvac..many brands
it was working.... played with it.... now its broke.... whats the going hourly rate for HVAC repair
Regular Guest
To clarify, balancing dampers were never installed by my former contractor, they are non existent in the new addition. If something like a Honeywell ARD can provide both manual balancing and the future potential for on/off control, why not install those?
Professional Member*
The ARD model looks more commercial grade. The retrofit model, if it can be manually adjusted, would be the one to use. I have never used Honeywell zone products but it doesn't appear able to be used in a manual mode. I don't see a handle to move the damper. I might be missing something.
Professional Member*
Why spend the money on a motorized damper if its going to be manually operated.. thats a waste of money unless your zoning.. mho...
Professional Member*
Agreed.........what he's looking for is a manual (without the expensive motor) damper that can easily be retro-fitted to zoning in the future. He's trying to eliminate a step (installing the dampers twice) if the manual doesn't work. I do not know of a product that is available. It'll either be manual, then switch to zoning or go straight to zoning.
Riggboggs, post #7, suggested the Honeywell, but if he spends that much for the motorized dampers, he might as well "bite the bullet" go all the way to a full blown zoning system.
Professional Member*
Yep, full blown for a few extra bucks.
Regular Guest
Both the ARD and RRD models have "adjustable range stops". Is that what would be used to balance the system? In a new home that is fully zoned from the getgo, how is balancing accomplished? Surely one would not install both a manual damper and motorized one in series?
Professional Member*
I balance mine at the register.
Regular Guest
So you would typically not install a balancing device?
Professional Member*
I don't. I use the register.
Regular Guest
How do you do that? Doesn't the register get opened and closed eventually by the occupants? How would one know what shutter position to return the register to?
Professional Member*
Very horrible practice using registers as dampers... and when you zone there is motorized dampers for the zone and you will have manual dampers at each wye that is feeding conditioned space and balance total system with all zones calling.. depending how the zone is you may only use the motorized damper then there wont be balancing dampers.. for instance if zone 1 is a single room why have balancing dampers. But if zone 1 is for three bedrooms you would need balancing dampers for each room that is being fed of the motorized damper..
Regular Guest
Why can't one use the motorized zone damper as a balancing damper? Isn't that what the "adjustable range stops" are for?
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