Want CH pump to run continuously

[ayrshire]

Hi - I had a wood burning stove connected to my vented central heating circuit assuming that it would be possible to have the central heating pump on continuously...the theory being the pump could circulate water heated by the wood stove around the system without the gas boiler firing up.

It didn't work as the boiler pump will only run when the boiler has fired up.

Is there a way to have the pump running continuously without the boiler having to fire up?

Many thanks

 

[D_Hailsham]

Which boiler do you have?

 

[ayrshire]

Which boiler do you have?

It's an old one....Ideal Mexico Super 2 (Propane Gas)...

 

[D_Hailsham]

It's an old one....Ideal Mexico Super 2 (Propane Gas)...

So the pump is external to the boiler and will be connected to the same terminal as the boiler Switched Live wire.

Does your boiler also heat up the Hot Water?
If so, is it pumped or gravity and how is the HW temperature controlled?
If it's by a thermostat on the HW cylinder, how many motorized valves do you have?

 

[Agile]

You could connect the pump to a seperate power supply if you must but this is likely to cause more problems that you think it will solve.

Far better to fit a new pump on the return to the wood stove and ideally have that controlled by a thermostst on the boiler.

Tony

 

[ayrshire]

It's an old one....Ideal Mexico Super 2 (Propane Gas)...

So the pump is external to the boiler and will be connected to the same terminal as the boiler Switched Live wire.

Does your boiler also heat up the Hot Water?
If so, is it pumped or gravity and how is the HW temperature controlled?
If it's by a thermostat on the HW cylinder, how many motorized valves do you have?

The pump is integral to the boiler. It does heat the hot water - I assume pumped as there are two motorised valves on the system...

 

[ayrshire]

You could connect the pump to a seperate power supply if you must but this is likely to cause more problems that you think it will solve.

Far better to fit a new pump on the return to the wood stove and ideally have that controlled by a thermostst on the boiler.

Tony

Thanks Tony - the flow runs through the wood stove (there's no return connected to it). Could a pump be added to the flow? If the gas boiler pump is not running, would this not prevent the wood stove pump from circulating the water?

 

[Agile]

If its really connected that way then its very unusual and potentially very inefficient too.

I think you will find the pump may be fitted inside the boiler case but probably essentially seperate and could be wired seperately ( if competent ).

It may also be potentially dangerous as the wood stove flow should rise to an open vent pipe.

A sketch might reveal all.

Tony

 

[oilman]

Hi - I had a wood burning stove connected to my vented central heating circuit assuming that it would be possible to have the central heating pump on continuously...the theory being the pump could circulate water heated by the wood stove around the system without the gas boiler firing up.

Even if it did work, it would be a poor strategy. The woodburning stove will run with a cold return for too long, and cause its rapid demise. Control systems for woodburners are complex. Most wet woodburners are very inefficient fuel users.

 

[bengasman]

... the flow runs through the wood stove (there's no return connected to it). ...

That is fairly unlikely.
"What goes in must come out", we've all heard that.
The reverse is also true; for something to come out, it must go in first.