Hydronic floor heating update

[Kevin D Pem]

Still contemplating wood boiler. Quite complex for a trailer, but I like projects! More than likely will stick with solar with propane backup.

Nice equipment room Jim.

 

[Jim]

Still contemplating wood boiler. Quite complex for a trailer, but I like projects! More than likely will stick with solar with propane backup.

Nice equipment room Jim.

Thank you, Kevin!

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Another update?

Well yes! So predictions are, we look forward to another big freeze before the month is out! Beings how I am here, and many of you are there, I don't have much to worry about, but you may.

The fact some have had freeze issues lately, and I need projects to prove to myself I am alive, I push forward with this project.



I have dug out my junk drawer, and pulled out an arduino! Connected it to a driver board, wrote a sketch to use the internal temperature sensor to control water flow to my feet warming plate!

I dusted off the Linux machine I have used for this kind of thing, and realized by the release of the distro, that it has been a while!!! True to my realization I found I too had gathered some rust!!!

Anyhow, after many fixes, failures to properly declare variables, and functions(bugs), I now have a working controller for those that may want to build their own system!

I use the arduino IDE for development, so open source is key here! Depending on your heater values will need tweaking, but I will update with the sketch when the system preforms as I expect!!!

This method is designed to continuously (in cycles), run water through the entire plumbing system while allowing some heated water to return to the holding tank. No sewer connection, no city water connection! Roll up your supply lines and operate off grid and keep the RV safe! That's the idea!!!

 

[Jim]

Good progress, Kevin!

 

[Kevin D Pem]

So the sketch is doing it's job! The number of lines could hardly be considered a serious coding issue, but this is the code should anyone want to tackle such a project.

This code keeps the valve from getting to hot! Furthermore I added a second valve at the end of the hose! Done over the valve would have been placed at the end of the hose to begin with. Irrigation valves don't handle heat well.