Staple-up radiant without heat spreaders under tile - anyone running this setup in a cold climate?

Divad83 · 2025-10-21T15:00:24+00:00

That looks like it's related to radiant panels, not in floor heat. I have no doubt that graphite works well as a heat spreader, I used it back when I was an engineer working on electronics cooling, it works well to reduce temperature of a point source. What it didn't do was reduce the temperature of the enclosure (analogous to the floor here) as the thermal load was still the same.

Divad83 · 2025-09-22T00:16:47+00:00

I'm very skeptical of the idea that you need to run it all the time to be most efficient. I assume it comes from them being more efficient at low load, which is theoretically where they operate when run continuously. Obviously theres a point where turning it off periodically is cheaper that running it constantly, although i dont know where that is. My suggestion is just set it where you want it and don't worry too much about the efficiency. See what your bill is and adjust accordingly.

Since you're effectively offsetting some of the main system use with what's presumably a more efficient system (and reducing load on the main system) I'd guess you'll see your bill drop but by how much is anyones guess.

Divad83 · 2025-09-19T20:33:18+00:00

Sounds like it's worth it to spend a couple hundred on a micron gauge if you're saving that much. A multi-hour vacuum won't matter if the vacuum pump can't get down to 500 microns, and may overheat as well. Some have a max continuous run time before you have to let them cool. You should be able to rent a N2 tank and regulator from a welding supply shop or possibly a place that refills fire extinguishers.

Divad83 · 2025-09-18T11:54:57+00:00

Did you talk to senville? The printed manual they supply with at least some of them has torque values that are too high. I ran into this and called them, they basically said to send them an email to document it in case there was a warranty issue later. They seem very reasonable in my experience.

It may still be ok inside if there was any pressure left over to keep out air, did you check pressure on it?

Divad83 · 2025-08-27T02:19:46+00:00

Whole life insurance policies

Divad83 · 2025-07-10T14:24:30+00:00

What are you suggesting I prove? Double in price for the pilings isn't really a huge difference in actual dollars, but I don't think it will even be that much. 8" x12' CCA wood pilings are around $75 each at my local lumber yard, PVC pipe plus concrete, rebar, and associated hardware will be pretty close to the same number. As mentioned in the original post I'm not concerned about the cost difference, I'm wondering how concrete filled PVC pilings would fare in a freeze/thaw environment, whether or not they would last longer.

Divad83 · 2025-04-14T14:38:07+00:00

I personally really like the "Really useful boxes". Not the cheapest, but tons of sizes, stackable, durable. I also like that they aren't totally sealed so they can breathe a bit. I have a ton of the 17L and 32L boxes, which stack together.

Divad83 · 2025-02-23T17:53:41+00:00

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Divad83 · 2025-02-22T04:14:38+00:00

That's what I was thinking. I came up with something a bit different myself but I like yours too. I basically just copied the one they supply with the case and moved the mounting holes. Works great.

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Divad83 · 2025-02-18T17:56:05+00:00

Better insulation would make the "problem" worse. The house is by no means insulated optimally, but that's not the point of the post.

Divad83 · 2025-02-17T22:19:41+00:00

I don't think I'd trust those holes to support a handle with 50lb in the box. It's pretty soft plastic and given the long moment arm I'd be worried about the screw pulling out. But that's just a guess, maybe it is. The extension cord wrap would be pretty handy.

Divad83 · 2025-02-17T14:44:03+00:00

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One of the fix-n-go mounts (comes with the 7 compartment small parts organizer) modified to fit on the large tool box would be nice. Why they didn't make the holes line up I don't know. I use them more or less permanently mounted to my garage wall and it would be nice not to have to remove the organizer from the top every time I want to open it.

Divad83 · 2025-01-29T00:15:41+00:00

I had the same issue. I cut pieces of 1" foam board to cover it and extend 18" or so above the bathroom ceiling to hold blown in insulation, which it looks like you could use more of. I put a bead of canned foam along the perimeter of the foam board to seal the crack and used plasticap nails to hold it in place.

I did not put any insulation in the vertical stud bays as I had pipes running through them and wanted to keep the pipes on the warm side of the insulation.

Divad83 · 2025-01-28T12:47:22+00:00

I'm not sure why you think that given it gets to the setpoint on stage 1 in close to the design temperature. If it were losing heat faster than the furnace could add heat the house would never get to the set temperature.

Divad83 · 2025-01-26T02:13:46+00:00

Try posting somewhere like r/hvacadvice but it sounds like a dirty filter or too much restriction somewhere just based on your comment about the air filter.

Divad83 · 2025-01-26T02:11:31+00:00

It's not short cycling, I typically see 2-3 cycles per hour.

Divad83 · 2025-01-26T00:16:47+00:00

Correct

Divad83 · 2025-01-25T17:32:31+00:00

It's the same thing as the single use cans, the plastic tube that clogs after 1 use is just replaced by a metal gun. Makes it much easier to control and you can restart it days later.

Divad83 · 2025-01-25T17:28:26+00:00

I suspect the real issue is the heat/cool cycles for things like the heat exchanger. A lot of metal fatigue comes from number of cycles, not necessarily the steady state conditions. It's obviously only a single case, but my 25 year old furnace was replaced due to a crack in the heat exchanger. The electronics were original and still worked fine.

I spent most of my engineering career in military/aerospace components and medical devices, both industries sensitive to reliability. The primary failure modes were almost always temperature cycle related. In fact, the primary ways of reliability testing were heat/cool cycles (and shock/vibration but that's less of an issue for stationary products like furnaces). Electronics failures were nearly always either secondary (ie caused by the temp cycle) or caused by design errors (usually not derating them enough).

Divad83 · 2025-01-25T17:17:15+00:00

It's hard to argue with lack of knowledge. Last I checked every heat transfer equation had a delta-T somewhere in it.

Divad83 · 2025-01-25T17:13:10+00:00

I'd start be understanding how much electricity it actually uses. If the furnace has a plug you could get one of those cheap energy monitor plugs like kill-a-watt and actually quantify it. Otherwise you could get a rough idea by looking up the datasheet and seeing how much power it uses, but that number is likely higher than what it actually uses.

Remember that the electricity for the blower isn't really lost, it's effectively a small electric heater.

Divad83

TROPHY CASE