GPM meter

Has anybody used flow meter to balance a hot water heating system. If so, what was the brand/model name. Appreciate.

Variable Area Flow Meter (Rotameter)

I haven't done that and would suggest another approach.

First, balancing parallel system requires throttling the least resistance loop to increase the resistance and thereby set the division of flow between the loops. Resistance reduces the efficiency of the circulator system.

It is common to have multiple loops fed from one pump with a zone valve for each loop. That is probably more effective and more certain that trying to balance flows. And it probably doesn't cost any more than putting a flow meter in each of the loops.

Now if you really want to put in flow meters, Google variable area flow meter. You will want one in each line to be balanced. Most of the inexpensive ones are acrylic and may not be satisfactory for a heating system.

flow

Bell & Gossett probably still makes a 2 zone balancing device, but it is thermostatic rather than gpm. To balance them properly, you want the return water trmperature from each zone to be equal. If the flows were equal, then both zones would receive the same almount of water, but if one is longer/larger than the other, it will receive less heat.

Balancing the system based on the return temperature, as HJ suggested, is a very good approach. I found Wirsbo FLOW Master electronic readout (~$500) http://www.wirsbo.com/main.php?pm=1&mm=4&sm=6&pc=common/showroom/index.php&sroom=9)

It reads flow and temperature, and in case of radiant heating with multiple loops (my case) it is worth buying it.


Thank You All