I'm still having a heck of a time with the data logger, so here is more manual data logging...
Logging Improvements
- I have started using a digital clock (the one on the Kill-a-Watt) and the time is more reliable.
- I have insulated under the bottom of the blue bucket, so heat is not being lost through conduction into the basement floor.
- I've started logging the cumulative kw-h with the Kill-a-Watt, and using that in the COP calculations.
- I have started using a thermometer that responds in tenths of a degree to measure the loop water temp.
Below is the chart for this test, as in the prior tests, the energy used by the pumps is not being considered.
I've made the lines easier to read.
Due to the automatic scaling,the kw-h line is at the very bottom of the chart.
The COP*100 line looks pretty favorable (even pushing over 400%!), especially when the heat-sink temperatures are down below 100 degree range (when the "lift" isn't so high). This really speaks volumes about the advantage of radiant floor heating (huge radiating area, lower feed temperature), where feed temperatures are in the range of 85 to 95 degrees, compared to forced air (smaller radiating area, higher feed temperatures) where the feed temperatures are in the range of 120 degrees.
Below is the logged data for this test.
Curiously, the temperature of the loop field (AKA: 'T(source)') starts to climb a bit toward the end of the test. I think this is due to the heat being produced by the quarter-horse sump pump.
So next on the agenda is looking for a much lower wattage pump that can still provide sufficient circulation through the loop field.
Regards,
-AC_Hacker