Description of the manifold for heated floors. Manifold for heated floors prices and installation principle

When installing water floor heating, a considerable number of pipes are laid - several sections, which are called contours. All of them are connected to a device that distributes and collects coolant - a manifold for heated floors.

Purpose and types

A warm water floor is distinguished by a large number of pipe circuits and a low temperature of the coolant circulating in them. Basically, heating the coolant to 35-40°C is required. The only boilers that can operate in this mode are condensing gas boilers. But they are rarely installed. All other types of boilers produce hotter water at the outlet. However, it cannot be run into the circuit at this temperature - a too hot floor is uncomfortable. To reduce the temperature, mixing units are needed. In them, in certain proportions, hot water from the supply and cooled water from the return pipeline are mixed. After which, through the manifold for the heated floor, it is supplied to the circuits.

Manifold for underfloor heating with mixing unit and circulation pump

To ensure that all circuits receive water at the same temperature, it is supplied to a heated floor comb - a device with one input and a number of outputs. Such a comb collects cooled water from the circuits, from where it enters the boiler inlet (and partially goes to the mixing unit). This device - supply and return combs - is also called a manifold for heated floors. It can come with a mixing unit, or maybe just combs without any additional “load”.

Materials

The manifold for heated floors is made of three materials:

During installation, the inputs of the heated floor circuits are connected to the supply comb of the manifold, and the loop outputs are connected to the return comb. They are connected in pairs to make adjustments easier.

Equipment

It is recommended to make all contours the same length. This is necessary so that the heat transfer from each loop is the same. It’s just a shame that this ideal option doesn’t come around very often. Much more often there are differences in length, and significant ones.

To equalize the heat transfer of all circuits, flow meters are installed on the supply comb, and control valves are installed on the return comb. Flow meters are devices with a transparent plastic cover with printed graduations. There is a float in the plastic case, which marks the speed at which the coolant moves in a given loop.

It is clear that the less coolant passes through, the cooler the room will be. To adjust the temperature regime, the flow rate on each circuit is changed. With this configuration of the manifold for heated floors, this is done manually using control valves installed on the return comb.

The flow rate is changed by turning the knob of the corresponding regulator (they are white in the photo above). To make it easier to navigate, when installing the collector unit, it is advisable to sign all the circuits.

This option is not bad, but you have to regulate the flow rate, and therefore the temperature, manually. This is not always convenient. To automate the adjustment, servo drives are installed at the inputs. They work in tandem with room thermostats. Depending on the situation, a command is sent to the servo drive to close or open the flow. In this way, maintaining the set temperature is automated.

Mixing unit structure

The mixing group for heated floors can be built on the basis of a two-way or three-way valve. If the heating system is mixed - with radiators and heated floors, then the unit also contains a circulation pump. Even if the boiler has its own circulation system, it will not be able to “push through” all the loops of the heated floor. That's why they put the second one. And the one on the boiler runs the radiators. In this case, this group is sometimes called a pumping and mixing unit.

Diagram of a three-way valve

A three-way valve is a device that mixes two streams of water. In this case, it is heated supply water and colder water from the return pipeline.

A movable control sector is installed inside this valve, which regulates the intensity of the flow of colder water. This sector can be controlled by a thermostat, manual or electronic thermostat.

The diagram of the mixing unit on a three-way valve is simple: the hot water supply and return are connected to the valve outputs, as well as the output that goes to the supply comb of the manifold for the heated floor. After the three-way valve, a pump is installed that “presses” the water towards the supply comb (the direction is important!). A little further from the pump there is a temperature probe from a thermal head mounted on a three-way valve.

It all works like this:

Hot water comes from the boiler. At first, it is passed through the valve without mixing.
The temperature sensor transmits information to the valve that the water is hot (temperature above the set one). The three-way valve opens the addition of water from the return.
In this state, the system operates until the water temperature reaches the specified parameters.
The three-way valve shuts off the cold water supply.
In this state, the system operates until the water becomes too hot. Then the mixture opens again.

The operating algorithm is simple and understandable. But this scheme has a significant drawback - there is a possibility that in case of failures, hot water will be supplied directly to the heated floor circuits, without mixing. Since pipes in heated floors are laid mainly from polymers, they can collapse if exposed to high temperatures for a long time. Unfortunately, this drawback cannot be eliminated in this scheme.

Please note that in the diagram above the bypass jumper is drawn in green. It is needed in order to exclude the possibility of the boiler operating without consumption. This situation can arise when all shut-off valves on the underfloor heating manifold are closed. That is, a situation will arise when there is no coolant flow at all. In this case, if there is no bypass in the circuit, the boiler may overheat (even overheat for sure) and burn out. If there is a bypass, water from the supply through a jumper (made by a pipe whose diameter is one step smaller than the main one) will be supplied to the boiler inlet. Overheating will not occur, everything will work as normal until flow appears (the temperature in one or more circuits decreases).

Diagram of a two-way valve

A two-way valve is installed on the supply from the boiler. A balancing valve is installed on the jumper between the supply and return pipelines. This device is adjustable, it is adjusted depending on the required supply temperature (usually adjusted with a hex key). It determines the amount of cold water supplied.

A two-way valve must be installed controlled with a temperature sensor. As in the previous scheme, the sensor is placed after the pump, and the pump drives the coolant towards the comb. Only in this case does the intensity of the hot water supply from the boiler change. Accordingly, the temperature of the supplied water at the pump inlet changes (the cold flow is adjusted and stable).

As you can see, cold water is always mixed in in this scheme, so in this scheme it is impossible for water to enter the circuits directly from the boiler. That is, the scheme can be called more reliable. But the mixing group on a two-way valve can only provide heating for 150-200 square meters of warm water floors - there are no valves with greater capacity.

Selecting valve parameters

Both two-way and three-way valves are characterized by flow capacity or performance. This is a value that reflects the amount of coolant that it is able to pass through itself per unit of time. Most often expressed in liters per minute (l/min) or cubic meters per hour (m 3 /hour).

In general, when designing a system, it is necessary to make a calculation - determine the throughput of the heated floor circuits, take into account the hydraulic resistance, etc. But if a manifold for a heated floor is assembled with your own hands, calculations are done extremely rarely. More often they are based on experimental data, and they are as follows:

valves with a flow rate of up to 2 m 3 / hour can provide the required approximately 50-100 sq.m. warm floor (100 square meters - at a stretch with good insulation).
if the productivity (sometimes designated as KVS) is from 2 m 3 / hour to 4 m 3 / hour, it is fashionable to install them on systems in which the heated floor area is no more than 200 square meters;
for areas of more than 200 m2, a productivity of more than 4 m 3 / hour is required, but more often they make two mixing units - this is easier.

The materials from which the valves are made are two-way and three-way - brass and stainless steel. When choosing these elements, you should take only branded and proven ones - the operation of the entire heated floor depends on their performance. There are three clear leaders in quality: Oventrop, Esby, Danfos.

Name	Connection size	Body/Stem Material	Performance (KVS)	Maximum water temperature	Price
Danfoss three-way VMV 15	1/2" inch	brass/stainless steel	2.5 m3/h	120°C	146 € 10690 RUR
Danfoss three-way VMV-20	3/4" inch	brass/stainless steel	4 m3/h	120°C	152€ 11127 RUR
Danfoss three-way VMV-25	1" inch	brass/stainless steel	6.5 m3/h	120°C	166€ 12152 RUR
Esbe three-way VRG 131-15	1/2" inch	brass/composite	2.5 m3/h	110°C	52€ 3806 RUR
Esbe three-way VRG 131-20	3/4" inch	brass/composite	4 m3/h	110°C	48€ 3514 RUR
Barberi V07M20NAA	3/4" inch	brass	1.6 m3/h	adjustment limit - 20-43°C	48€ 3514 RUR
Barberi V07M25NAA	1" inch	brass	1.6 m3/h	adjustment limit - 20-43°C	48€ 3514 RUR
Barberi 46002000MB	3/4" inch	brass	4 m3/h	110°C	31€ 2307rub
Barberi 46002500MD	1" inch	brass	8 m3/h	110°C	40€ 2984rub

There is one more parameter that needs to be selected - the limits for adjusting the coolant temperature. The specifications usually indicate the minimum and maximum temperature. If you live in the Middle Zone or further south, during the off-season, a comfortable room temperature is maintained if the lower control limit is 30°C or less (at 35°C it is already hot). In this case, the adjustment limits may look like this: 30-55°C. For more northern regions or with poor floor insulation, take with an adjustment limit of 35 degrees.

When assembled, the mixing group is installed in front of the underfloor heating manifold. Then the coolant at the required temperature enters the circuit.

After all the work on laying the contours of the water-heated floor has been carried out, the crucial moment of connecting them to the collector comes.

In this article, we will look at a step-by-step sequence of how to do this correctly, when and what tests should be carried out, and what mistakes may lie in wait for you in this matter. We will also touch upon the issue of automatic temperature control in rooms.

Connecting underfloor heating pipes to the comb

Installation of heating pipes begins with connecting the free end of the tube to the fitting of the supply comb of the distribution manifold.

Most modern manufacturers, such as Rehau, do this using a threaded connection for a Eurocone. It is considered one of the simplest and most reliable in execution today.

Eurocone often comes with a diameter of 17mm, while a lot of users assemble their underfloor heating system from a 16mm pipe. In this case, you will have to calibrate the tube to the specified size.

You can use original cross-linked polyethylene tubes from Rehau, which are 17-gauge, then everything should work without additional movements.

Someone expands the wall using metal scissors. Everything seems to fit, but you won’t achieve perfectly even contact this way.

The reliability of the connection will ultimately suffer from this. With frequent temperature changes, it is quite possible for a leak to appear in this place in the future.

Then hand-tighten the end of the tube to the connecting fitting.

In order not to tear off the fitting on the manifold, final tightening should be done using two wrenches. Use one to fix the hexagon on the fitting, and use the other to tighten the threaded connection.

When installing elastic pipes, it is better to enclose the collector line near the floor in a rotation lock.

At the entrance to the screed, the pipes must be covered with a protective casing made of corrugated pipe or thermal insulation. The recommended length is at least 0.5 m.

25cm will go out, and the other 25cm will be located in the screed itself.

Mistake No. 2 - if you do not put on a protective casing, the tube will be damaged by the sharp edges of the screed as it expands in temperature.

The heating circuits should be laid in increments of 100mm.

Installation of the circuit ends by connecting the other end of the pipe to the corresponding fitting of the return comb.

In the area where pipes are connected to the manifold, where the distance between the pipes is minimal or they run close to each other, they also need to be placed in thermal insulation or corrugation.

This will prevent overheating of the screed and will reduce the surface temperature near the collector itself. In exactly the same way, connect all the other circuits one by one.

Mistake #3: Don’t confuse supply with return. It is not always where the flow meters are located that the supply hoses are connected, and the return hoses are connected to another comb.

It all depends on the type of rotameter. Therefore, check the documentation. In one case, the rod must be deflected downward by the flow of water, so the supply is introduced through it.

And in the other, on the contrary, raise the rod up.

You can distinguish them by the scale. For those that serve, zero will be at the very top, and the scale will correspondingly increase towards the bottom.

Those on the return line have a zero at the bottom, and the numbers increase upward.

Filling with water and pressure testing for leaks

Once connected, it's time to fill the system with water.

This should be done not through the heating boiler, but directly through the drain and fill taps. They are located on the rear plug of the distribution manifold.

Mistake #4 - if you pump water through the boiler, there is a risk of failure of the circulation pump.

In this case, be sure to shut off the ball valves with the supply from the boiler.

Next, using a special key, close all circuits except one. This is where you will begin filling the system with water.

Also close all valves on the rotameters, except one.

Now you can connect the water hose to the drain valve on the supply comb.

A hose for draining water is connected to the return comb. After which you can slowly let the water in.

Lower the drain hose from the return comb into the sewer or simply into a bucket and wait until all the air has drained.

As soon as one water flows, the valve of this circuit can be closed and proceed to the next one. The whole procedure is repeated again.

After filling all the circuits, you can begin supplying water to the distribution system through the heating unit or the boiler itself.

Only after this do you open the ball valves on the manifold and finally release the remaining air through the air vents.

Before pouring the screed, the underfloor heating pipelines themselves should be checked for leaks.

Tests are carried out in cold water. In this case, the test pressure must exceed the working pressure by 1.5 times.

As a rule, hydraulic tests take place within 3 hours. During the first hour, every 10 minutes the decreasing pressure is adjusted to the required level.

And over the next 2 hours, a control measurement is taken.

The pressure in a working and serviceable system should not drop from the original by more than 2 bar.

Mistake #5 - trust only pressure readings, without visually and physically (by hand) checking the joints.

You definitely need to make sure that not only the tubes are tight, but also all joints and connections. The fact is that a slight undermining is not determined by a drop in pressure.

As a result, satisfied with all the readings, you will finally fill the screed and install the entire system. And after a while, these wet places will show themselves in all their glory.

As an exception, if your site has a negative temperature, pneumatic tests with compressed air or inert gas are allowed for floor-mounted systems.

The tightness of each connection is checked with a foaming compound.

Hydraulic tests are usually documented in a protocol.

Balancing contours and filling screed

Next, hydraulic balancing of the individual underfloor heating circuits occurs. To do this, you need to use a special adjustment key to set the value specified by the designer on the fine adjustment valves.

If you do not have such valves, then set the calculated coolant flow for each heating circuit. This is done with flow meters.

They set the flow in order to align all the contours with each other. After all, each can be any length, and your coolant must flow evenly along all circuits, and not just along the shortest one.

After pressure testing and checking for leaks, the pipes are filled with screed. In this case, the system must be filled with cold water and be under pressure.

Mistake #6 - pouring screed with empty pipes.

When the screed gains strength, thermal tests are carried out. This takes a period of time equal to 7 days.

In this case, during the first three days, the heating system is flushed with water at a temperature of 20 degrees. Over the next 4 days, the maximum operating temperature is set and the heating of all circuits is checked.

Thermal testing is also documented in a protocol.

Automatic temperature control of heated floors

If heated floors are branched and heat a large number of rooms, then it is advisable to equip them with automatic control.

This will save you from constantly tightening the control valves on the manifold.

Installation of an automatic control system begins with the installation of a terminal block in the distribution cabinet on a DIN rail.

It is mounted directly above the distribution manifold.

First, supply mains voltage to this block.

Then servos are installed on the return comb of the distribution manifold.

Purpose and types

Manifold for underfloor heating with mixing unit and circulation pump

To ensure that all circuits receive water at the same temperature, it is supplied to a heated floor comb - a device with one input and a number of outputs. Such a comb collects cooled water from the circuits, from where it enters the boiler inlet (and partially goes to the mixing unit). This device - supply and return combs - is also called a manifold for underfloor heating. It can come with a mixing unit, or it can come with just combs without any additional “load”.

The manifold for heated floors is made of three materials:

Of stainless steel. The most durable and expensive.
Brass. Average price category. When using high-quality alloy, they last a very long time.
Polypropylene. The cheapest. For working with low temperatures (as in this case), polypropylene is a good budget solution.

Manifold for underfloor heating with 6 circuits

Equipment

When installing a water heated floor, it is recommended to make all contours the same length. This is necessary so that the heat transfer from each loop is the same. It’s just a shame that this ideal option doesn’t come around very often. Much more often there are differences in length, and significant ones.

Flow meters (right) and servos/servos (left)

Mixing unit structure

Diagram of a three-way valve

A three-way valve is a device that mixes two streams of water. In this case, it is heated supply water and colder water from the return pipeline.

Operating principle of three-way valve

A movable control sector is installed inside this valve, which regulates the intensity of the flow of colder water. This sector can be controlled by a thermostat, manual or electronic thermostat.

Diagram of a mixing group for a warm water floor on a three-way valve

It all works like this:

Hot water comes from the boiler. At first, it is passed through the valve without mixing.
The temperature sensor transmits information to the valve that the water is hot (temperature above the set one). The three-way valve opens the addition of water from the return.
In this state, the system operates until the water temperature reaches the specified parameters.
The three-way valve shuts off the cold water supply.
In this state, the system operates until the water becomes too hot. Then the mixture opens again.

Diagram of a two-way valve

Diagram of a mixing unit based on a two-way valve

Selecting valve parameters

valves with a flow rate of up to 2 m 3 / hour can provide the required approximately 50-100 sq.m. warm floor (100 square meters - at a stretch with good insulation).
if the productivity (sometimes designated as KVS) is from 2 m 3 / hour to 4 m 3 / hour, it is fashionable to install them on systems in which the heated floor area is no more than 200 square meters;
for areas of more than 200 m2, a productivity of more than 4 m 3 / hour is required, but more often they make two mixing units - this is easier.

The materials from which the valves are made are two-way and three-way - brass and stainless steel. When choosing these elements, you should take only branded and proven ones - the operation of the entire heated floor depends on their work. There are three clear leaders in quality: Oventrop, Esby, Danfos.

Manifold for heated floors: types, connection diagrams

What is a manifold for a heated floor, what does it look like? What types of combs are there for warm water floors, how do they work?

Manifold for water heated floor (heating comb)

Now let's look at the switchgear - manifold for water heated floor or, in other words, a heating comb.

Purpose of the distribution manifold

The distribution manifold is designed to control and distribute coolant in heating systems.

A collector is simply a pipe that has outlets for connecting other pipelines, depending on what kind of heating system is being installed:

The collectors have external or internal threads on both sides. Collectors come in different numbers of circuits: from two or more.

Coolant is supplied to the supply manifold (usually on top), which is then distributed along the loops of the heated floor. Then the coolant from the underfloor heating loops is collected in a return manifold, from which it is sent to the boiler, where it is heated again and again enters the supply manifold, etc.

The configuration of collectors varies, and the price depends on the configuration. Various equipment is attached to the collectors, which are discussed below.

For mounting in collector cabinets, the collectors have special fastenings.

Four main types of collectors

Now let's look at different collectors.

This is the simplest option - a regular pipe with internal and external threads for connecting the corresponding pipes. Such a collector can be purchased for a water supply system, but for a heated floor you will have to buy a lot more.

2. Chinese manifolds have outlets with valves for adjustment and outlets for connecting circuit pipes (i.e., valves are located directly at the outlets):

They can often be found in stores. Basically, these are Chinese-made manifolds. In general, they are quite functional, the only problem is that in the ball valves, water begins to flow from under the handle. This is not due to the poor quality of the tap, but rather to the poor quality of the water. The repair is very simple and cheap - replacing the O-rings.

On such models, no extensions are supposed to be installed to automatically regulate the temperature. In addition, the center-to-center distance between the supply and return manifolds does not coincide with European standards, and you subsequently will not be able to connect the mixing module (in the sense, European) without all sorts of tricks using all kinds of adapters. Such a collector is suitable for small houses where the contours of the heated floor are the same length, and where no automation is supposed to be installed.

There are no ball valves here, but there are control valves, as well as fittings for metal-plastic pipes. Servo drives can be installed on the valves, which will operate from room thermostats, opening and closing the valves, thereby regulating the amount of coolant in the circuits. Fittings are also called Eurocones and consist of three parts, shown in the close-up photo below:

On the right is the Eurocone itself, in the middle is a crimp ring with a cut, on the left is a union nut. As you can clearly see in the photo, the Eurocone also has sealing rings (the black ones). We will figure out what to do with all this in the article about installing the collector.

4. It is not always possible to make the contours the same length; the difference can be significant. Adjusting manually will be problematic. Then it is better to buy manifolds that have flow meters on the supply side (circled in an orange frame), and on the return side there are sockets for servo drives (“fungi” with blue caps):

Using the flow meter, you will adjust each circuit according to the coolant flow; regardless of the length of the circuits, the flow will be the same.

In general, you can combine it: buy the supply one with flow meters, and the return one - with just valves for manual adjustment, without any servos.

Sometimes the return manifold is mounted at the top, and the supply manifold at the bottom - this is NOT correct! That is, the system, of course, will work, but with the supply manifold located under the return, part of the heat from the supply will heat the return.

Overview of different collector models

So, more examples of collectors.

Manifold with mixing unit:

The collectors themselves are made of stainless steel. 1 inch inlet pipes; the outgoing ones (for connecting loops of a warm water floor) are half-inch.

Balancing valves are built into the return manifold, and micrometric valves with actuators are built into the supply manifold.

There is also an air vent. Fill-drain valves. Thermometers that can be used to monitor the temperature difference at the inlet and outlet and, accordingly, judge the effectiveness of a warm water floor. Two-way balancing valve. Well, I think the circulation pump cannot be confused with anything. The circulation pump is installed only in mixing units.

Another type of collector:

In addition to what was discussed with the previous manifold, this one also has a thermostat, which for some reason is separate in the photo (a white “thing” at the top left that looks like a valve from a faucet or mixer), but it is attached to its corresponding place.

And this one is installed in the underfloor heating system in the apartment, about which there is a separate article in the section on installation of water heated floors:

Not everyone has the opportunity to buy a ready-made manifold, but this is not a big deal, because you can make it yourself by soldering pieces of polypropylene pipe and polypropylene couplings:

The manifold, which is at the top, with the Mayevsky tap (on the left, with the blue pimp). In design and operation, they are no different from metal ones, only in material. Since their outlets are also polypropylene, the pipes - polypropylene - are either soldered to them, or couplings with union nuts are soldered, and then we attach what we need to these couplings.

The photo below shows a manifold made in Denmark with a 1-inch (25 mm) thread, and the outlets can be either half-inch or three-quarter:

The quality of such collectors is good and they should be installed when the system is long and has a large number of loops in order to reduce hydraulic resistance.

In fact, regardless of the model or configuration, all collectors work on the same principle, and collectors for water heated floors are no different from collectors used in radiator heating systems.

Here it is only worth adding that the diameters for connecting the heated floor pipes to the collectors can be different: 16, 18 and 20 mm. But in private construction it is not advisable to use a diameter larger than 16 mm.

What is included in the collector?

From the picture it is easy to understand what is included in the collector, since all the elements are easily recognizable:

1, 2 – collectors; 3 – adapter for connecting an air vent; 4 – drain valve; 5 – automatic air vent; 6 – shut-off valve; 7 – bracket for fastening the collector; 8 – eurocone

This is what the assembled manifold with connected pipes looks like (as an option):

Well, all this “equipment” can be placed in a manifold cabinet:

Since these cabinets are indecently expensive, you can use a niche in the wall. Together with the manifold, the cabinet looks like this:

Servo

Let's talk a little about servos - since they are installed on collectors.

What are servos used for?

This is an automatic control element. It is attached to each valve and upon command from the thermostat:

– opens or closes each loop.

If there are several circuits of a heated floor pipe in one room, then one thermostat here will control several circuits (i.e., one thermostat is placed per room - if it is necessary to regulate the temperature).

Servo drives are installed on the return manifold of the heated floor (unlike radiator heating, where servos need to be installed on the supply manifold - of course, when using it).

More details about servos, including how to choose them, are described in the article about auxiliary equipment for heated floors.

Balancing flow meter

And a few words about balancing flow meters. This device looks like this:

The flow meter has a rod with a flange (in the photo there is a red thing at the bottom that looks like a mushroom), which regulates the nominal bore in the pipe. At the top there is a window with a graduation, according to which we monitor the coolant flow. The flow rate is regulated by an adjusting ring (black ring under the white cap).

It is screwed into the manifold using a thread on each loop:

The device makes it possible to regulate the uniform flow of coolant through each loop of the heated floor. A very convenient thing when there are many loops of different lengths, this difference is significant. The fact is that in short loops the hydraulic resistance is less, and the coolant will tend to pass through the short loops (it’s just like with people: the smart one won’t go uphill :)). To ensure that the loops heat up evenly, flow meters are installed to cover the entrance to the short loops, and vice versa, the entrance to the long loop is made wider. There are manifolds with manual adjustment, where we manually regulate the coolant flow in each loop using valves. Flow meters save us from this work.

How to choose a manifold for underfloor heating based on design and manufacturer?

Of course, a collector is most often selected based on financial capabilities. However, there is a parameter that must be observed, no matter what: this is the number of outputs on the collector. It depends, of course, on the number of pipe loops that need to be connected to the collector. How to calculate the number of connected loops and the length of the pipe will be discussed further in the articles about calculating a warm water floor. But I’ll say a little here.

It is not always possible to calculate the number of loops with absolute accuracy. Firstly, due to the differences in area between rooms: in some rooms it may be necessary to make two loops... The approximate calculation is as follows: multiply the area of the room by 6.5 m/p. pipes per 1 m2. We compare the obtained value with the possible lengths of the pipe in the coil; It may be more expedient to make two loops so that there is not a lot of extra pipe left from the bay.

It’s better to take one more collector circuit and plug the extra one than to add it later.

(if you don’t yet understand what we’re talking about, just read on, I’ll bring you back to the right place)

How to choose a manifold for a heated floor? As a rule, we are talking about choosing between a manifold with manual adjustment and a manifold with automatic adjustment.

There are two ways: 1) choose equipment with completely manual adjustment; 2) equipment with various “bells and whistles” that make life easier for the homeowner - devices for automatically regulating the operation of a heated floor.

In the first option, adjustment is performed by opening or closing the valves at the collector outlets manually. If this is only a heated floor system (in the sense, not combined with radiators) and all circuits are the same length, then such a collector is sufficient.

In other cases, it is better to buy a manifold with flow sensors and the ability to install servos.

Now about collector manufacturers. Russian collectors are made of stainless steel and have all the bells and whistles (flow sensors, flow meters, sockets for servo drives). The same can be said about European ones, although they are made of ferrous metal, but they also have automation. Chinese manifolds are so far only with manual adjustment (feel free to install them together with a pump and a three-way valve if you don’t need or can’t afford the bells and whistles).

If we talk about specific manufacturers, then Rehau collectors are very good, everything is thought out in them for the convenience of connecting pipes, for example, the collectors themselves are offset so that the supply and return do not overlap each other:

It is, of course, up to you to decide which collector to choose for the water-heated floor in your home. You just need to understand that when choosing from the cheapest ones, you may still have to buy some necessary devices.

Manifold for water heated floors: all about the manifold for heated floors

Manifold for water heated floors: purpose of the manifold, overview of different models of manifolds. What are the four types of collectors? What other devices are needed for a water heated floor collector?

Water floor collector (comb)

A water underfloor heating system most often contains not one heating circuit, but several. It is necessary to supply the heated coolant and collect the cooled one from each of them. This is what the underfloor heating manifold does. It consists of two combs - supply and return and distributes the coolant over the connected circuits. Therefore, this device has two more names: “warm floor comb” and “heat-insulated floor distribution unit”.

Through the supply part of the collector, the coolant is distributed along the circuits, through the return part, the cooled coolant is collected into a single flow and sent to the boiler or to the riser if you have a heated floor connected to central heating.

Functions: basic and additional

Distributing coolant along the circuits is the main task of a heated floor collector, but it can perform a lot of additional functions. For example, most often there are two shut-off valves in the manifold: on the supply and on the “return”. Through them, the system is filled with coolant, tested (pressured) and drained. The manifolds are also equipped with bleed valves through which air leaves the system. These are shared devices.

Manifold options

There is also an additional feature on the collectors. devices that are installed on each circuit or loop of a heated floor. Flow meters are the most commonly used. They are installed on the supply comb and serve to equalize the hydraulic resistance of underfloor heating loops of different lengths. All instructions recommend making floor heating circuits of the same length. In practice this is often unrealistic. But if circuits of different lengths are connected directly to the distribution, then most of the flow will go through the shortest one, because it has the smallest hydraulic resistance. To prevent this from happening, flow meters are installed. With their help, they regulate the flows in each loop of the heated floor, narrowing/expanding the gap for the passage of coolant.

This is what flow meters look like. When the system starts, they are filled with air, then coolant may appear in them. This is normal, it does not interfere with work

On the return manifold, at the outlet of each circuit, there are shut-off valves. With their help you can turn off one or more heating circuits. And thus regulate the temperature of the floor and/or air in the room. You can also do this with a flow meter, reducing the flow of coolant if it becomes too hot, increasing if it is frozen.

Automatic temperature control device

Of course, you can regulate the heat transfer by hand, but you can leave this matter to automation. Then, instead of manual flow valves, servomotors are installed on the return manifold, and a regular or programmable thermostat (thermostat) is placed in the room.

Thermostats can control the air temperature in the room, or the temperature of the heated floor. The temperature of the heated floor is controlled by a remote sensor, which is connected to the thermostat. The sensor must be installed before pouring the screed.

Thermostat and servo drive for water heating. One of many options

To install a sensor that controls the floor temperature, a groove is punched in the wall from the thermostat downwards. A corrugated hose is placed in it, which should extend to the floor and end at a distance of at least 50 cm from the wall. Moreover, the end of the corrugated hose should be located between the pipes, and not closer to one of them - this way its readings will be more accurate. When laying the corrugation, try to make as few turns as possible, and all of them are smooth.

The end of the corrugation that ends up in the screed must be sealed so that the solution does not get into it when pouring the screed. You can wrap it well with electrical tape or make a foam plug. This whole procedure is necessary so that the floor temperature sensor can be removed and changed if necessary.

This is what a connection diagram with a two-way valve, control from a thermostat and servos may look like

Let's put the sensor in place. To do this, from the end of the corrugated hose that is located near the thermostat, simply lower the sensor (it is attached to a long wire) until it stops. If the wire is too soft and the sensor will not pass the turn, try using thick garden fishing line as a broach. This usually helps.

When using sensors, a constant temperature will be maintained automatically. The control mechanism in this case is simple. You set the desired temperature on the thermostat. When the actual air temperature deviates from the set one by 1 o C, the corresponding servomotor is given a command to turn on/off the coolant supply.

Manifold and mixing unit

In some assembly options, the collector can simultaneously reduce the supply temperature of the coolant. This assembly option simultaneously reduces the temperature in the heated floor system to an acceptable level (not higher than 50 o C) and then distributes it to the circuits. That is, in this case it also performs the functions of a mixing unit.

Sometimes such a unit is a pumping and mixing unit. In such an assembly, the manifold is a distribution comb, a mixing unit, and a pump.

The underfloor heating manifold distributes the hot coolant from the supply comb, and collects the cooled coolant on the return comb.

But these are just variants of assemblies and more often this assembly is called a collector assembly. In its pure form, the collector serves to distribute coolant, that is, it is a comb for a heated floor.

It is worth installing the collector in its pure form if you assemble the mixing group and pump yourself. It will cost less, and the quality is unlikely to be inferior to the factory one. But it’s worth thinking about the collector. In principle, you can assemble a heated floor comb yourself. But in this option the number of seams and joints sharply increases. In the factory manifold, the inlet/outlet ports are made in a one-piece housing. Homemade manifolds are a set of tees or crosses that are connected to each other. Yes, they are located in a place accessible for repair, they can be reeled in and the gaskets can be changed. But each such repair means stopping and often draining the system, refilling it and testing it (if everything is done according to the rules). And practice shows that it is in homemade combs that leaks appear. This happens especially often when using antifreeze. And since in most cases antifreeze is filled with ethylene glycol, leaks and working with them are a real threat to health, and often life (ethylene glycol is a strong poison). Therefore, it is better to buy a collector.

Assembly of the collector unit in the case of a combined system: radiators + heated floor

Manifold selection

When choosing a collector, first of all, you need to decide what functions it will perform. Calculate how many loops you will need to connect (how many inputs to use the device). Then you choose the material from which it is made.

The choice of material is not very difficult:

Stainless steel is an ideal option, but expensive. Brass is more fragile, although cheaper. Plastic, if it is of good quality from a good manufacturer, is preferable to brass.

Water floor collectors can be made of brass, stainless steel or plastic

The last stage is choosing a manufacturer. And again, you need to choose the best. Naturally, European manufacturers make better quality ones, but their prices are considerable. A decent collector can cost $1000 or more. But a Chinese product is a big risk. It can work great, but it can break after a couple of months.

Manifold cabinet

For those whose heating equipment is located in a separate room, this element may not be needed. But for everyone else, it’s advisable to hide all the elements - a bunch of pipes, a pump, a manifold - somewhere. For this, there are special manifold cabinets (also called distribution cabinets) - metal products with a door, which often already have mounting hardware.

Manifold cabinet. An optional detail, but very convenient to hide all devices in it

Manifold cabinets can be external (SHR) and built-in (SHRV). Side panels are often perforated, making it easy to make holes where needed. Many models have adjustable legs that allow you to change their height. Built-in manifold cabinets can also change in depth due to a movable frame. To determine the size of the manifold cabinet, you need to know the mounting dimensions of all the equipment that you will need to place there. Also decide on the direction in which the door will open. There are models with a removable door, some people will like them.

The cabinets are attached to the floor through the legs, or to the wall through the back wall (there are special holes). Built-in modifications also have spacer fasteners that can be used to secure the box in a niche.

This is what it might look like with a collector

If we talk about the material from which the cabinets are made, it is galvanized, powder-coated. In general, the equipment looks decent, and even in a living room it won’t ruin the view. When purchasing, naturally, pay attention to the uniformity of paint application and the thickness of the metal. Although the mechanical loads are small, the walls should not be too thin. This is especially true for external manifold cabinets.

And this is how you can embed it

The water floor collector is an important unit. It serves to distribute coolant along the contours of the heated floor. It can be equipped with devices that balance the system, as well as means of regulation and control.

Manifold for heated floors: purpose, functions, choice

A water heated floor rarely consists of a single circuit. Usually there are several of them. And coolant must be supplied to everything, and coolant must be removed from all of them. This is what the underfloor heating collector does, which is also called a comb or distribution unit.

Water heating structures differ in many ways from similar electric heated floors. In general, the main difference lies in the nature of the coolant, which is heated by central heating or an electrical appliance.

In this design, the main role is played by the manifold, which is designed to ensure high-quality and efficient operation of all equipment.

That is why, below we will consider what this device is and how to install a manifold for a heated floor with your own hands.

Why do you need a collector installation?

The main function of the collector is to mix the coolant and distribute it throughout all heating circuits.

The principle of operation is that heated liquid (often water) enters the structure, where it is mixed with cooled liquid and redistributed for circulation in the floor heating system. The mixing level of cold and hot water can be adjusted and changed using special valves.

The use of the collector has a number of advantages, including:

safety of system operation;
long service life of the structure;
economical energy consumption.

Heated floor collector device

How to mount and install a comb for a heated floor with your own hands?

For heated floors, you can use either a factory-made comb or make it yourself. Often, the finished version is made of metal (for example, brass, bronze). As for the self-made structure, it can be mounted from plastic and iron.

It’s not difficult to make a comb yourself; the main thing is to correctly calculate all the necessary parameters and characteristics for a specific underfloor heating system.

To do this you will need the following tools:

All this will be enough to make a plastic comb. Additionally, you can get plumbing crabs, but this is not necessary.

By soldering individual elements of the comb, a complete version of the design is formed. At the beginning of manufacturing, it is necessary to connect the tees using small sections of pipes.

Advice: When soldering, leave a small distance between the tees. In the future, this will allow you to add another contour to the structure.

After connecting the tees, you need to combine them with couplings in order to then connect the plastic pipes.

The finished device must consist of two main elements, namely: return and supply. The latter should be higher when connecting a heated floor.

Factory comb option

Installation of a heated floor comb

The comb is installed on the wall of the room and the ends of the heated floor pipelines are connected to it in series.

Each of the connecting plastic pipes must be laid in the appropriate room or distributed in a certain way across different rooms.

The comb should be placed close to the base of the floor surface, this is necessary in order to maintain the ideal temperature for heating the floors.

In addition, valves for subsequent filling and emptying and appropriate end and vent plugs should be connected to the equipment. But this is only necessary if you installed the comb yourself. The factory version often includes all the necessary elements.

Installing a heated floor comb

Installation and connection diagram for a heated floor collector

After all the main components have been assembled and the distribution combs have been installed, you can begin the process of installing the underfloor heating manifold.

Placing a manifold cabinet in a wall niche

If this is your first time working with such equipment, then in order to avoid problems and interruptions in the operation of the system, we advise you to seek help from professionals. But if you have certain skills, then these recommendations will certainly help you.

Advice: Before installing the collector, it is necessary to select and carefully prepare the optimal location for it. This largely depends on the dimensions of the device, which differ depending on the manufacturer.

It is convenient to place the manifold cabinet in a recess in the wall, and it is better if the installation is located in close proximity to the contours of the heated floor.

To install and connect the collector, you must complete the following steps:

Mount the manifold cabinet in the niche chosen for it in the wall surface.
All parts of the combs are fixed using metal strips, clamps and other structural elements are tightened. After all connections, the device must be securely mounted on the wall.
Next, pipes are supplied from the boiler and into the boiler using appropriate tees.
All metal-plastic pipes are being installed.
Testing equipment at low power. If the equipment works without failures, then it is necessary to check it at a higher power (about 65% of its maximum value).

Step-by-step instructions for installing a heated floor collector

What is a heated floor collector? How to mount and install a manifold for a heated floor with your own hands? The answers are in the article.

Installation of a heated floor collector with auxiliary devices it is more correct to do it first, and attach a metal-plastic pipe to it, roll it out and return to the collector.

The price for assembling and installing a heated floor distribution manifold varies from 3,000 to 8,000 rubles depending on the components, so by doing this work yourself, you will save that much.

What should you remember before installing the collector?

Let me remind you: no more than nine circuits can be connected to one collector, so if there are many circuits, then you need to make two (or more) collectors.

Let me also remind you: it is advisable to place the collector for a warm floor as much as possible in the middle of the house, so that all contours are as much as possible the same length. This is necessary both for uniform heating and for uniform hydraulic resistance in the pipes. If the loop lengths are approximately the same, you can even do without flow sensors.

If the house has several floors, then the ideal option is to place the collector somewhere under the stairs, where no one will walk, but there is good access to the collector.

And also: it is advisable to place the collector at the highest point of the system - to remove air from the pipes (then simply install an automatic air vent on the collector itself and there will be no problem with airing).

Well, it doesn’t matter how you position the supply and return manifolds relative to each other: the supply is on top, and the return is on the bottom, or vice versa - the system will still work. Although, in fact, it is still recommended to place the supply manifold on top - so that the heat from it does not heat the return manifold.

Well, now actually.

Is it possible to install the collector below the heated floor level?

Sometimes the collector has to be installed not on the floor where the heated floor itself is, but on the floor below, for example, the boiler room is on the first floor, and the heated floor is on the second. Perhaps you just don’t want the manifold cabinet to “loom” on the living floor, and therefore would like to place it somewhere in the basement.

Actually, there is no crime in this. We carry out installation in the same sequence as for any other situation. The only problem is that the air from the system will not be automatically bled if the air vent is installed on the manifold. Conclusion: we install the air vent on the pipe section between the collector and the rolled loops for each (!) room and always on the return line.

There must be access to the air vent, and in front of it we place a traditional ball valve with a shut-off valve.

Once again: air vents are installed on each hinge. That is, as many circuits as there are air vents. Draw your own conclusions: is it worth installing the collector below the heated floor level?

Installation of a heated floor collector

1. Installation of a collector cabinet (if one is planned). The installation height of the cabinet must be oriented relative to the surface of the future finished floor. If the collector does not have a cabinet, then mount it at a height of no less than 1000 mm from the base; after installing all the layers of the heated floor “pie,” the height from the clean floor will be normal.

2. Collector assembly. This is if you assemble the collector yourself, rather than buying a ready-made one. You still need to buy collectors for the required number of circuits. The photo below shows a manifold with five outlets and fittings for installing a metal-plastic pipe:

This is the most budget option installation of a manifold for heated floors, with manual adjustment.

On one side, the collectors have an external three-quarter thread, on the other, the internal thread is also three-quarter threaded.

When connecting the manifold to a polypropylene pipe coming from the boiler, we use a detachable connection. This connection consists of a nut, a bushing, a rubber seal and a union nut. The detachable connection is screwed with one nut onto the external thread of the manifold (in the photo above - on the left). And on the other side, a polypropylene coupling is screwed on, which has a thread on one side and a polypropylene section on the other for fastening to the main pipe.

Well, we attach to the collectors all the other devices that are needed: adapters, an air vent, a drain tap, valves... And also brackets for attaching the collectors to the wall.

On the return manifold we install a regular ball valve (on one thread of the manifold, the second thread for connecting to the return line going to the boiler) - for filling and draining the heating system (in the photo 1 valve is installed on the lower - return - manifold, on the right).

We remember about winding the thread - where it is impossible to do without it (how do you know if you can do without winding? - It’s very simple: there is a rubber sealing ring - winding is not needed, there is no such ring - we wind it).

After assembly, the collectors need to be placed in a cabinet, for which there are guides in the cabinet that move horizontally to the required distance from each other:

The distance between the guides depends on the length of the collector. The guides have bolts and nuts with which the collectors are secured.

If the manifold is not in a closet, then it can be mounted at any height convenient for connecting pipes later (meaning, you don’t need to make it too low, otherwise it will be inconvenient to connect the loop pipes).

Under the plastic dowel, we drill a hole slightly deeper than the length of the dowel - so that the drilling dust remaining in the hole does not prevent the dowel from being driven in completely.

Installation of a metal-plastic pipe to the collector

Before attaching a metal-plastic pipe, you need to flare the attached end of the pipe and clean its internal diameter from burrs, otherwise the rubber O-rings may be damaged.

Next, we put the union nut on the pipe itself. Then - a crimp washer, which has a cut and there are notches inside. When I start to tighten the nut, the washer contracts and, due to the notches, tightly squeezes the pipe. Next: we put the pipe in place, making sure not to damage the o-rings, and manually tighten the union nut (then tighten it with a wrench) (read about all this in more detail and with pictures in the article about installing a metal-plastic pipe).

Other manifold mounted equipment

You also need to install an automatic air vent on the manifold (1):

Photo 2: 1 – automatic air vent, 2 – thermostatic head, 3 – flow meter

For this, you will most likely need adapters and angles (bronze or stainless steel - according to your capabilities and based on the material of the collector itself: if the collector is copper, then it is better to take adapters from copper alloys; for a stainless steel collector, accordingly, it is more acceptable to use all adapters also from stainless steel) to connect the threads on the manifold with the threads on the air vent, since the thread on the manifold is 3/4 inch, and on the air vent it is half-inch.

When connecting threaded parts, we use winding (fum tape, tow with paint or sealant).

Important! When assembling the manifold assembly, we monitor the location of the outlets: the pipe outlets look down, the air vent looks up (should be at the top point of the assembly).

In addition to the parts listed above (air vent, ball valve, adapters, angles, couplings...), photo 1 shows the bypass section between the supply and return pipes. A ball valve is also installed in this area; Since the bypass is assembled in the example given from a polypropylene pipe, a ball valve must be purchased for such a pipe. The purpose of the bypass was discussed in one of the previous articles; let me only remind you that it is needed to regulate the temperature of the coolant. But it’s better to assemble and install a mixing unit instead of this tap, which will regulate the temperature automatically, as read below.

Servo drives or thermostatic heads that regulate the flow of coolant are placed on the return manifold (see photo 2 (2); in contrast to radiator heating, in which the thermal head is in supply to the radiator). This is done in order to slow down the exit of the hot coolant from the circuit, thus receiving more heat from it (from the coolant).

Assembling a mixing unit with a manifold

The collector unit may include more: a circulation pump, a two- or three-way valve, a temperature sensor (see additionally Warm water floor mixing unit), as in photos 3 and 4:

On the left is a mixing module (mixing unit) with a pump and three-way valve; there is also a thermometer and thermostat (white “box” above the pump). Ball valves are placed between the mixing module and the collectors in order not only to disconnect one from the other if necessary, but also for the convenience of passing the coolant and removing air when filling the heated floor for the first time.

The manifold itself has flow meters installed on the supply and there are sockets for servo drives on the return. The length of the pipes in the loops is different. Using flow regulators, you can adjust the coolant flow.

All elements of the mixing unit have union nuts, which greatly simplifies their connection to each other. There are many different configurations of mixing units (the principle of operation is the same for all), and each one comes with assembly instructions. However, a little about the connection of the mixing unit and the collector using a specific example.

So, we bought manifolds and a mixing unit. You will need wrenches, screwdrivers and a winder with paste. Let's say we have a manifold with sockets for servos and flow meters:

Here the supply manifold is below (there are flow meters on it), and the return manifold is on top, we take this into account.

The next task is to connect the manifold to the mixing unit. In our example, it consists of a pump, a three-way valve, a bypass, a clip-on relay and connecting pipes:

The kit should also include gaskets and a thermometer (temperature sensor). In the form shown in the photo above, the mixing unit should be connected to the collectors on the left. If you need it on the right, then simply loosen the pump union nuts and turn the pump 180 degrees.

You need to install taps between the collector and the mixing unit (circled in green in the photo), and between the mixing unit and the main pipeline coming from the boiler:

Cranes are not included with these devices; you need to buy them separately. We screw on the Mayevsky and drain taps (circled in orange in the photo). The result should look like the photo above.

First, we assemble without winding, make sure that everything fits together well, and only then we assemble again with winding. We also remember that when connecting with union nuts, you need to add rubber gaskets.

How to properly connect a three-way valve and a circulation pump?

Let's say you decide not to buy a ready-made mixing unit, but to buy a separate pump, a three-way valve and assemble everything yourself. I really respect your decision. Just let's figure out how - in what sequence relative to each other - these devices should be installed. The fact is that there is a lot of controversy regarding the location of the three-way valve: some insist on installing it on the return side, others on the supply side, and also whether to place it before or after the pump? So let's figure it out. So.

The main task of a three-way valve is to mix hot and cold coolants, obtaining something in between at the output.

The three-way valve can be manually adjusted or automatically adjusted - using a servo drive controlled by a room thermostat. And there are those that cannot be constantly adjusted by twisting the handle: their handwheel is fixed with a screw, i.e. they set a certain temperature, fixed the flywheel with a screw and that’s it. The disadvantage of such valves is poor performance and it makes sense to install them on a heated floor with an area of up to 60 m2 (read additionally: how to choose a three-way valve for a mixing unit)

So where should you put the pump: behind the valve or in front?

Answer: if coolants need to be mixed, then the pump is placed directly behind the three-way valve. In this case, the pump will draw coolant through the valve.

A three-way valve is used to separate coolant flows of the same temperature at the inlet and outlet. Then we place the pump in front of the valve. But this does not apply to the mixing unit for heated floors.

That’s all about assembling the mixing unit; I think there’s no need to tell you how to twist threaded parts together.

You now have enough information to complete installation of a heated floor collector together with the mixing unit. For information on how to connect a heated floor pipe to the manifold, read the following article.

Installation of a heated floor collector: installation sequence, instructions

Do-it-yourself installation of a heated floor collector. Installation of metal-plastic pipes and other equipment to the collector. How to assemble a mixing unit with a manifold?

Installing a manifold for a heated floor with your own hands

Independent design and installation of heated floors is a responsible undertaking that requires a competent approach. It is very important for all those who have decided to independently install a manifold for a heated floor with their own hands to take into account absolutely every nuance and trifle that is insignificant at first glance, otherwise in the future the efficiency and performance of the entire heating system will be a big question.

In addition to the fact that the owners of the premises need to take care in advance about choosing the material of the pipes and drawing up a diagram of their location, it is very important to ensure that the coolant is evenly distributed throughout the entire system. It is for these purposes that a collector is installed, the main purpose of which is to preserve and maintain a given heat balance in the system.

So what is a collector?

Considering the fact that for the normal functioning of the entire water heated floor system, it is necessary to provide in advance for the presence of several entry points for the coolant, it is recommended to initially plan how exactly it will be distributed throughout the system.

As a rule, the collector assembly includes two combs, through one of them the liquid is supplied from the heating system to the pipes installed for the heated floor, and the other is designed to combine the return flows of the cooled coolant.

The most popular collector schemes

The underfloor heating manifold is one of the key components of the room heating system. In technical terms, it is a separate group of pipes assembled according to a certain pattern, allowing the combination of several water flows into one.

In practice, three pipe connection options are most often used:

Parallel circuit of mixing branches;
Sequential circuit;
Combined connection type.

How to choose the most optimal one? When using a parallel circuit for connecting coolant branches, a portion of the thermal energy is often lost. Its use is due to the fact that it allows the installation of a two-way valve, adding a convenient control element to the circuit.

The second option has the highest performance compared to all other schemes.

When using a sequential circuit in a home heating system, the consumer has the opportunity to obtain the maximum amount of thermal energy.

In turn, installing a combined connection diagram for a heated floor collector allows you not only to quickly install the entire system, but also to do it yourself, without resorting to the help of specialists.

What determines the choice of collector?

The choice of the most suitable model of equipment of this type depends on the heating floor installation scheme used and the location of the collector. It is important to remember that the design of the collector includes coolants characterized by different levels of heating, which makes this equipment an extremely vulnerable element of a water heated floor. For its efficient and completely safe operation, it is recommended to use components made of high-quality material with the highest strength characteristics.

Most often, the faucet itself is made of brass, however, recently you can find models made of stainless steel on the market. The final cost of the product will depend on its completeness. If desired, the owner of the premises can either choose very simple options or models equipped with various sensors, drain valves and thermal control units.

No less attention must be paid to the selection of all other components of the heating system - thermostatic equipment and pump, which must be of high quality and absolute reliability. If you plan to install several heating circuits, it is possible to install on each of them its own thermostat and flow sensors. Such a manifold for a heated floor is supplied complete with a thermal probe, a diverter device and a mixing tap; their installation is not difficult and, if necessary, can be done by hand.

The circulation pump is an important element of the system.

When servicing several circuits with one collector, the length of one loop should not exceed 115-118 centimeters. If a water heated floor is installed in a small room, it is permissible to use a collector made of plastic and having a simple temperature control system.

In recent years, various control elements have increasingly been added to the design of underfloor heating collectors, which allow them to be used not only as a distribution system, but also as a full-fledged control point for the entire heating system of a room. The simplest option would be to use a scheme that provides in the design of the collector, in addition to the common pipe, also control valves.

Manifold control valve.

Such solutions are perfect for heated floors with water circuits of different sizes. Having decided to install such a warm floor collector, it is necessary to provide in advance the possibility of mechanical adjustment of each shut-off valve, which allows you to obtain the most acceptable results at the output.

A more efficient design of the device will be a design that ensures the automatic operation of the collector, the operation of which will change depending on the current temperature of the coolant. You can see similar devices in the illustrative photos in the article. Such schemes can include a large number of different elements.

Device diagram.

The hot water inlet system is designed to distribute fluid evenly throughout the system. For all those who plan to independently install a manifold for a water-heated floor, experts recommend installing each inlet with its own control valve. Even an ordinary homeowner who is not used to doing anything with his own hands can cope with this task.

A return manifold into which cooled liquid will flow from the pipes of the floor heating system.

A balancing flow meter, which will act as the main control mechanism to ensure uniform flow of coolant throughout the water circuit.

Temperature sensor.

Exhaust valve designed for emergency air release. It is indispensable when the pressure in the pipes increases excessively. Temperature sensors that allow you to monitor the temperature of the water in the system. It is important to remember that the maximum water heating allowed in water-heated floor pipes is 55°C.

A circular pump will improve the efficiency of a water heated floor. The pump increases the speed of fluid passage in the system and is responsible for mixing warm and cold coolant.

Each of the elements described above is very important for the entire warm water floor system. That is why it is necessary to pay as much attention as possible to their selection and subsequent installation.

Benefits of using a collector

As practice shows, the use of a collector in a water heated floor system has a number of undeniable advantages, such as:

Safety – the end consumer of thermal energy is completely protected from mechanical and thermal injuries;
Hygiene and environmental friendliness - eliminates the possibility of bacteria, mold and fungi;
Durability and the highest performance characteristics - with proper installation of the collector and compliance with all the basic rules for its selection and installation, the heating system will faithfully serve for at least 50 years;
Economical - the ability to control the temperature in the system saves up to 50 percent of thermal energy consumption.

It should be noted that independent installation and connection of a water floor collector, in principle, should not raise questions even for a person with a minimum set of theoretical and practical construction skills. The main thing here is to strictly follow the recommendations and instructions of specialists and choose the right product components.

Installation work

For safety, it is recommended to place the entire collector structure in a special protective box, access to which must be completely free.

As a rule, the distribution point is placed in the wall space at approximately the same distance from the end lines, thereby ensuring the maintenance of the specified hydraulic mode during the operation of the system.

An example of a house heating system with a heated floor collector.

If it is not possible to fulfill these conditions for one technical reason or another, it is necessary to install two collectors, the heat load between which will be distributed evenly.

Cabinet Installation

Quite expectedly, the mixing and distribution point does not have sufficient aesthetics, which is why most owners of residential premises prefer to hide it in a special cabinet, which also performs protective functions. In principle, you can make such a cabinet with your own hands, or you can purchase a ready-made one, which will have all the necessary openings for the outlet and inlet pipelines. Installation of such cabinets does not take much time and requires a minimum of knowledge and skills. The edges of the supply and return pipes are inserted inside the protective box, and special shut-off valves are installed at the inlet openings.

Manifold cabinet with lock.

The cabinet is attached to the wall surface using small holes in the body. Depending on the type of construction, options for fixing the box to a vertical plane may differ in some specific features.

Installation and connection

To properly install manifolds for heated floors with your own hands, it is very important to have at least theoretical knowledge about the structure of the heating system at home. As mentioned above, the entire design of the system consists of two lines of pipes connected to each other. One line is designed to regulate the pressure of warm liquid, and the other is designed to remove already cooled water from the system.

After selecting and purchasing a collector, you need to install it in a cabinet prepared in advance. The final and most critical stage of the work will be connecting the collector to the general heating system. To do this, shut-off valves are installed on each pipe in the heated floor circuit, which allow, if necessary, to turn off the heating of the room from the general house system. It is important to know that absolutely all underfloor heating manifolds must be equipped with shut-off and control valves, which will allow you to completely turn off the water circuit or manually change the volume of coolant flow.

Do-it-yourself manifold for heated floors: installation, assembly of the water unit

How to install a manifold for a heated floor with your own hands. Recommendations for choosing a device design with a description of the advantages and disadvantages.

Installation and configuration of a heated floor collector - how to do it

Where to place the collector

It is recommended to place the collector above the level of all connected circuits. Automatic air vents should be located on the combs, and be at the highest point of the entire floor heating system. If you don’t want the floors to not work and become airy, you need to maintain the level.

The distance from the finished floor to the connection point of the pipes on the combs should be such that no obstacles are created for the convenient connection of pipelines coming out of the screed.

More often, collectors are assembled by the manufacturer for connection “on the left”. If it is necessary to connect “on the right”, the product components are rearranged in accordance with the instructions.

It may also be necessary to rotate the pump 90 degrees in order to reduce the overall size of the product. This is usually not difficult to follow the instructions.

Consolidation

The easiest way to fix the collector is to use a special cabinet, built-in or wall-mounted.

Use standard mounting schemes provided by the manufacturer. Use a special cabinet or racks, shields with vibration dampers.

Equipment, collector design

Let's look at the installation of a collector using the example of a product from one of the manufacturers.

This collector is assembled according to a common scheme and includes standard components.

1. Circulation pump.

After fixing the collector, underfloor heating loops and supply pipelines are connected to it, while all valves and taps must be closed.

Coolant in the system

An important issue is preventing oxygen from entering the system. It is necessary to use materials, parts, and units with minimal permeability to oxygen.

How to fill a heated floor system

The underfloor heating system is filled with coolant through the drain valves on the manifold. The connected loops are filled one by one.

To do this, the control valves (thermostatic and balancing) of only one circuit are opened alternately, while all other valves on the manifold must be closed.

Bypass valves 5, thermostatic valve 3, trim valves 2 and 4 are closed.

Setting the flow rate in the collector based on coolant temperature

Commissioning and initial setup of the underfloor heating collector are as follows:

Valve 2 is completely open.

3 completely open.

4 completely closed.

Pump 1 is on.

During the first few days (as well as during operation), it is possible to further configure the system with valve 4 according to the situation and preferences.

Installation and adjustment of the pump

Depending on the required performance, a 15-40 pump can be installed for 2 - 6 collectors or a 15-60 pump for 7 - 10 collectors.

Both pumps without electronic control, such as UPS, and modern ones with electronic control, such as ALPHA2L, can be used.

In the first case, the settings are limited to the “Fixed speed” modes. Depending on the heated area, it is possible to use 1, 2 or 3 speeds, and the temperature difference between supply and return should be within 5 - 10 degrees.

How to balance underfloor heating circuits

The collector is balanced (initial setting) using balancing valves. It is necessary to equalize the pressure drop between the circuits and supply the required amount of coolant to each circuit.

Use a 5 mm hex key to remove the cover (A).

To install the servo drive on the thermostatic control valve, remove the manual control handle (A), install the adapter ring (B) on the valve, insert the servo drive into the grooves of the adapter ring, and turn the adjusting ring clockwise until it clicks.

Installation and adjustment of a heated floor collector

Recommendations for installing and configuring a heated floor collector are provided. How the collector should be configured, what to pay attention to...

The underfloor heating system is the only trouble-free and more efficient alternative to traditional heating. Underfloor heating can also be used as an addition to a conventional scheme, for example for one or more rooms. Its advantage is that the system always works autonomously and does not depend on the main heating circuit. Such autonomy is provided by a do-it-yourself underfloor heating manifold, which works as a multifunctional device. What is the multitasking of the collector in the “warm floor” system?

Collector device

First of all, let’s look at the concept of “warm floor”. This is an autonomous heating system connected to the main heating ring. To make the connection as efficient as possible and to avoid heat losses at the junction points, a collector connection is used (in some cases, several collectors if there are several heating circuits in the system). The most primitive collector for a warm water floor is a section of a heat-conducting pipe from which there are bends for connecting other heating pipes.

That is, a collector is a pipe circuit for distributing coolant that directs and regulates the flow of hot water through the heating pipes in the house. The standard connection of a heated floor collector is as follows: the collector input is connected to the return or coolant supply (depending on the heating circuit), the device outputs are connected to the heated floor pipe system.

The underfloor heating collector is controlled and configured manually or automatically. For automatic operation, it is necessary to install a control unit or servo drive. The control device includes supply valves - two- or three-way. Supply valves differ from conventional valves in their ability to pass coolant in one direction. You need to install the valves especially carefully - if you install the valve in the opposite direction, it will quickly break.

The shut-off element of the supply valve is a steel ball or rod. When the valve handle is turned, the hole is blocked, and the rotation itself can be done manually or using servos connected to temperature sensors.

A two-way mixing valve allows coolant to flow in one direction, regulating the amount of hot liquid. The adjustment occurs smoothly and slowly due to the small throughput of the device.

There are several technical solutions for mixing valves, and one of them is a thermostat with a liquid sensor. Such a thermostatic head controls the temperature of the coolant in the heating circuit by opening or closing the valve, thereby regulating the supply of hot coolant flowing from the boiler into the system. The thermostat is turned on in the collector so that coolant is supplied continuously from the return pipe, and from the heating apparatus - as needed.

Thus, installing a manifold with a two-way valve ensures a constant and comfortable temperature of the coolant throughout the entire underfloor heating pipeline, and smooth temperature control is ensured by the low throughput of the device. Two-way valves are easy to install and replace, they are reliable and durable. Their only drawback is that it is not recommended to be included in heating systems that are designed for a large heating area (≥ 200m2).

The three-way supply valve has a more complex and multifunctional device, combining the capabilities of a bypass and bypass valve in one housing. The body of a three-way manifold valve has one outlet and two inlets, and the coolant is adjusted in the same way as in a two-way device - either with a steel ball or a rod. The difference between this valve is that neither the ball nor the stem completely blocks the flow of coolant, and the design itself is designed to redistribute and mix return and supply. To automatically regulate the temperature, a servo drive is built into the valve, powered by signals from temperature sensors and controllers. The servo drive controls the shut-off valves in the structure, ensuring the desired degree of flow mixing.

Three-way supply valves are installed in manifold units for large-area heated rooms - ≥ 200 m2, as well as in multi-circuit heating systems.

For heated floors, a common collector unit is most often installed, or a separate collector is installed in front of each heating circuit. If the latter option is implemented, then all collectors are equipped with flow meters, thermostats, as well as the following elements:

Return and supply mixing valve;
Shut-off valve for balancing the heating device;
Overflow valve.

You can assemble a collector for a heated floor yourself using different schemes, and in some schemes of collector units bypasses are used, but not always - only in single-circuit systems. If the underfloor heating system is organized according to a dual-circuit scheme, then the collector can be connected without a bypass to the secondary circuit.

Before assembling a manifold assembly for a heated floor, weigh your options - sometimes it’s easier to buy a ready-made structure. If you are going to buy a collector, it is better that all its parts and elements are from the same manufacturer. When assembling the unit yourself, you must select the material from which the main components of the unit will be assembled: copper, steel, polymers or brass.

Also, when choosing an industrial design, it is important to consider the following parameters:

How many heating circuits will there be in the system (usually from 2 to 12), the total length of the pipeline and the capacity of the circuits;
Maximum permissible pressure in pipes;
Possibility of expanding the heating system;
Manual or automatic collector control;
Electrical power of all components and assemblies;
The diameter of the internal holes of the collector (throughput).

The most efficient operation of the assembled collector units can be ensured by connecting heating circuits of equal length to them. In order to equalize the length of the pipelines with sufficient accuracy, they are divided into equal sections, which are connected to the collector. The easiest way is to calculate the collector unit in a special computer program or on an online calculator, so that the phenomenon called “thermal zebra” does not appear, that is, uneven heating of the floor.

For the calculation you will need the following data:

Type of decorative floor covering;
the area of the heated room and the plan for placing large objects in it;
Material and diameter of circuit pipes;
Boiler rated power;
Type of floor insulation.

Important: when laying underfloor heating pipes, it is necessary to avoid pipe joints - this is prohibited by existing standards. It is also necessary to remember that the hydraulic resistance of the coolant increases with each turn of the pipeline and with increasing its length.

When designing a heated floor system, you first need to find the optimal location for installing the collector. Typically, the unit is installed in a manifold cabinet, and the cabinet itself is mounted at a height of 30-40 cm from the floor level next to the supply and return.

In order not to blame your own mistakes and ensure maximum heating of the heated floor pipes, study the instructions for connecting the collector. Then assemble the unit in the following sequence (this applies to an industrial manifold unit):

Unpack the tubes for forward and reverse coolant supply. The tubes must have flow meters and supply valves. If the collector is multi-sectional, assemble the sections into one structure;
From the assembled sections you need to assemble a unit on brackets (included in the kit);
Next, we install shut-off valves, automation, sensors and other connecting fittings;
We attach the unit to the wall or in a cabinet, install a thermostat, a servo drive and a circulation pump;
We connect the pipes from the boiler and the pipes from the heating circuits of the “warm floor” system.

Now the connection diagram for the heated floor collector is pressed, after which the concrete screed can be poured. Thermal adjustments of the collector can be carried out after installation of the finishing coating.

DIY collector unit

A factory manifold is a fairly expensive product, so many craftsmen want to make it themselves. You will still have to buy many elements, but the cost will be cheaper. The easiest way is to solder a homemade manifold from PVC pipes and fittings Ø 25-32 mm. You will also need tees and bends of the same diameters, and shut-off valves.

Important: a homemade collector assembly has many joints, so all soldering must be carefully checked, and not only during assembly, but also during operation of heated floors.

The number of valves and fittings is calculated by the number of heating circuits. The tools you need are a soldering iron for propylene elements and attachments for it, special scissors for cutting pipes and a tape measure.

Marking the collector consists of marking and cutting pipes of the required length, observing the minimum distance between the tees. Valves and transitions are soldered to the PVC tees with a soldering iron. Fittings for connecting the pump are soldered to this structure. As you can see, everything is simple, but it is better to buy more complex collector units ready-made.

Description of the manifold for heated floors. Manifold for heated floors prices and installation principle

Purpose and types

Materials

Equipment

Mixing unit structure

Diagram of a three-way valve

Diagram of a two-way valve

Selecting valve parameters

Purpose and types

Mixing unit structure

Manifold for water heated floor (heating comb)

Purpose of the distribution manifold

Four main types of collectors

Overview of different collector models

What is included in the collector?

Servo

Balancing flow meter

How to choose a manifold for underfloor heating based on design and manufacturer?

Water floor collector (comb)

Functions: basic and additional

Manifold and mixing unit

Manifold selection

Manifold cabinet

Why do you need a collector installation?

How to mount and install a comb for a heated floor with your own hands?

Installation of a heated floor comb

Installation and connection diagram for a heated floor collector

What should you remember before installing the collector?

Is it possible to install the collector below the heated floor level?

Installation of a heated floor collector

Installation of a metal-plastic pipe to the collector

Other manifold mounted equipment

Assembling a mixing unit with a manifold

How to properly connect a three-way valve and a circulation pump?

Installing a manifold for a heated floor with your own hands

So what is a collector?

The most popular collector schemes

What determines the choice of collector?

Benefits of using a collector

Installation work

Installation and connection

Installation and configuration of a heated floor collector - how to do it

Collector device

DIY collector unit

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