Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Where is your equipment made?
Thermo 2000 has been designing and manufacturing heating equipment for domestic and hydronic systems for over 40 years at its plant in Richmond, Quebec. We are renowned in the North American industry for our expertise.
Learn more about our expertise
What are the advantages of hydronic heating?
The most important benefit of hydronic heating systems is comfort and should be a designer’s or installer’s main priority in both residential and commercial applications. In addition to distributing heat evenly, this type of heating provides other benefits like energy savings, flexibility, peace of mind, aesthetics and excellent air quality.
What are the advantages of electric boilers?
The electric boiler is a smart choice for a new building or renovation project due to its multiple advantages.
First of all, the electric boiler is affordable. Although its price depends on the unit’s power, it is cheaper than any other hot water heating system.
Both the equipment and the installation costs are cheaper and it is quick and easy to install. Thanks to its compact design, it is perfect for small spaces and can be hung on the wall.
The boiler is 100% efficient and does not need to be connected to a flue, as there is no CO2 emission. This type of equipment is reliable, clean, odourless, and quiet.
Residential electric boilers
What is the recommended maintenance, and how often?
Although the electric boiler is reliable, annual maintenance is necessary. At the very least, we recommend a visual inspection before each heating season begins. Please note that you must cut off the main electrical supply before undertaking any inspection. These are the main points to check visually: check the tightness of the heating element flanges and detect potential signs of overheating components or electrical wiring.
In addition, functional validation is recommended and should be performed by a contractor. The contractor will verify the proper functioning of the unit’s operating and safety controls, the circulating pump, and other heat distribution components of the system.
Is the equipment compatible with a dual-energy system?
All residential electric boilers manufactured by Thermo 2000 can be easily combined with an auxiliary boiler for a dual-energy installation. Thanks to its controller, the boiler can handle the dual energy signal, the thermostat demand and the pump. It can also activate an auxiliary source without any additional controls.
Watch the following video to learn more about the T2 UltraSmart intelligent controller.
What types of thermostats can I use?
When your system has only one zone, you connect the thermostat directly to the boiler. Using a thermostat for a central system operating at low voltage 24Vac (3 wires) or dry contact thermostats (battery operated or without power) is important.
The 2-wire thermostats are connected to the “R” and “W” terminals, and the 3-wire thermostats to the “C”, “R” and “W” terminals. Please note that electric baseboard thermostats are not compatible.
Note that some floor heating thermostats are equipped with a floor temperature sensor. The thermostat’s role is to signal a heat demand from the boiler. When the boiler receives the heat demand from the thermostat, it will control the operation of the heating elements by itself.
Does the boiler have to be connected in primary-secondary?
Unlike a gas boiler or other brands of electric boilers, the piping connection does not need to be primary-secondary.
Thermo 2000 electric boilers are primarily designed to be installed in closed loop applications where the water in the heat distribution system flows directly from the heating system to the boiler. This is a standard parallel piping system.
Which product do you recommend for an application where an electric boiler is used as a backup power source?
The AltSource electric boiler is the ideal complement to any renewable energy heating source. With its unique high-water volume, this virtually maintenance-free residential boiler-storage tank combination acts as a backup power source to the central system to maximize efficiency and generate beneficial energy savings.
The AltSource electric thermal mass boiler is ideal for optimizing the performance of many types of heating systems: biomass heating, wood boilers, geothermal applications, air-to-water heat pumps and solar energy systems.
In addition, an optional copper coil heat exchanger is available for heating or preheating domestic water.
Commercial electric boilers
Is the equipment compatible with a dual-energy system?
All VoltMax electric boilers with SCR manufactured by Thermo 2000 can be easily combined with an auxiliary boiler for a dual-energy installation. Thanks to its controller, the boiler can manage the dual energy signal, the thermostat demand, and the pump. It can also activate an auxiliary source without any additional controls.
Can you control the temperature and limit the boiler’s power with an external signal?
To avoid large power demands at once, you will want to manage the device’s power remotely to optimize your building’s electrical rate. To do this by using a central building energy management system, you can control the temperature setpoint and limit the unit’s maximum output via an external controller.
First, the VoltMax electric boiler can communicate with an external controller via BACnet (IP or SMTP) communication on all models. You can use the BACnet protocol to control and/or read the boiler parameters.
In addition, on all VoltMax electric boiler models with SCR, this can be done by a 0 to 10Vdc output signal connected to the control terminals to control the setpoint and maximum power.
How can I limit the power during a start-up while validating each stage?
During the initial start-up of the device, to verify the device’s proper functioning while avoiding a large power demand, you can manually limit the device’s power and activate the stages one at a time via the controller. Note that you can also deactivate a stage when a component breaks down. You can therefore still keep the boiler running.
Indirect water heaters
What are the advantages of a TurboMax indirect water heater over a conventional water heater?
LIFE SPAN OF OVER 30 YEARS
The TurboMax instantaneous indirect water heater can last for over 30 years when properly installed.
NO CORROSION. NO MAINTENANCE.
No sacrificial anode is present. No replacement. No liner inspection is required. Minimal maintenance of the system.
INCOMPARABLE ENERGY TRANSFER ABILITY
Using a large amount of copper maximizes the exchange surface and provides maximum energy transfer ability.
ENERGY COST REDUCTION
Unlike traditional water heaters, the TurboMax instantaneous indirect water heater maintains its efficiency over time by preventing scale build-up in the heat exchanger.
INSTANTANEOUS DOMESTIC HOT WATER OF EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY
Unlike traditional water heaters, the TurboMax instantaneous indirect water heater produces domestic hot water instantly, ensuring superior drinking water quality while preventing the growth of bacteria such as Legionella.
NO RESIDUE
Over the years, a traditional water heater generates residues that accumulate at the bottom of the tank. These residues are in direct contact with the stagnant domestic hot water and affects its quality. These accumulated residues create unwanted insulation that prevents the heat from destroying bacteria such as Legionella—the complete opposite of the TurboMax instantaneous indirect water heater.
ADAPTS TO ALL ENERGY SOURCES
Gas, oil, electricity, wood, solar energy, the TurboMax instantaneous indirect water heater adapts to all thermal energy sources to meet all your needs.
What is the advantage of the additional connections (TXT option), and how to make the connection?
With its additional TXT connections, the TurboMax instantaneous indirect water heater optimizes boiler performance by acting as a buffer tank and hydraulic separator and producing domestic hot water. Thus, the addition of TXT connections optimizes the operating time and minimizes the “start and stop” cycling of the energy source.
Combined boilers and water heaters
What are the benefits of combining two devices?
The ComboMax boiler only takes up the space of a conventional water heater. It is a one-step installation that requires less material and labour than separately installed products. In addition, this unit lasts over 30 years, eliminating the need to replace the water heater every 7 to 10 years. Virtually maintenance-free, it comes with a 15-year warranty.
How to determine the right ComboMax boiler model for your needs?
To select the right model, it is important to determine the heating load of the building to select the minimum power of the device. Then, you can choose the tank’s volume based on the domestic hot water needs. To do this, you must consider the number of bathrooms, the number of residents and the size of the largest bath. Below is a selection chart that estimates the unit required based on your needs.
Can I use the ComboMax for a domestic hot water application only?
By design, the ComboMax also offers a lifespan of over 30 years, so there is no need to replace the water heater every 7 to 10 years. You can use the dedicated domestic hot water application product for peace of mind. Many homeowners use this option when they are tired of systematically replacing water heaters.
Buffer tanks
Why install a buffer tank?
The BuffMax buffer tank optimizes the operating time and minimizes the “start and stop” cycling of the energy source. Any hydronic heating system coupled with a BuffMax buffer tank can store energy like a battery. Adding a BuffMax to a hydronic heating system allows for air evacuation, removing dirt, and optimizing the energy source and the distribution system pumps.
What is tank insulation?
The tank is well insulated with a 2″ thick HFC-free polyurethane covering.
Can I use the tank to store chilled water?
The BuffMax buffer tank is designed to hold only heating water (heat transfer fluid) circulating in a closed circuit. Under no circumstances should the system be connected to an atmospheric system or the domestic hot water supply.
For a closed-circuit chilled water application, adding elastomeric insulation for chilled water application to avoid the risk of condensation on the wall is available upon request.
Hydronic air handler
What are the differences between a hydronic air handler and a furnace?
A hydronic air handler looks like a furnace. However, its energy source is not within the equipment itself. The equipment must be connected to an energy source such as a boiler or water heater. With the help of a pump, hot water circulates through a radiator in the air handler. The heat is transferred to the air and distributed through a ventilation system.
What are your recommendations for adding an air conditioning coil?
An air conditioning coil can be paired with the VenTum hydronic air handling unit. It is only compatible with an outdoor heat pump or air conditioner unit. A compatibility list with air conditioning coils from different manufacturers is available at the end of the installation manual. Note that the cooling capacity of the outdoor unit must not exceed the maximum cooling capacity of the selected model, i.e., 3 tons for the VenTum 40 and 5 tons for the VenTum 60.
The air conditioning coil must be installed in accordance with current standards and the manufacturer’s recommendations. A drain pan must be installed with the air conditioning coil so that the condensation drains into a drain provided for this purpose. Condensation from the air conditioning coil must never drip into or onto the VenTum.
The air conditioning coil can be installed either upstream or downstream of the hydronic air handler. To reduce the risk of freezing the hot water heater, Thermo 2000 recommends installing the air conditioning coil downstream (at the air outlet) of the VenTum hydronic air handler. If a heat pump is installed for heating purposes, the heating efficiency will be higher with the coil upstream of the hydronic air handler. It is important to position the air outlet temperature sensor correctly. Check the installation manual.
What is the recommended maintenance, and how often should it be done?
Inspect, clean, and change the filter regularly to ensure the fan motor works correctly. It is recommended that the electrical compartments of the hydronic air handler be visually inspected annually for potential leaks and overheating of electrical components or wiring. Always turn off the main power to the device before beginning any inspection. The heater can be hot and cause severe burns.
