Challenger Boiler

The largest Challenger Condensing Boiler, the CC150s,has an input of 145 MBH, making it the highest output model in the Challenger lineup.  The Challenger CC150s is perfect for homes looking for a little extra heating capacity than the Challenger 125 or Prestige 110 can provide. 

With a compact, lightweight design, high heating capacity doesn't require a lot of space.  With a modern design that was styled to be installed in European kitchens, the Challenger 150 is quiet and attractive.  Standard twin pipe or optional concentric venting provides venting solutions for every need, and the Challenger 150s is designed to work with the Smart Indirect Water Heater to provide space heating and domestic hot waters.  The standard outdoor reset maximizes energy efficiency to achieve an AFUE of 93%.  The Challenger can work with traditional cast iron radiators or in slab or wood floor radiant heating.  The turndown ratio of nearly 4.5 to 1 minimizes boiler cycling, especially in the warmer months.

Try Triangle Tube's Challenger 150s boiler for maximum output with minimal space, cost, and energy bills.  Click here for literature on this boiler.  For more information contact Triangle Tube or your local Triangle Tube installer.

The unusually warm winter in North America has cut everyone's heating costs this year - but the biggest winners by far are homeowners heating with high efficiency condensing hydronic heating systems.  The two features of condensing boilers that contribute to these large savings are Modulation and Outdoor Reset.

Modulation is the process that increases or decreases the heat output, or firing rate, of the boiler.  Just like your kitchen stove, a modulating boiler can adjust its heat output but it doesn't need a person there to make the adjustment.  The boiler's control monitors the heat absorbed by the house by measuring the temperature of the boiler water as it leaves and as it returns to the boiler.  The larger the temperature difference, the more heat the boiler must add to the water, and the higher the firing rate that the control will create.

Non-modulating boilers operate at full fire all of the time.  This is inefficient for two reasons.  First, the boiler is least efficient at full fire, and most efficient at low fire.  So the longer the boiler can run at low fire, the more efficient it is.  Second, each time the boiler starts and stops it loses efficiency.  Modulating boilers run longer at lower temperatures, minimizing the starts and stops.

Outdoor reset is a simple yet extremely important part of a high efficiency system.  An outdoor sensor tells the boiler's control what the temperature is outside.  The boiler uses this information to adjust the temperature of the water that the boiler supplies to the radiant emitters.  This supply water does not need to be as hot during warm weather as it does during cold weather.  By supplying lower temperature water to the system, the boiler can maximize its efficiency.  Click here for outdoor reset basics.

Triangle Tube provides three models of condensing boilers.  The Prestige models feature a stainless steel fire tube heat exchanger with a full featured TriMax control and are available from 60 to 399 MBH.  The Prestige Excellence provides heat and up to 180 gallons per hour of hot water from its indirect water heater.  The Challenger models are available for both heating only (Solo), and combination heat and hot water (Combi) applications.  Challenger boilers are sized from 85 MBH to 150 MBH.   The Keystone models feature a stainless steel water tube heat exchanger and are available in sizes from 399 to 850 MBH for larger residences and light commercial applications. 

Contact Triangle Tube today for more information.

The new Challenger Solo Condensing Boiler joins the Challenger Combi Boiler in providing high efficiency hydronic heating in a compact package.  The Challenger Combi boiler provides both heat and domestic hot water, eliminating the need for a separate water heater.  The Challenger Solo boiler provides heat and can provide domestic hot water when paired with an indirect water heater.

The Challenger Solo boiler features a copper tube heat exchanger with an aluminum combustion block.  This unique design is durable and suitable for glycol applications because the system water or glycol flows only in the copper piping.  The aluminum block efficiently transfers the heat from the combustion air and it's light weight makes installation easy.

The Challenger Solo is available in 85, 105, and 125 MBH sizes.  These models are sized to meet the needs of today's homes.  By modulating its output to match the radiant heating needs, the Challenger Solos will operate longer at lower temperatures, which improves efficiency.  These sizes of the Challenger Solo have an AFUE of 95% and operate on either natural gas or propane. 

The Challenger Solos can provide domestic hot water when paired with a Smart Indirect Water Heater.  The Smart can be sized to fit the needs of the residence, providing the instant hot water response that is expected from traditional tank water heaters, with the efficiency of an instantaneous water heater.

Click here for information about the Challenger Solo Condensing Boiler or other Triangle Tube products.

Most of us don't think about the size of our boiler until we are either cold and the boiler is running or buying a new boiler.  In the first case the boiler is undersized for the house.  When we are buying a new boiler we have the opportunity to avoid buying an undersized boiler.

It is a rare case where a boiler is undersized for a home, and while this prevents a cold house on the coldest days of the year, it also reduces potential efficiency gains.  In most of the year, the full capacity of the boiler is not required, and with low heating loads a boiler will need to cycle on and off to meet the needs.  Modulating boilers reduce this cycling as they can run at a low firing rate.  Traditional boilers operate simply on or off at the highest firing rate.

In a home with multiple zones, a condensing boiler works better than conventional boilers due to its ability to modulate, or adjust its firing rate from full fire to a rate that is only 1/3rd of its full firing rate.  Therefore, when a single zone in a home requires heat, the boiler is able to handle that requirement at firing rate that is better suited for the job.

Triangle Tube's Prestige and Challenger Condensing boilers are designed  to meet the needs of homes with single or multiple zones.  When combined with a Smart Indirect Water Heater they make an energy efficient solution to most hydronic heating needs.

Should flood waters contact a Triangle Tube Boiler, the boiler should be replaced per AHRI guidelines.

Triangle Tube’s Prestige and Challenger boilers are wall mounted, minimizing the impact of flood waters. By choosing one of these products homeowners can not only help prevent future damage, but can also save energy. Contact your local Triangle Tube representative for more information.   

In another post (click here) I described the combustion process for high efficiency boilers like Triangle Tube's Prestige and Challenger condensing boilers.    One of the key things to consider when installing a high efficiency boiler is the ventilation.  The ventilation is much different than a traditional atmospheric boiler.  The good news is that there are now more options than ever.

Traditional boilers burn an open flame that uses room air for the combustion process.  Heat then draws the flue gases naturally out a chimney or flue pipe.  Dampers are used to minimize the flow of outside air back into the house through the flue.  This process, while simple, is inefficient as it sends previously heated room air that is used in the combustion process up the flue.  In addition outside air frequently makes its way back through the flue damper into the room.

High efficiency boilers use a sealed combustion process.  Air is pushed into the burner by a fan.  This air is usually piped from the outside directly to the boiler to minimize drafts.  Room air can often be used, but in most cases, especially residential, this is not optimum as the room air has been heated so the energy that was used to heat the air was wasted.

Once the propane or natural gas fuel has been burned and the gas has passed through the heat exchanger, it is critical that this flue gas is properly sent outside.  Traditional boilers would use a chimney in most cases to carry the flue gas outside.  The natural convection of the hot flue gases would rise naturally up the chimney.  Because high efficiency boilers use a fan to drive the gases, and because their flue gases are not as hot as a traditional boiler (resulting in low NOx emissions), a chimney cannot be used directly as the flue-way.  It can be used as the chase that holds a flue pipe. The Prestige is approved to be vented through a chimney using a flexible polypropylene flue-way. This allows the flue-way to be installed around bends in a chimney making it much easier to use the chimney as a chase.

If an existing chimney cannot be used the Prestige and Challenger can both be vented vertically through a roof or horizontally through a wall.  There are many options for the terminations of the venting that will allow it to both function properly and look attractive.  Engineered terminations can help prevent flue gas recirculation, which can destroy a boiler.  It is important that the location of the venting be considered.  It must be located far enough from doorways and windows so that the flue gas cannot enter the house.  Triangle Tube's boilers are supplied with guides that outline the options. 

There are rapid advances in the use of the sun's energy that are making it attractive to a growing number of homeowners.  While solar power has been available for decades (even the White House had panels in the 1970's), the activity in this market is reaching a fever pitch.  These advances are reducing the costs of installation, which is driving new business, driving new investment, further reducing the costs.  That is the power of progress.

One of the best paybacks today in the solar market is solar thermal - using the sun to heat a home's hot water - and even help with some space heating.  The concept is actually very simple.  Circulate water or glycol through rooftop tubes that heat the water and then transfer that heat to domestic water.  Of course it is more complicated than it sounds and there are a lot of ways to get this done.  But the bottom line is that these relatively simple and compact systems can offset much of the energy used to heat the hot water in a home.  And this is significant because hot water heating makes up 25% of household energy costs.

Triangle Tube offers a solar hot water solution for homes with hydronic heating.  The Smart Multi-Energy (SME) Indirect Water Heater is designed to integrate solar energy into the complete hydronic system.  The  SME contains a heat transfer coil that transfers the heat from the solar panels to the hydronic system water that surrounds a domestic water tank.  This large volume of water (both hydronic system and domestic) is able to maximize the  heat energy from the solar panels.

When the solar panels are not able to meet the demand, the hydronic system provides heat from a boiler.  Triangle Tube's Prestige and Challenger natural gas or propane boilers are green choices as their AFUE's are 96% and 95% respectively.  They feature low NOx emissions and modulating controls using outdoor reset to minimize their carbon footprint.

There are four keys to successfully replacing your boiler.  By following these keys, you will ensure a fast trouble-free installation and much lower utility bills.  

1)  Selecting the right product - Craftsmen will tell you that building a fine piece of furniture starts with selecting the right wood.  The same is true in boiler replacement.  By selecting a reliable, highly efficient boiler, you will ensure that the project will be a success if the three other keys are followed.  Choosing a poorly designed product will ensure long term dissatisfaction, even if the other keys are correct.  Triangle Tube's Prestige and Challenger boilers are industry leaders in reliability and efficiency.  For more information on this, see the end of this post.

2)  Select the right contractor - Once again, a good contractor will make or break the project.  There is much more involved in replacing a boiler than simply removing the old boiler and inserting a new one.  The boiler must be sized and the piping layout reviewed to ensure that the heating system works in harmony.  A good contractor will have experience and proper training to know how to join all of the parts of the heating system into an efficient, effective, heating machine.  Click here to find certified Triangle Tube contractors in your area.

3)  Size the boiler properly - A lot has changed in your home since the last boiler was installed.  Perhaps you have new windows and/or doors.  Perhaps radiant floor heating was installed.  An addition may have been added, the attic has been insulated.  A proper heat loss analysis must be performed to select the proper boiler for the house.  An boiler that is too large will cause excessive cycling and drive up energy costs.  One that is too small will not keep the house warm on the coldest days.

4)  Use outdoor reset - One of the biggest efficiency gains in new boilers is the ability to use computer technology to adjust the hydronic system to the heating load.  As the weather gets warmer, less heat is required.  By lowering the system temperature, the house is able to be heated much more efficiently.  Please make sure this important feature is being used.  For more information on outdoor reset, click here.

Triangle Tube's Prestige and Challenger boilers are modern, highly efficient, natural gas or propane boilers that have excellent track records in reliability.  With AFUEs of 95% or higher, and low NOx emissions, these are responsible, green choices for both the environment and your budget.  When paired with a Smart Indirect Fired Water Heater, they form the right solution for your residential heat and hot water needs.  

One of the positive changes in recent times has been the increased awareness of our impact on the environment.  It was not long ago that "Green" was not a part of our everyday terminology - and who ever heard of a carbon footprint.  Today a significant and ever-growing portion of society considers the environmental impact of their decisions on a regular basis.

Another recent positive change has been the increased use of natural gas.  Not only is it readily available in North America, but it is also a very clean burning fuel.  These two features make it very attractive for many consumers.  Finally, the technological advancement of hydronic (boiler) heating solutions has resulted in condensing boilers that can operate at the highest levels of efficiency.

Triangle Tube helped drive the residential condensing boiler revolution with the Prestige Condensing Boiler.  Its unique stainless steel fire tube design, high efficiency (96% AFUE), and reliability have made it a leader in its market.  When combined with a Smart Indirect Water Heater, homeowners will have an extremely efficient heating and hot water system.

Triangle Tube recently added the Challenger Combination Boiler to its lineup.  This boiler combines a high efficiency (95% AFUE) boiler with an instantaneous water heater within the same unit.  The results is an appliance that provides heat and hot water from the smallest foot print imaginable.  The Challenger is perfect for closet installations or areas where space is at a premium.  

Triangle Tube's Prestige and Challenger boilers work with both natural gas and propane.  Choose one of them for your "Green" efforts.