Heeft u de plaatjes al eens in AI gegooid?
Die lijkt er wel chocolade van te kunnen maken.

Dit is wat er dan bij mij uit komt:
 

Hydronic Underfloor Heating System Explained

Gesprek met Gemini

“Can you give me more information about this floor heating system?

It looks like it is made of two systems that were installed seperately?”

Based on the photos, you have a classic hydronic (water-based) underfloor heating manifold setup. You have a sharp eye—this does indeed look like a "hybrid" or expanded system, likely updated or added to over time.

Here is a breakdown of what you’re looking at and why it looks like two separate units:

1. The "Two Systems" Observation

You are likely seeing two different manifold blocks:

• The Blue Manifold (Right): This is the main "pumped" manifold. It includes the Grundfos circulation pump and the mixing valve. This is the heart of the system that regulates the water temperature so it doesn't crack your floors by getting too hot.

• The Silver Manifold (Left): This appears to be an extension or a secondary circuit. Notice the red and blue protective sleeves on the pipes—these are typical for newer PEX piping. It's common for installers to add a secondary manifold if more rooms were added to the floor heating system later, or if the original manifold didn't have enough "ports" for all the heating loops.

2. Key Components Identified

3. Important Details & "Quirks"

• The "Pompschakelaar" (White box at bottom): I can see a label mentioning "25°C." This is a pump switch designed to save energy. It only turns the Grundfos pump on when it senses the incoming water is actually warm. This prevents the pump from running 24/7 in the summer.

• Mixing System: This is a "high-temperature" manifold setup. It takes very hot water from your central boiler and mixes it with cooler "return" water from the floor to reach a safe temperature (usually 35-45°C).

4. Maintenance Tips

1. Check for Leaks: Look at the silver nuts where the plastic pipes meet the blue/silver manifolds. If you see white crusty mineral deposits, you have a slow leak.

2. Pump Health: If the rooms aren't getting warm but the pipes leading into the system are hot, the Grundfos pump might be stuck. Sometimes they need a gentle tap or a manual "jumpstart" via the large screw in the center.

3. Pressure: Ensure the needle on the gauge isn't at zero. If it is, you'll need to top up the system using your boiler's filling loop.

Are you experiencing any specific issues with the heat, or are you just trying to understand how to control the temperature in different rooms?

“The newer systme looks like it uses PEX  piping,

what does the older system use for pipes?”

The older pipes in your system (the ones connected to the blue manifold) are most likely Polybutylene (PB) or an early version of PE-MD (Medium Density Polyethylene).

Looking at your photos, these older pipes have a distinct greyish, semi-translucent, or "milky" appearance, which was the industry standard for underfloor heating in the 1980s and early 1990s before the colorful (red/blue/white) PEX we see today became the norm.

How they differ from the newer PEX pipes:

• Material Properties: While PEX is "cross-linked" to handle higher pressures and temperatures more reliably over time, Polybutylene is a slightly softer plastic. In many regions, PB was eventually phased out for general plumbing because it can become brittle when exposed to high levels of chlorine in tap water, but it has actually performed quite well in "closed-loop" heating systems like yours where the water is rarely changed.

• Oxygen Barrier: Older pipes (pre-1990s) often lacked an oxygen diffusion barrier. Modern PEX has a special layer (often called EVOH) that keeps oxygen from seeping through the plastic into the water. In older systems without this barrier, oxygen can enter the water and cause the iron components (like the blue manifold or the boiler) to rust from the inside.

• Flexibility: The older grey pipes tend to be slightly more flexible than modern PEX, which can feel quite stiff and "bouncy" during installation.

A Few Things to Note:

• Mixing Materials: It is perfectly fine that the two systems are made of different materials. The newer manifold is simply an extension using modern standards.

• Sludge Check: Because those older grey pipes might not have an oxygen barrier, you should keep an eye on the water quality. If you ever bleed the system and the water comes out jet black or like "thick ink," it means the older pipes are allowing oxygen in and the manifold is oxidizing. Adding a magnetic sludge filter or a chemical inhibitor (like Fernox or Sentinel) is the best way to protect an older hybrid system like this.

Do you know roughly what year the house was built? That usually confirms exactly which "generation" of plastic pipe you have.