Supply manifold for hydronic system

A method for operating a hydronic system, the method comprising:

• delivering a liquid into a supply manifold having a housing and a plurality of valves disposed on respective outlets of the housing in a linear arrangement;
• connecting each outlet to a respective conduit for delivering the liquid to a respective zone;
• controlling each of the plurality of valves using the supply manifold by:
• displacing an actuator along a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the linear arrangement of the valves to thereby access any one of the valves;
• displacing the actuator orthogonally to the longitudinal axis to thereby cause engagement or disengagement of the actuator with a selected one of the valves for opening or closing, wherein each valve comprises a cross gear having four rounded receptacles for engaging a round bearing extending from the solenoid, the cross gear acting as an indexing mechanism to rotate the valve one quarter turn;
• and
• causing the selected valve to rotate one quarter turn by further displacing the actuator along the longitudinal axis to thereby open or close the selected valve.

A hydronic system comprising:

• an apparatus for heating or cooling a liquid;
• a pump for displacing the liquid through conduits to various zones;
• and
• a supply manifold having:
• a housing;
• a plurality of valves disposed on respective outlets of the housing in a linear arrangement, each outlet being adapted to connect to one of the conduits;
• a single actuator for individually actuating one of the valves;
• a first displacement mechanism for displacing the actuator along a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the linear arrangement of the valves to thereby access any one of the valves;
• and
• a second displacement mechanism for displacing the actuator orthogonally to the longitudinal axis to thereby cause engagement or disengagement of the actuator with a selected one of the valves for opening or closing,
• wherein each valve comprises a cross gear having four rounded receptacles for engaging a round bearing extending from the solenoid, the cross gear acting as an indexing mechanism to rotate the valve one quarter turn.