Heating Help

You can leave the gauge off

@ February 17, 2012 7:59 PM in Will this gauge be ok?

It only needs turned on when you are looking at it.

I am concerned about the boiler sizing

@ February 17, 2012 7:34 PM in Steam problems

The boiler looks rather large for the room. With the height it is a drop header will be needed for sure. Is there a local authority that over sees boiler installations? 

Oh Mac it's not just the oil companies

@ February 17, 2012 6:46 PM in Guys I need your help!!!

The boilers I have seen for the past month have been oil or gas company installations. Just the way the month went. I have seen plenty installations I see by heating companies that look terrible too.

Yes that is exactly what

@ February 16, 2012 11:18 PM in 1" main pipe but use 3/4" taco circulator

he is saying. Same pump, just different flange sizes. There are also different sizes of pumps that use the same size of flanges. Clear as mud right?
In all sincerity, the pump needs to be sized for what the load is. The pipe should also be sized that way. The size is not an issue unless the heat load is higher than the pump can handle.

I do think that good money is getting thrown

@ February 16, 2012 11:10 PM in Guys I need your help!!!

after bad when I see boilers like this. I think a new set of eyes and hands is called for here. Exact settings can be giving in good conscience be given with out being at the boiler with a combustion analyzer going. I would say keep this boiler running as safe as you can and save for a new properly installed in the spring when the weather opens up.

Maybe I need to get my passport up to date

@ February 16, 2012 10:50 PM in Steam problems

I guess remote will have to do for now. My favorite Province too. Pictures will help us get some decent answers.

Hello Wendell.

@ February 16, 2012 10:42 PM in Best Boiler

I really think you would be well served to use the orfices. In vapour systems one of the benefits is that the radiators need not be heated to saturation. By limiting the steam to what you need for the heat loss of the room you will start using less fuel as the system does not produce more steam than is required for the building and it will be a more even heat cycle.

In MA they can only be purchased by licensed

@ February 16, 2012 5:22 PM in No heat...gas valve stuck?

persons. Either a gas tech or a plumber. Their wholesaler will have a cross reference for a valve that will work.

Frank bashes oil companies because

@ February 16, 2012 5:19 PM in Guys I need your help!!!

he is correct more than wrong with what he says. If Bill lived near me I would have a very different view of oil burners. That would be the view of watching him take care of them so I do not have to. Billtwocase you are by far the exception and I am grateful for the fact you show oil burner guys from oil companies can do the right thing and do do the right thing. I sadly seldom see that out here in western MA.

If you need a gas valve

@ February 16, 2012 4:57 PM in No heat...gas valve stuck?

It has nothing to do with your new boiler. You need a valve for your current boiler. It needs installed by a professional and it will be thrown away when you get a new boiler.

I what country?

@ February 16, 2012 4:52 PM in Steam problems

Where are you located?

Glad they have the arrows on the pipe

@ February 16, 2012 4:49 PM in Another oops

That way the steam and condensate know where to go. I hope they do not have the nerve to blame the assemblers or the manufacturer for the leaking now.

Tee with a plug

@ February 15, 2012 7:42 AM in Burnham IN11 Header Question

takes up more space then a 90. I am betting it is there to add Squick to clean out all the excess thread sealent and cutting oil.

Power flame CGO 10

@ February 14, 2012 9:19 PM in Smallest Gas/oil Burner

It will fire in those ranges. and can fire in lo-hi-lo

yes you need a separator

@ February 13, 2012 9:40 PM in Air problem

make sure it is far enough away from the inlet and the 90 on the boiler supply riser.

Alan congrats on the 1000 mark

@ February 13, 2012 9:36 PM in 1000th Post

If you can keep us posted on how the new heads hold up I would appreciate it. I went to use some of the new Taco valves and I was talked into the oldstyle as the wholesaler was having life length issues with the new heads. I would believe my fellow wallies more but I did not have time to ask here before I made my choice.

need more fittings to make it work

@ February 13, 2012 9:14 PM in how to add a steam rad.

If you have the edr capacity on the riser you can turn the tee to a right angle to the wall with street 90's  pointing away from each other and 45's or street 45's to bring the sides inline with the radiator. The closet radiator I am assuming would be smaller so 1" may be enough to supply it. The radiators would then need to be straight pattern gate radiator valves.

Lots of 10 year heaters

@ February 7, 2012 3:30 PM in Do people really change anodes?

have only a piece of paper that calls them a 10 year now Bob, I just found that out a few years ago, they no longer install the second anode rod. So now for X dollars you get a warranty, and a stick and it is now a 10 year heater.

One note on the radiator

@ February 7, 2012 2:55 PM in Identify This Annoying Sound

with the current location of the air vent the radiator is not working with a full usable volume of steam. This may have been done on purpose since it is a small room. The steam will short circuit across the top to the vent and close it before all the air is vented out. Glad your migraine is gone. As for covers they can reduce or increase the output of the radiator. If you do a search on "The Wall" there are many threads about them. I recommend against their use in general.

Nothing on the market

@ January 15, 2012 8:04 PM in condensing boilers

As said it would require another heat exchanger to reach condensation and this would  need placed in the return water to be of any use. The combustion gases would also need to follow a top down path with the hottest gases at the top of the boiler and them exiting low in the colder water of the return.

Do the Powers valves

@ January 13, 2012 10:26 AM in I am stumped....

have limit screws for high temp? I am not familiar with Powers, Symmons is king in my area for shower valves, They have a set screw. The fancier Symmons tend to lock off to cold if they are not used for a few days, I know I have 2 in Da's house. Doing it by the numbers I would say is how you will solve this. One thought is there a valve on the return piping that could have dropped a gate?

Looks like

@ January 12, 2012 12:41 PM in Boiler block cracks

2 risers are 2" maybe only 1 1/2" If they are 2" they are 25% too small if one 3" is called for. Small pipe means high speed steam sucking water out of the boiler. The piping on the returns makes it hard for the water to come back to the boiler. Active waterlines make for boiler cracks, to keep it simple.