Heating Help

New Product trial

@ January 8, 2012 9:53 PM in New Product trial

I have an application for installing new valves in the top flloor of a 9 story building building for a galvanized domestic water system. Due to age of the piping system and lack of room for wrenching I am going with the Fast Lock fitting system. This is the steel pipe equivalent of the pro~press system(s) Has anyone used this system ? Any pros or cons ? Rich Kontny

lead wipe

@ October 8, 2011 8:17 PM in Lead wipe on Long Island

  Years  ago (1980s) it was a requirement in Michigan, I was taught by a telephone cable mechanic as they used to do that work when they encased there lines in lead pipe. Old Bob Hanson of Ashland, WI passed away a few years ago. I  have not wiped a joint since. It is truly a very outdated requirement.

Good luck

Rich K

Thanks

@ October 8, 2011 8:10 PM in 3/4 angle steam valve

  Thanks guys for the help

3/4 angle steam valve

@ October 6, 2011 2:12 PM in 3/4 angle steam valve

  What is a good steam 3/4" angle valve for use on low pressure steam radiators. We seem to have very little choice around Milwaukee. They are either the less than $20.00 type from overseas or the $125.00 domestic ones.
  Must be something out there for about $50.00 ???
  Thanks in advance!

Rich Kontny

Galvanized lining systems

@ September 2, 2011 10:05 AM in Galvanized lining systems

  Has anyone on the wall had any experience with rehabing galvanized water piping with an epoxy type lining?  I have seen some of the ads in PM magazine and at a few trade shows but have not seen and actual installation.
  My understanding is that they clean the debris out with a solution and then used high pressure airflow to dry it. Have not a clue how they apply the epoxy. Pros? cons?  Cost effective?
  I currently take care of about 2000 rental units with about 80% galvanized. We have constant issues with the hot lines. Would love to repipe with copper or pex but some of the buildings are tile block and plaster construction, others simply do not want the hassle of opening walls and floors.

Thanks in advance

Rich Kontny

Resources

@ September 2, 2011 9:55 AM in Sump pump without electricity

  The grandaddy of venturi pumps and products is a company called Penberthy they have a residential line. Also if in the country and you have some elevation to work with one could get crafty and install a syphon type system like they use in septic systems. This would require a storage vessel with the syphon and a lower elevation on you property to discharge it to. If you have these kind of conditions you may be able to run a simple gravity drainage system to a lower elevation.

  If you are in a crowded residential area with fairly flat terrain a genearator and good quality pump are most likely the most cost effective. 

Been A While

@ June 27, 2011 10:28 AM in Been A While

  I have not put a gas conversion burner in since the late sixties early seventies when I was just getting out of high school. Recently gas became available to our rectory and we would like to convert to gas from oil. The furnace is a four year old Armstrong that we want to keep if practical. It fires at right around 1.) GPH and is in very good condition.

  We used Gordon Piatt upshot burners back then and I believe they are no longer in business. I vaguely remember an Economite power burner that we used in oil boilers when a power burner was required.
Questions
1. Is this a feasible thing to do now days or should we wait for the furnace to die and replace it with a high efficiency gas furnace?
2. Does the fire box need to be changed if a conversion is practical?
3. Flue piping must also need to be change???
4. Any chimney issues to address?

Thanks in advance, I have been away from the heat side for over two years as I run a plumbing dept.

Rich Kontny

Straight Bar

@ March 28, 2011 12:05 PM in disassembly of cast iron radiators?

  We had a school project that went from cast irom radiators to commercial fin tube. We had about 60 sizable radiators to remove. We laid down a full sheet of 3/4 plywood and tipped them on there side. Cut the drawbolts and then used an industrial grade straight bar to drop down hard between the sections and separate.

  Once they were in manageable sizes we tossed them out the windows into a dump truck. Sentiment sometimes gets in the way of practicality. How does one warranty an old radiator ? The scrap iron dealer and I have been good friends for over 40 years.

Straight Bar

@ March 28, 2011 12:05 PM in disassembly of cast iron radiators?

  We had a school project that went from cast irom radiators to commercial fin tube. We had about 60 sizable radiators to remove. We laid down a full sheet of 3/4 plywood and tipped them on there side. Cut the drawbolts and then used an industrial grade straight bar to drop down hard between the sections and separate.

  Once they were in manageable sizes we tossed them out the windows into a dump truck. Sentiment sometimes gets in the way of practicality. How does one warranty an old radiator ? The scrap iron dealer and I have been good friends for over 40 years.

Don't Get Involved???

@ February 21, 2011 10:29 PM in Don't Get Involved???

  My wholesaler who pushes Triangle Tube Products suggests that I don't touch a 5 year old house where they put in 1/2" pex tubing in there basement and garage slabs that does not have. an oxygen barrier. He says it is virtually impossible to get the temps out of standard tubing ???
   I am aware of the rust issues with ferrous components but I was unaware of any distribution issues with the non barrier pipe.  Any red flags that I am missing? I can use all brass and copper components to avoid the rust issues but would have to anti-freeze the two garage zones.
  Thanks for any advice in advance as I have not run into this situation before.
Rich Kontny

Beckett to the rescue

@ January 24, 2011 8:58 PM in Senior Moment

  Since I posted this morning I got the bright idea to call Beckett technical support. They said exactly the same thing. Hold the bottom (the green light goes out) for at least thirty seconds or when the light comes back on let go and Eureka it fired.

The Beckett people were very helpful as they walked me through the procedure. Now I have to remember that when it is cold the oil tank gets empty quicker. Spoiled by that gas line providing a constant supply .

  Thanks for the help I hope to be a little more active on the Wall again as I hav more time next o the computer.
  My wife I am sure will remind me. Yesterday morning it was 10 below. This morning we had 12. I was a little nervous but all turned out well.
  Thanks for the help.

Rich
h2omaster

Variables

@ January 24, 2011 8:11 AM in water pressure

  You have to check your pump output by using a timing device and simply a 5gallon pail (time or one minute) if this is 5 or more than you have to make sure volume is not the problem (size of pressure tank,piping size etc) if piping and gpm are ok than you can use a 40-60 cycle. on you pressure switch. (this is most common) Remember that pressure is not volume. Undersized piping often is the culprit for lack of water or pressure drop when other fixtures are turned on.

 I have put in pressure volume tanks at the end of long runs to create a reserve if you will since the piping can't keep up with the load demand. If the incoming pressure is low and can't be adjusted up I have built pressure booster systems as mentioned by others.
Constant pressure systems require enough well capacity, a three wire pump and a rather expensive controller. The main question is always cost versus what you are trying to accomplish.

Rich Kontny (h2omaster)

Senior Moment

@ January 24, 2011 6:56 AM in Senior Moment

  Ok I eat a little crow here. I have not had oil heat in my own homes ever (always nat gas) Our new home has an oil furnace which is very rare here in SE Wisconsin. Any way I just did not pay attention to the oil level in the tank close enough. The guage showed about 1/6 of a tank and I had scheduled a fill for Tuesday. Last nite I noticed the house getting cold so I went down and found the burner reset flashing geen at less than 2 second intervals. Tried to reset only to determine the damn tank was empty.
  I went and got 20 gallons of oil , bled the air out and then tried to reset the burner again. The Becket Honeywell R7184B 1032 primary control will not reset. I tried two different service companies and because the Packers won last night all I got was a friend who was very drunk calling me back and he did not want to come out. The second company (one I used to work for) finally called me back about midnite. Such is oil heat repairs in our area, techs avoid it like the plague.

   Anyway with my limited knowledge of oil burners I have pretty much determined that the primary control is shot. Since I can hot wire the burner and get it to run I have to think it is the primary control. I researched the Beckett burner and found a similar number part but it is different looking in a Genysis series.
   My question is whether the Genysis will work as a replacement?? I can get the part in Milwaukee this am if it does???  Trust me while I am an admitted challenged oil burner tech the so called service people I called seem worse.

Note: Over 25 years ago I made a living servicing conbination gas/oil burners for large commercial boilers up to 250hp. Now I find myself clueless on a small residential burner because technology has passed me by while I got away from burner servicing.
I even have drifted away from the wall this past year and one half due to the fact that I was the primay plumber for a large food prcessing plant, a project that was recently complete. My last boiler installs were in the fall of 2009 at the food processor owner's home.
Sorry for rambling I have been  up half the nite feeding the fireplace, the wife won't buy the snuggling thing like she did 30 years ago!
Thanks in advance, any advice will be appreciated.
Rich Kontny
 

Thanks

@ October 1, 2010 10:27 PM in Lost my main role model

 It means alot guys some things just don't make sense yet we have to go on. His suffering is over that is comforting.

Rich Kontny

Lost my main role model

@ September 30, 2010 10:35 PM in Lost my main role model

The mechanical contracting industry lost a true leader today. Warren "Butch" Kontny (my older brother age 63) lost his battle to multiple myleoma. Butch took a two man shop in the late 60's and turned it into a 65 man mechanical firm in 5 years. He founded Tri- State Mechanical in Ashland , WI. in 1978 and turned it into northern Wisconsin's largest merit shop.
In 1980 he decided to seek warmer climes and went to Florida where he started Q&Q Mechanical,after 30 years he sold the firm to his son. Butch was a past president of Florida's PHCC and chaired an annual game feed for the Lakeland Rotary Club.
Butch did strictly bid spec and design work and was known for doing things the old fashion way (he earned it)
Thanks Butch for all you did for me and for so many others you will be missed but not forgotten!
With saddened heart,
Rich Kontny

Watts vs Apollo

@ September 26, 2010 7:56 PM in Backflow - watts vs appollo

  Watts parts are readily available  and easy to install. I am a certified backflow tester and recommend that owners stick with one manufacturer, that is usually Watts as we have a great source for repair parts here in Milwaukee. If you plan on a test make sure you have the parts on hand so you don't create un wanted down time.
  We must  take RPVs out of service if they fail, sometimes this can be a problem for the owner.

Rich Kontny

CSST

@ August 7, 2010 6:45 PM in CSST

  I do very little heating these days as I have been doing process piping at a dairy plant for the last year. Is stainless steel jacketed flex piping banned now??? I know there were lawsuits due to lightning strikes but I still see it sold at the wholesale house.Someone said it can be used if a ground wire parallels it to the metal ridgid piping.

  Thanks in advance!

RIch Kontny

A Problem

@ May 29, 2010 6:10 PM in An environmental disaster of epic proportions....

A problem is only a problem until it is solved. Unfortunately the oil industry has never come up against a problem quite as difficult as this. I am sure that BP and all parties involved have the best minds possible working on this gigantic catastrophe
The blame game that is going on is totally useless at this time. The focus needs to be on stopping the leak ASAP. Blame can wait till the well is capped. Then conclusions can be made along with major changes in how this oil is taken from the earth.
I agree with the more expensive cost along with better safeguards. I also agree with Dan's statement about "green" it is indeed the green in the wallet or lack there of that motivates energy conservation. The current movement of less regulation and less taxes complicates matters. The political liability that the president has does indeed play into the decisions that are being made which most likely is not a good thing.
None of us who work with the pressures we do can fully appreciate what BP and associates are up against. We can only hope and pray that they stumble on to a solution quickly.

Rich Kontny

Too General a Statement

@ May 27, 2010 6:31 PM in On Questionable Quality

  All of us don't beat up the wholesaler nor do we shop. I have used one wholesaler almost exclusively for over thirty years. I use them because of service and I do not use them as a bank. I pay for everything COD (not because of bad credit but because I prefer it that way) Major equipment or orders I collect from the owners when the materials are delivered.

  The last two to three years have been difficult for all of us and the box stores are here to stay so wholesalers and contractors have to also deal with that dynamic. I like Wayne am a sole proprietor and sometimes things do get skinny. I actually worked for a wholesaler for a short time back in 2007-2008 and I was amazed at the small margins they got for what seemed like large PVF orders. I also was amazed how Kohler and other fixture manufacturers were abandoning long time relationships with wholesalers in favor of volume sales to the box stores. No such thing as loyalty there.

   Then there is the internet, customers think that they automatically can buy better on the internet so they often don't even consult about quality or price. Looks tend to be the selling feature they fall for and often the product is offshore junk. Then they call to have it installed after keeping you honest by using Craigslist .

  Moral of the story Mr Wholesaler is the fact that you are preaching to the choir we face the same things you do !

 This is my 41st year in the industry and I can honestly say I don't like everything that is happening regarding globalization etc but like every other change it will most likely create as many opportunities as headaches.

R. Kontny

Who hould Pay?

@ April 25, 2010 8:41 AM in Warranty question

Wayne,
   I would not expect the homeowner to pay as it was a problem from day one. If the builder is reluctant I won't push that either. Often we eat labor on warranty work and I would chock this up as one of those things . Goodwill efforts like this may result in further work from the owner or  the builder.
  You did absolutely nothing wrong yet you are involved non the less. Does not sound like a big $$$ amount??? If it is the contractor should at least go good for half your costs.
Rich

Dan

@ March 25, 2010 5:17 PM in BPA in CPVC?

  You may want to check out the series the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel did on this. I would never use CPVC for any part of the potable water system. I have a problem with the chemicals used for joining the piping and how it leeches into the fluids.
  Pex is my material of choice. I have been working almost exclusively for the last 6 months at a dairy products manufacturer. They use no plastic on the product side only stainless and galvanized. They also use very little copper as it does not hold up to the alkalinity of the milk products they manufacture.
  How is that Grandpa title fitting??

Faucets

@ March 25, 2010 5:06 PM in Where to get faucets & such? Home Depot vs ??

The Deltas, Moen and Kohlers you find at the box stores are just boxed different and have some supplies for the DIYs. Special order stuff is not a bargain at the DIY centers and price wise as a contractor you should do better through the wholesaler.
Some toilets and faucets are actually better priced at the box stores as they volume buy. Most customers these days buy there own.