Heating Help

Piping

@ February 16, 2011 8:34 AM in Boiler of the year

I know this isn't heating but couldn't resist, kind of makes your head spin. This is somewhere in Bergen County, NJ

Glen Ridge?

@ February 16, 2011 8:26 AM in Boiler of the year

Glen Ridge?  Nice town, tough inspector!    :)

Good Guess!!

@ February 15, 2011 6:42 PM in Boiler of the year

Monclair, NJ!!   If you can use DWV copper, how about PVC? If you are going to use DWV at least put the TY in the right direction. Truthfully, 90% of the steam boilers I see are not installed correctly. Except for this one which is perfect.  :)

Boiler of the year

@ February 15, 2011 10:20 AM in Boiler of the year

I wish there was still a contest going on. The boiler from hell competition maybe?

flexing tank

@ October 28, 2010 11:46 PM in flexing indirect

I had a very similar problem.I had two boilers and two 120 gallon indirect water heaters piped primary secondary for domestic hot water and radiant heating. The primary loop had a Spiro-vent installed. The water lines in the basement were 2" red brass ( that had copper on etched on the side of the piping) but it was threaded. The 2" brass fed 14 bathrooms all with old 6? gallon flushometers.Every time someone flushed the basement toilet the spiro-vent would let loose a spray of water.It drove me crazy, because the feed line of the boiler was protected by the check valve in the feeder, plus a Watts 9D. The expansion tank was oversized and I also installed a domestic hot water expansion tank. The distributor that supplied the boilers and water heater thought I was crazy. Then they told me how this was a water heater like no other because it was designed to flex to break off any coating from hard water on the inside of the tank. It then dawned on me that the flexing of the tank was causing a type of cavitation, creating a pressure fluctuation. When I explained to the distributor my theory they stopped taking my calls. I knew I had to be right there was no other explanation. I also had to spend several hours adjusting the water temp in the heaters by moving the temperature bulb, up and down the internal tube  (on the lowest temp setting I was getting 160 degree water out of the factory) I had to move the capillary tube up a few inches then run water and see when the boilers would cut out....very frustrating day!!

Thanks Dan

@ June 8, 2009 2:19 PM in Vento cast iron heaters

I did a search and it brought me back to "Heating Help" Found the info on the site. These 4 rads added 344 sq ft to the calculations. Thanks Dan!! Tom

Vento cast iron heaters

@ June 8, 2009 1:53 PM in Vento cast iron heaters

I used Dan's book (EDR) to get information on several different radiators and convectors I couldn't find anywhere else. "EDR" refers to this heater but there is so much information it wouldn't fit in the book. I'm looking for Steam ratings (sq ft) for a Vento cast iron heater that is 3-3/4" thick x 11-1/2' H x 41" long x 8 sections. I have 4 of these in a large 2 story room in a home. Thank you. Tom

Steam boiler 2 pipe

@ June 4, 2009 11:18 AM in Steam boiler

I have a great customer who just got a job in the new administration and is moving to DC. They want a more dependable heating system in their home and want the two steam boilers in their house replaced so the house sitter/maid doesn't have to worry about failures. The current larger system is two pipe steam. The larger boiler is a 6 section HB Smith 1875 sq ft of steam . The boiler has a gas gun that has a Min btu rating of 200,000 and max of 625,000. It's a Economite F400N33. The header is 6" with (2)- 3" (1)-2" (1)- 2-1/2 and (1) 1-1/2 steam mains. The systems have Webster series 28 vent traps, and # 0 return traps. There are two 3" risers up to the header. My experience is 99% One pipe steam with conventional column and tube type cast iron radiators. This is one crazy house, where the architect had a great time designing every room differently with odd shapes and balconies, high ceilings with circular stair cases. It was built in the early 1900's. The problem with this house is the radiation is also different in each room. I have 6 different styles of radiation and some of it I can't find in any book. I have just ordered a new Book from Dan and I hope this sheds some light. I do have to get back with a number very quickly. This house has cast iron rads inside duct work in the basement with a pull chain to open fresh air ducts.I can't see them very well. There is three of them, they are around 40" x 10" and are 8 sections (cast Iron). In the basement I have cast iron rads hung from the ceiling, that are 6-6 section rads the size of each is 13" x 6" . There are fin tube convectors, cast iron convectors, column type radiators. So far with great effort I have come up with 700 sq ft of radiation without the in the duct radiators. This boiler has a Honeywell vapostat installed. The smaller system for the Master bedroom suite is 170 square ft of steam. The current boiler for that is a Utica PEG 150. My questions would be: Is there anywhere on-line where I could find the radiation that I can't find in the books I have now. Is there a better choice than a J-Series Utica boiler for the larger boiler and a PEG Utica for the smaller one. I always believed in using brands that your regular wholesalers sell to make parts and product information easier to obtain. There is a large crawl space where the piping is still insulated, but half the piping has been stripped of asbestos. What would the pick up factor be? Any tid-bits of information that may help me would be appreciated. Tom

Drop header

@ January 20, 2008 12:17 PM in Drop header and Black piping

Ron, this is the picture that I printed out and used for reference for my first drop header job, Thanks. Tom

drop header and steel

@ January 10, 2008 9:39 AM in Drop header and Black piping

Because of the "Wall" I installed a steam boiler with steel fittings and piping. And I installed a drop header. The sight of the system was very impressive when it was completed. It took a little longer to install with iron but it was worth it. The drop header is only a few more fittings. The old boiler was piped with the two tees between the two risers like 99% of the boilers are piped in my area. I made sure I explained to the homeowner the value of the drop header so a heating tech doesn't tell them that their boiler is piped wrong because he never saw one piped that way. I should have taken a picture, maybe when I go back in a few days to skim & clean it.

Cast iron bushing

@ December 29, 2007 7:43 PM in Low Pressure on New Steam Boiler

Ming, Where I'm from you can't use a cast iron bushing on gas. They will crack and leak. I would also use straps made for the piping you are using, not band iron. And about the steam installation....what they said. Tom

Copper piping on steam boiler

@ December 24, 2007 10:46 AM in Copper piping on Steam boiler

I read everything that Dan writes. I have learned a great deal from his books and seminars. I learn a great deal from "The Wall" and some of the excellent heating experts on this forum. I know Dan and most of you don't think copper should be used on steam heating systems. It's almost sacrilegious to even mention it on the Wall. The reasons I've heard mentioned is because it will fail due to expansion/contraction and solder joints failing. I very rarely see properly soldered copper piping fail on a steam boiler. Not many would question copper on a hot water system. The temperature difference is sometimes as little as 12 degrees. 200 compared to 212. Is it the high temperature, or the speed in which the piping heats up when the water turns to steam? If you installed an entire new steam system with copper would it work? Would there be advantages to installing copper? Less dirt/rust in the system? Faster installation? What is the problems associated with copper piping in on a steam system? Speaking of steam, I know some of you have it shooting out of your ears right now because I ask these questions so: Remember this is the holiday season and I ask that you please keep the insults to a minimum, these are only questions. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Sprinter

@ December 11, 2007 5:52 PM in 50,000 mile Sprinter report

I have a 2007 Sprinter cab chassis 3500 with a Spartan utility body. The 07's have a 6 cyl diesel engine. I'm averaging around 15MPG which is much better than the 6MPG I got with my Isuzu cab chassis (gas). It also drives like a Lexus compared with the Isuzu. I have a tire package and they look much more aggressive that I've seen on other new Sprinters. I have had no problems with this truck. I only have 5000 miles. There are two error messages that are associated with the body install. (Backup & Marker lamps) No problems starting it in the NJ cold.

Ultra cut cordless pipe cutter

@ March 21, 2007 5:54 PM in Ultra cut

Does anyone have any experience with the "Ultra-cut pipe cutter. I have the pipe-cat, but I like the fact that the ultra-cut doesn't turn the pipe, the tool goes around the copper.

@ March 16, 2007 3:52 PM in Argentina Heating & Hot water

Argentina Plumbing truck, water heater

@ March 16, 2007 3:39 PM in Argentina Heating & Hot water

Argentina plumbing truck, a picture of the water heater, and .......my Harley, how'd that get in there?

Argentina Plumbing & Heating

@ March 16, 2007 1:07 PM in Argentina Heating & Hot water

Argentina: 15 years ago It started with a young, shy, yet courageous high school girl in a little town in Argentina called General Villegas, and my good friend of thirty years Joe Fagan from Stanhope, NJ deciding that he wanted to learn the Spanish language. Joe isn't the typical world traveler, like me he owns a small Plumbing & Heating business in New Jersey. Debby Fagan, Joes’ wife saw an article in the newspaper one day about a Rotary business exchange program going to Argentina. (I didn't want to bore you all, so I skipped the next thousand words or so and went right to the water heater part of the story. If anyone wants to hear the entire story, I would be happy to share it with you. Tom) "The water Heater" When we first got to Daniel and Carmen's we were shown our bathroom which was brand new. Carmen was showing us how to use the hand held spray in the tub when I said "Yo soy Plumero" . It means "I am a plumber" and it was to tell her how she didn't have to explain these trivial plumbing things to me. This is one of three expressions I know in Spanish. The next morning Carmen & Daniel went to work and left us in the house. We needed showers badly. Joe went into the shower and I heard a shriek. "Turn the friggin water heater on" We had seen them lighting the water heater before, but they neglected to explain it to us since I told them "yo soy plumero" I went to light the heater and the pilot lit, and then slowly went out. I couldn't get it to light again. Two Plumbers with 30 years experience each, and Joe had to take a cold shower. For some reason they never leave the pilot on, I'm not sure why and we didn't want to ask. The water heater is on the wall near the kitchen sink, for easy access for lighting. (see picture) The problem was the valve in the off position which was below the heater (see picture) which we "Plumeros" missed.

Cats?

@ November 27, 2006 8:07 PM in lost 2 friends!!

I'm trying to figure out the relevence to Heating help.com? Did they throw the cats into your boiler? Are you trying to figure out the BTU rating?

Thermostatic valves

@ January 23, 2004 7:53 PM in Thermostatic valves

I have a customer with a home built in the late 1800s. The radiators have two tappings on the bottom of the radiators but on the same side. (There are also capped 3/8" gas lines through the floor at each radiator) But that's another question for another day!! There are no traps, or pumps on the system. I'm guessing it's a two pipe steam system, because....there are two pipes. I'm also guessing the system has no traps because the returns are all wet. Some rooms are overheating and the customer wants thermostatic radiator valves to control the overheating. Can I use the one pipe type of thermostatic radiator valve that is attached to the air valve opening, and you install a straight air valve into it. It stops the radiator from venting when temperature is reached. Any idea's out there? Thanks. Tom