Heating Help

@ March 27, 2008 8:48 AM in DROPPING THE IGNITION OUT

OnWatch offers the Quick Look 72 and Honeywell has the Diagnostick QS7100T. Haven't actually used either but from pictures they appear to be the same product. OnWatch has online software upgrades for their products

@ March 26, 2008 8:25 AM in DROPPING THE IGNITION OUT

Dropping out the ignition at the end of TFI helps prevent running saturations. In a situation with a partially plugged nozzle the ignition can sustain a poor fire which leads to a buildup of unburned oil-soaked crap. When that ignites it makes a hot uncontrolled fire, possibly up into the chimney. Without the ignitor powered the burner will lock out. Hopefully the homeowner doesn't keep pushing the reset.

@ March 24, 2008 12:42 PM in Testing Glycol Strength

Go to firedragonent.com for a reasonably priced refractometer and also a ph tester. Maintaining proper ph is as important as proper ratio.

Nice!

@ February 14, 2008 8:18 PM in biz slow?

I think I would have poured a pad for it but otherwise very nice. That would save enough space so I could fit a laundry tub in the room which I need badly.

Could be like mine.

@ February 13, 2008 10:19 PM in curious problem with expansion tank

If I let it get cold, it leaks in a couple of spots. As long as its hot its fine. Im afraid to fix the leak this time of year. Might bust the boiler taking the coil out.

Memory

@ February 11, 2008 12:20 AM in Tekmar 510 Stuck!

Yes, it holds its memory including accurate time for about 3 1/2 hours. Any longer and the time jumps ahead or behind a bit. It retains its programming forever. Well, 24 hours at least. It is a great little stat but has some programming odities and now somewhat flakey behaviour. Only on Fridays too, all of the other days are working.

I will call them.

@ February 10, 2008 9:02 PM in Tekmar 510 Stuck!

I was going to call them on Monday. Must be a way to reset them to the factory settings.

I will try that

@ February 10, 2008 1:04 AM in Tekmar 510 Stuck!

I will try powering it down. I have additional information at this point though. I have it set to 4 events per day, 7 days. 6:00AM - 9:00AM WAKE 9:00AM - 8:00PM UNOOCCUPIED 8:00PM - 11:50PM OCCUPIED 11:50PM - 6:00AM SLEEP At 3:30 AM It said it was occupied. I tried everything. Setting it to 11:40PM made it go to sleep! Yet if I set it to 11:50PM its occupied. I tried the ---- setting which is supposed to be midnight but it didn't work.

Stuck in Occupied.

@ February 9, 2008 3:47 AM in Tekmar 510 Stuck!

I have tried everything. My Tekmar 510 will not switch from wake to sleep - occupied - unoccupied any more. Is there a way to reset it and reprogram it or do you think it has failed? It seems to be a software issue as everything else works.

@ February 8, 2008 8:48 AM in unbelievable fuel milage

I used to see water injection on some commercial burners back in the early 80's. None had the water still connected. Too many problems.

@ February 7, 2008 12:50 PM in Where's The Manufacturers?

As part of Tech Support for Energy Kinetics I "lurk" at about a half dozen sites. I don't respond to anything unless 1) it's something that could be of help to another tech with a similar issue or 2) it's definitely misinformation about the system. If a homeowner needs help I will contact them via e-mail in an effort to rectify the situation. I will not get involved with any comments about non EK products unless it is in regard to equipment I am familiar with from having serviced it or our company offers it for sale with our systems. In any event I will not put down or criticize another manufacturer's product.

@ February 6, 2008 9:03 AM in Boiler Sizing with Indirect

Sorry for the double post, not enough coffee yet.

@ February 6, 2008 9:02 AM in Boiler Sizing with Indirect

If her math for the heat loss is correct, it does seem so based on square footage, the smallest oil boiler she'll be able to have installed will be oversized. Even on a day that's colder than design there'll be more than adequate reserve. As far as domestic hot water, unless it's a significant part of the load, don't add anything for it.

Subsidies

@ January 31, 2008 9:18 PM in Zero Energy Case Study Report

You forgot the Government cheese. I can get 5KW for 8K here.

@ January 30, 2008 3:52 PM in Magnets on feedwater lines

Check out the government documentation http://www.itmation-online.com/Federal_Technology_Report.pdf If you read this report you see that the bottom line is proper installation.

Not The Phono!

@ January 26, 2008 6:25 PM in WAY off topic....

The phono inputs of receivers and amplifiers should be avoided when connecting devices like CD players and Ipods, Use the auxiliary inputs instead. They are meant for the high level signals produced by those devices. Also, phono inputs are equalized. When you make a vinyl record, the highs are rolled off to prevent noise, the highs need to be boosted to equalize them during playback.

Runtal.

@ January 22, 2008 9:45 PM in Remodel: Forced air or radiant baseboards?

I bought a 12' Runtal. Its a baseboard I guess.. but its 3" off the floor and it looks / feels like a panel rad. Its in series with two other pieces of fin tube and at 180 degrees its a tad out of balance. Im going to put a TRV or bypass or something on it. I have a 20' single zone run to do next. Im looking forward to having that uch capacity. It will be almost two times oversized for the room it heats.

Panel Rads

@ January 22, 2008 1:58 PM in Remodel: Forced air or radiant baseboards?

I replaced my first piece of fin-tube with a panel radiator. Jaw dropping performance. We dont discuss price here so.. suffice it to say that a 12 foot run of fin tube is about the price of a nice steak dinner. And The panel rad was about a years worth of dinners assuming one a month. Worth it? I dunno, it sure looks nice in the spot I have and the sofa is against the wall! Not something you can do with fin tube since it consumes so much wall.

No Cushion Here

@ January 21, 2008 10:07 AM in Brrrrrrr.

Design temp here is 7 and Poof, at 6 degrees the max I get is 69, it drops fast from there. Thank god for Blankets and the sun. s I renovate, my design temp will be changed to 4.

Not the same...

@ January 19, 2008 5:37 PM in Big Brother and YOUR thermostat

I dont feel it is the same. Being told the efficiency level required of a particular system (within reason) is very different than installing a device that allows the state to switch your AC off. The latter being third world Orwellian vs the former which is more of a standard of husbandry.

Distilled

@ January 16, 2008 8:18 PM in burnhams and lime

If its a closed system, it takes very little water. Why not do the initial fill with Distilled water instead of tap water. You could keep a small tank, say an expansion tank filled with water to 25PSI or so behind the feed valve. Voila, no hard water in your boiler. A tiny bit of maintenance once a year perhaps.

@ January 15, 2008 8:39 AM in Carlin Ez gas

Yes, it does. Three lockouts on the same call and it goes into latchup. Same procedure as oil to get it out of latchup.