Heating Help

The correct answer is "Wrong"

@ May 18, 2013 8:17 AM in is it a problem connecting a larger gas pipe to a smaller gas pipe?

A gas distribution system must supply adequate pressure (hence volume) for each appliance connected. Therefore it starts out larger and reduces as it branches off. Get a copy of the Gas Pipe Sizing charts from the Code Body authority in your area. Don't get caught installing gas pipe without a permit.

Never Mind...

@ May 3, 2013 8:15 PM in WarmRite Ipex Control Board

It was a 356 of sorts. I put in a new one and all is well. There will be a special place reserved in the low-rent section of @ell for those guys at Kitec. Would it be too much expense to give maybe 3-4 inches of slack in the wire lengths so an old guy doesn't have to spend two hours on his hands and knees in a filthy crawlspace trying to stretch those dinky wires? Good ridance. Gimme back the money I spent on Special Tools, too.

a heads up....

@ May 1, 2013 4:02 PM in Expansion tank replacement with a what is that?

Indeed, it is a fill valve and pressure reducing valve. The tank will have a straight thread with a shoulder and seal; but a new tank will have 1/2' (tapered) pipe thread, and may not work. They are sold as a unit most of the time. I usually junk it if it doesn't allow flow, and replace it with a fill valve/backflow combination, using valves before and after to allow easier service. Not for DIY unless you study up on it first! 

WarmRite Ipex Control Board

@ April 30, 2013 6:42 PM in WarmRite Ipex Control Board

I'm needing the controller for one of these panels, it looks like a Tekmar mixing control or snowmelt control (356 or 656?) except rebadged. I believe it is Pulse Width Modulation for the injection pump rather than variable speed. Has OD sensor and supply sensor, powers a System circ and injection mix circ, and demands heat from a Buderus C.I. boiler on a primary loop. Should I just switch to a 356? The injection pump is a Grundfos 15-52. 

Don't trust your gauge too much!

@ April 12, 2013 10:38 PM in pressure paradox?

I keep a couple gauges with hose adapters in my bag at all times.The tridicators are only accurate for about 2 days after installed new. The very old ones seem to last forever, while the newest ones are crap and cannot be trusted. Plus they are way overpriced. So I check with one gauge, and if it doesn't correlate, I check with another. I just use cheap throw-away variety gauges because they freeze and get broken, etc. But never trust just one gauge. Sometimes tridicator gauges will be accurate enough, but read 10 or 15 pounds more than actual pressure. It is not possible for the pressure to be that much different in two locations!

Well, thanks BUT......

@ April 3, 2013 9:21 PM in Taco Vortex

You might want to try that "jacking out" method and maybe post a video! I tried it today and the 1/2" NPT pipe I used only expanded the base of the Hy-Vent making it even tighter than before. I don't buy it and I call BS!!. The dowel method might work but I have not tried it yet as I don't have much dowel stock on my truck. You guys need to re-engineer that damn Hy-Vent and the way it is sealed so tight into the cap. They don't leak at the threads at the base, the little needle/seat is what leaks, and it would be nice if we could get the cap with the float/needle/seat as an assembly and not have to screw around with that cockamamie overtightened and epoxied 3/4 oversized Hy-Vent. Sorry. But I feel better now. Rob

Something else.....

@ March 19, 2013 9:19 PM in LAARS EBP combo boiler, should be an easy fix, checked everything, ???

There may be a mixing device to limit the outgoing temp to a safe level, normally cold in one port, hot in one port, and tempered out third. If all your flow is restricted, maybe that device is stuck or clogged.

Check the orifice

@ March 19, 2013 9:12 PM in LAARS EBP combo boiler, should be an easy fix, checked everything, ???

I think you have an orifice on the incoming cold to throttle down the flow so it has time to heat the water as it passes thru the exchanger. Try turning on all the hot valves in the house at one time. Is the flow diminished from what it once was? Use your hands to feel the pipes going in an out of the exchanger. Be careful! Should be extremely hot to and from the boiler, cold in and hot out on the domestic side. The by-pass valve should completely block heat from going to the heating side, and the system pump should stop. The orifice is surprisingly small in diameter, and it could have debris lodged. Good luck! 

furthermore....

@ March 14, 2013 9:32 PM in propane wall mount boiler

Have somebody check the outdoor reset temp compensation settings. I don't think it's possible to set too high...so I agree with that grouch Icesailor....you probably need a new  board. Good news! they are cheaper than the boards in other brands. 

Too much heat up the exhaust

@ March 14, 2013 9:24 PM in propane wall mount boiler

is not what you want. If the on-board control is working, it will slow the firing rate so that doesn't happen. But it has to interpret the readings from the sensors to do so. There are sensors that read outgoing water temperature and exhaust temperature,and they can be checked easily with a digital ohmmeter. The Control will slow down the fan speed (and reduce the amount of fuel brought in) as needed to avoid overheating. Cleaning the Heat Exchanger is important, especially in between the tiny gaps between the coils. The combustion must be correct and an analyser must be used to get it right. Some factory cleaning instructions are nearly useless. I like the Trinity because of it's simplicity and initial price (extra pumping notwithstanding). That being said, for those that want something less finicky about flow rates I recommend Prestige.   

Before the Dems start scoffing too loud...

@ February 22, 2013 7:31 AM in Fox news says solar doesn't work here..

CNN had a reporter that thought meteors were studied by meteorologists, and that the increase in meteor activity could be caused by Global Warming! 

well, yes, but...

@ February 17, 2013 4:21 PM in post purge of system using zone valves

Yer gonna hafta have a way to trigger it ONLY during post-purge, or else it remains open any time the system pump runs. This should be incorporated into the boiler hookups. Maybe it is and I missed it?

I was just thinking the same thing.....

@ February 17, 2013 8:49 AM in post purge of system using zone valves

Nowhere to shed some heat except what dissipates from the manifold piping. Need to open the 'best' zone (like basement concrete) during post purge.   

Looks like three-wire snap contact type thermostat

@ February 6, 2013 6:58 AM in New Thermostat 3 Wire Hot Water Boiler System

but down by the boiler there should be Zone Valves (look like grey boxes with wires going to them). 

What type zone valves do you have?

@ February 5, 2013 7:20 AM in New Thermostat 3 Wire Hot Water Boiler System

Are they White-Rogers 1311 style perhaps? If so, 4 is power open, 6 is power closed, and 5 is common. But not all digital stats will work with these. You can call the tech support number on the literature and find out. Some stats will work after changing one of the settings in the setup program. White-Rogers has a digital that is compatible.

correction

@ February 3, 2013 11:32 AM in Taco Vortex

I put a 3/4 pipe nipple in with a 3/4 x 1/8 bell reducer, because of the recessed tapping. The air vents look similar but some of the caps with the float/needle have different sealing methods, and you can't just swap them over. All of them have a similar sized hole for the air to escape. Most of them have been plugged up for years. Plus they are over-priced.

They can ruin your day

@ February 2, 2013 8:26 AM in Taco Vortex

I called Taco and asked them WTH?I was told your supposed to get a hardwood dowel that fits snug inside the air eliminator to prevent it from collapsing when you wrench it loose. I then use a brass 3/4 x 1/8 bushing and an ordinary air vent that can be changed easily. 

sounds like....

@ January 31, 2013 8:29 PM in Trinity 150 with boilermate issues

you got it solved. The 26-99 might be overkill so try it on low or medium, but the high head is good for that 3/4 loop thru the Amtrol. Remember it is also pumping the boiler, which needs flow and has a pretty high head of it's own. I guess it won't hurt to let the zone circs run, just using some watts that don't do anything. Those guys at Trinity are really helpful, yes- no? (it's french)

Need more pump

@ January 30, 2013 7:21 PM in Trinity 150 with boilermate issues

The Ti 150 calls for a 0010 for the Heat loop and the DHW loop. The 15-58 3-speed is supposed to be equivalant to the 0010 when on high speed. I have used a 120v coil relay wired into the boiler Heating pump circuit to power up the "system" or "zone" pumps, so they will drop out when it goes into DHW mode. I have to go fix one soon that has no flow checks, and the Heating mode causes flow thru the Indirect, uses up the stored heat, then goes back to DHW ad infinitum. Don't feel too bad, just about every one I adopted is piped like that...WRONG. 

Not Wired Correctly

@ January 29, 2013 7:36 AM in Trinity 150 with boilermate issues

The Trinity control will shut off power to the heating circulator while powering the DHW circulator, and vice-versa. You need two pumps; the zone pumps are ADDITIONAL. There is a timer function in the control to prevent the DHW cycle from running too long if something is amiss. Look again at suggested wiring in the manual. 

Some I have seen...

@ January 21, 2013 7:46 PM in What controls this:

have an additional circuit board (usually near the manifold), which takes transformer power, switches thru the thermostat to power the bank of actuators all at once, and makes an End Switch connection. There are adapter rings to mount different motors to old manifolds, being cautious to set the height properly; too low and they may break when opened fully.  

on second thought

@ January 20, 2013 9:46 AM in What controls this:

You can fix it. Just go thru item by item and see what doesn't work. The Tekmar is the heart of it...it has to be hooked up right. The gray box is zone (pump) control.