Heating Help

Probably alot better

@ May 19, 2013 3:53 PM in Longest lasting indirects

than regular indirects . Just about every boiler we replace has a coil for hot water . Every once in a while the homeowner had issues with the coil . But the majority work well for decades . The reverse indirect works like a coil boiler , but with a much larger coil . Never installed one but we've been on jobs with an existing reverse indirect . The homeowners love them . 

Congrats

@ May 19, 2013 3:48 PM in Congrats,Alan Mercurio

Alan !

I remember

@ May 18, 2013 11:47 AM in Longest lasting indirects

the first Techtanium we installed was a defect . Water was pooing on top of the heater . No tappings anywhere near it . We've installed a dozens of them since without a problem again . We've also installed a few of the new Weil Mclain indirects . Warantee replacements . Not exactly a swap out anymore since nothing at all lines up on the new design ! 

Nice to see you posting too Clammy !

@ May 18, 2013 11:43 AM in Longest lasting indirects

We stay away from tank in tank design too . Same problems with cloride . Mine lasted less than 5 years . My neighbor is on his 4th in 12 years give or take . I went with a Superstor Ultra 20 gallon . So far I haven't ran out of hot water .....

I'll never understand why some manufacturers paint their heating products white ! The darker the better ! Although I do like the S-120 .

We've been installing domestic expansion tanks right at the heater for some time now . I'll guess that helps alot with stress on the heater also .

We're finding

@ May 18, 2013 11:37 AM in Longest lasting indirects

the indirects last just as long as the oil fired tanks around here . With that in mind , at least some indirects come with a lifetime warantee . And not needing an extra oil burner , oil line , and flue ...... make an indirect a better choice over an oil fired almost every time . 

Stone lined

@ May 18, 2013 11:34 AM in Longest lasting indirects

We've been installing them for 5 or 6 years and no leakers yet . Had to take one out because the lining was coming off and getting into the water . The recovery time is longer than tank in tank design and indirects with a larger diameter coil. But I think you're right about the idea of longer recovery might make the tank last longer too .

This one

@ May 18, 2013 11:30 AM in Longest lasting indirects

was made to be just a storage tank I believe . The old Ford storage tanks seemed to last a long time too . 

Longest lasting indirects

@ May 16, 2013 6:01 PM in Longest lasting indirects

I know that indirect longevity depends on alot of factors . Around here it seems most of them last 10 to 15 years tops ( closer to 10 for the majority )  . Took out this aquabooster . Just a glorified holding tank ( boiler makes the hot water with a coil ) . Not the first one I've seen last much longer than 20 years . Are there any brand indirects out there that can consistently get past the 20 year mark ?

FYI , the aquabooster wasn't even leaking . The customer wanted to be proactive since the tank was almost 30 years old .

Thanks for the replies !

@ May 11, 2013 11:55 AM in Copper pipe pitting

There actually was pitting on the cold pipes we cut out too . Took a good look at the shop the next day . Not as severe as the hot pipes , but you could see blotches under the condensation . Both hot and cold were type L . We always use L on domestic .

This is in a storefront with apartments above . 4 or 5 stores share this common basement . Was looking around and didn't see the pitting on a gas heater that was being used in a Quizno's .  10 years old going by the date code .

The water is fed from the street . Didn't do a water test . We did tell the landlord there is a problem with the piping and they have to get it checked .

We took out a Bock 71 . Only 10 years old too but it's expected to live a short life in a commercial application . Not sure what material they use for their anodes but I can guarantee you they were never checked or replaced . I still have some of the scrap . I'll cut one with some snips and spread it open and take some pics .

I agree copper is getting thinner . Either the specs were revised or no one is checking thickness from manufacturers anymore . I know after years of handling full rolls of 1/4 inch oil ine I definitely can feel the weight is less for 60 feet . I should weigh a stick of 3/4 L on an AC scale and see if it's right . Anyone know what 10 ft is supposed to weigh ?

Thanks again !

Thanks Heatpro

@ May 7, 2013 10:36 PM in Copper pipe pitting

Although I'm not in a position to fire anyone who has sloppy solder joints .......... I hear where you're coming from . I work with a few guys who flux the outside of the pipe , the inside , flux right after they finish soldering .........  all the while dipping that nasty , burnt and dirty blush into the flux container .  And they never wonder why they have a leak or 2 every job , where I have a leak maybe once a week . Using the minimum flux and solder .

I'm just not quite sold on the idea it can be a flow or ground problem . For the simple fact that it just kills the hot pipe alone . And the bottom of the hot pipe . I'm no water expert but it seems like something's happening to the water once it heats up ........  Dopey me , I had my multimeter right there and didn't think to check for current on the pipe . Next time for sure .

I installed this indirect in place of a Bock 71 . That water on the wall is the hot pipe going vertical to god knows where . Couldn't see the leak but my guess is more pinholes . There goes my " only on the bottom of the pipe " theory !  :)

Agree with Bill

@ May 7, 2013 10:14 PM in return line depth in 275 tank

If it's a basement 275 and the oil burner is lower than the tank , you don't need to pump all that extra oil with a 2 pipe setup . Even if the line is from the top of the tank . And I agree with Bill about the level of both oil lines . You might need to switch the the 2nd line someday if the first line fails .

Copper pipe pitting

@ May 7, 2013 9:55 PM in Copper pipe pitting

I've heard there can be a few causes to pipes that develop pinhole leaks . Most of the time I see this phenomenon , it's almost always the hot domestic pipe . And always towards the bottom of the pipe . This job had pinholes on the cold pipe going to the oil fired heater also . But nowhere near as severe as the hot pipe . The heater and pipes were 10 years old .  Could something be happening to the water after it heats up to cause the pinholes ?

Taco is the best !

@ May 3, 2013 8:20 PM in Thanks,Taco!

Hope to get up there someday !

No drip tube on the backflow ?

@ May 1, 2013 11:26 AM in I do not just work on steam boilers

I know how adamant you are about vented backflows and their worth if they could just save one child. Do you realize the danger if that vent opens up and hot water discharges? Will it pass inspection without a relief pipe?

Pex is hard to make look good when you transition to their end points horizontally. We try to transition up high from copper.

No drip tube on the backflow ?

@ May 1, 2013 11:25 AM in I do not just work on steam boilers

I know how adamant you are about vented backflows and their worth if they could just save one child. Do you realize the danger if that vent opens up and hot water discharges? Will it pass inspection without a relief pipe?

Pex is hard to make look good when you transition to their end points horizontally. We try to transition up high from copper.

Rest in peace

@ April 28, 2013 10:17 PM in Remembering Gil Carlson

Gil

I get ya

@ April 25, 2013 10:13 PM in Outdoor reset

I liked doing things by the KISS method too .

As an aside , we did a few gravity hot water changeouts . 2 or 3 we left gravity . I was kinda amazed how fast the rads heated up , even without a circ .....

Why have the circ run

@ April 24, 2013 11:03 PM in Outdoor reset

even in the summer ? Back then a simple relay with dry contacts was pretty cheap . I'm sure electric was cheap too ............ How often did the circs have to be changed running 24/7 ?

Just kidding

@ April 24, 2013 10:22 PM in Introducing the New

about snobbery !  I wonder if they sell a conversion kit for the countless thousands of WBV blocks out there already . And I wonder if the AFUE would go up if you kept the burner on low fire permanently ....... 

A 90 % pin boiler ?

@ April 24, 2013 8:48 PM in Introducing the New

What will the triple pass snobs say about this ! :)

My favorite oil boiler just got better . No coil port though ...... 

Big caveat .

@ April 23, 2013 6:45 PM in Outdoor reset

Boilers that maintain temp for a hot water coil are exempt .

We use them anyway . In case they step up to an indirect or storage tank . And most of these controls come with an added benefit , built in low water cutoff ....

Not sure about Buderus

@ April 21, 2013 9:52 AM in Quietest oil boiler?

but the EK oil is quieter than the gas EK .  Which is the case with some oil boilers and gas burners in them .

But like Ron said , strictly gas boilers are generally quieter than their oil counterparts .