Heating Help

Honeywell Vs Beckett

@ January 27, 2012 10:11 AM in new primary

I have used the honeywell primary before.  I like the Beckett GeniSys.  The honewell does not give you cycle by cycle read outs of what is going on.  It just here is your averages.  The GeniSys does not need to be used with a Clean cut pump.  You can use it as a direct replacement for the 8184G.  You just get one with no pre or post purge programed into it.  Then if in the future if the customer upgrades to a clean cut pump you can then use your display and program what ever you want into it.  Plus the GeniSys does not have the display right there tempting the customer to make changes.  Not to mention that the GeniSys runs a little lower in price.  Oh and if you are using the GeniSys with a forced air system with AC you can get the AC ready kit and not have to put a fan center on. 

NFPA 31

@ January 26, 2012 8:46 AM in Oil Tank to burner....

I believe you need to have a one hour fire wall between the tank and heating appliance when they are within five feet of each other.  The wall must go from the floor to the ceiling and one foot beyond the the tank of appliance.  I cant seem to locate my book at this moment.  If I remember correctly.  That is what the book tells you to do.  

True Steam

@ January 19, 2012 4:37 PM in humidifier help

I really like the Honeywell True Steam humidifiers.  If NY is anything like PA then you have hard water.  Almost to the point rocks come out when you turn on the tap.  The true steam does not like hard water.  You can use one.  But you will need to replace the heating element every year or so.  The nice thing is Honeywell thought of this and make it easy to service.  I would also recommend replacing your thermostat with the Honeywell HD thermostat with the outdoor temp and humidity sensor.  That way the entire system can talk to one another and the thermostat will adjust the humidification levels based on outdoor conditions.  That way you don't get any condensate on the windows.  I have one in my own house and love it.  The Honeywell true ease might work for you as well.  If the attic does not get below freezing.  It is a bypass humidifier and you can use cold water.  The 150 uses smart tech to sense the pad saturation and start and stop the water supply as needed.  It also has an automatic damper for the bypass so no having to open or close the damper for summer and winter.  Works out really nice with the HD stat and its automatic change over.  Cold nights turns on the heat and warm days turns on the AC.  Cant go wrong using Honeywell. 

GenSys

@ January 17, 2012 12:51 PM in new primary

The only primary I use any more is the Beckett GenSys primary.  You can get them with no programing in them for a direct replacement for the 8184G or you can add a Beckett Clean Cut pump and do a pre and post purge system. 

Little helpers

@ January 9, 2012 5:12 PM in Battle of the vacuums

My favorite is the kid that picks through your tool bag when your back is turned.  I know I put my wrench here somewhere.  Where is my screwdriver?  Hey give that back!..... 

After a little over one year running.

@ January 6, 2012 3:54 PM in Buderus

This is what I found after I opened the unit.  

nice photo

@ January 6, 2012 3:38 PM in Buderus

Nice setup R Mannino.
No outside air?  How did you get the blue cover for your burner?  All I get is the black NX cover. 

NX

@ January 6, 2012 8:46 AM in beckett nx burner

The NX is a high static pressure retention head burner.  It likes a +.02 and will fire up to a +.05 without problem.  I would checkout the nozzle seat.  make sure the adapter is not scored and the nozzle has not been over tightened. 

Bong

@ January 4, 2012 11:46 AM in Oil tank noise

Nothing to worry about.  Just make sure your vents are clear.  Some tanks just do that.

Oh yes.

@ December 28, 2011 5:39 PM in I'm sure this has happened to you too.....

To many times this happens to me.  Customer calls and closes their account because they can save 10-20 cents per gallon at another company.  I get the call at 9:00PM "I have no heat and the new company wont pick up the phone.  I called their cell phone, home phone, and beeper."  I can be out.  it is $$$$ per hour and it is from my front door to my front door.  You know if you kept your service contract this would have cost you nothing?  you only use 500 gallons a year.  So you saved what $100 bucks.  this service call just cost you a whole lot more.  Oh and I picked up the phone the first time you called and remembered your system uses a 1.10 45W nozzle not a 1.50 80B.  So the basement will stop filling with smoke every time the boiler starts.  That new fancy smoke pipe they put on must be magic.  How else do you do a smoke and efficiency test with no hole?
There now I feel better.  Thank you.  cheaper than talking to a shrink. 

What to do?

@ December 28, 2011 5:25 PM in What to do?

I see this all to much in my aria as well.  No body is perfect.  I have made mistakes too.  However the condition that your system was left in is not good.  I would say something to the father and also report them to the Better business bureau.  The money they charged you and for something so quick and easy to do.  If you don't say anything then they are free to do this to other people.  Some people don't have the insight that you had.  They would have taken their word for it and ended up as a statistic on someones wall.  Then oil would have had another black eye because of negligent mechanics.  I refuse to call people like that techs.  There are a lot of good small family owned oil companies out there.  I work for what I think is the best.  Make sure they are licensed through NATE or NORA before they touch your equipment.  Also it never hurts to ask for references.  Any company that takes pride in their work will have a list of customers who you can call and find out what they have to say.  Hopefully your experience was just will full ignorance and not stupidity. 

STOP PRESSING THE BUTTON!!!!!

@ December 28, 2011 3:03 PM in Oil Furnace not cycling without reset button pushed

icesailor is right.  If it is kicking off on safety perhaps it is not safe to run?  Just because you have flame does not mean the system is working.  I have had to clean to many systems because of button pushers.  That is not your button.  It is mine.

Buderus mass

@ December 28, 2011 2:57 PM in Boiler Change Out - Low Mass vs High mass plus brands

The Buderus G115ws/3 only holds a little over 5 gallons.  the G115/5 does hold a little over 8 gallons.  

NX

@ December 28, 2011 9:48 AM in Buderus

NX all the way.  If you have not worked on a Riello then don't start until you have had the training.  They are really touchy on how you set them up.  They are a good burner.  However you need experience with them before you start working on them.  Plus the Riello uses all proprietary parts.  Nothing off the shelf.  The NX uses all Becket off the shelf parts that any tech should have on the truck. 
With the Buderus please use the 2107 Logamatic.  That is what makes a Buderus a Buderus.  The AquaSmart is nice.  But it is not a Logamatic.  Use the BFU with it as well.

Clarification

@ December 6, 2011 4:53 PM in dumb customers and companies

We only call it a one month follow up.  

I Feel your pain

@ December 6, 2011 4:52 PM in dumb customers and companies

I installed a new G115WS/4 with the 2107 Logamatic and a S120 indirect.  I also used the BFU and Taco Delta T pump for a 35 degree Delta T.  The customer had a FR122.  Old system.  Most likely 20-30 years old.  We dropped 113 gallons of fuel the other day.  I was there the next day to do a one month follow up.  Final tune, answer questions yadda yadda yadda.  He then asks me why he has not saved any fuel.  I tried to show him how degree days work and he should have taken over 250 gallons (500 gallon under ground) according to the computer and the old system has run of that tank for one or two months.  A 137 gallon difference is nothing to sneeze at. That is over half savings.  He just could not get the picture.  I told him he should see a large reduction on his next DLV.  It will take a few DLVs before the system updates his K factor.  According to the math he is going to see about a 60-65% annual savings. I just could not get him to see how he is saving.  His last DLV was for 139 gallons at the same time last year.  We have made several DLVs there so the K factor is almost right on.  I checked the run timer and the GenySys control and it has only run for 60 hours.  60x.9 That is only 54 gallons of fuel it has used.  It has been in for a little over two months.  it runs under an hour a day.  Part of it is he keeps the house at 68 and it has been warm here.  When I was there it was sending 117 water through the system. 

Venting

@ December 6, 2011 11:59 AM in Now I understand....

If it is venting into the kids room at least they will go to bed and stay there.  

Pump Pressure

@ December 6, 2011 8:06 AM in Buderus Logano G215

150psi sounds low.  I know with the G115 the pressures start at 165.  What G215 do you have?  Are you sure you have the right burner?  You should never down fire a Buderus without talking with Buderus first. 

Circulators

@ November 28, 2011 1:32 PM in Help Selecting Circulator

I really like the Taco 008 Delta T circ.  they also make a 0010.  This pump also has an outdoor reset module built in. 
http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLibrary/101-091.pdf

Honeywell Prestige HD

@ November 3, 2011 10:43 AM in Honeywell Prestige HD thermostat question...

I love my HD stat.  Your problem is really simple to fix.  what you need to do is,
1- touch menu
2- go into dealer information and right down your date code.  it is a 4 digit code.
3- go back into menu
4- touch installer options
5- view edit options
6- system set up
7- change oil gas heat to electric.
8- touch back and save settings.
that should take care of your problem.  you can run an installer test and see. 
if that does do it you can use a jump drive and so a system back up.  just plug the drive into the bottom of the stat and go into advanced options and it will be listed there.  that way if you loose power and the backup battery is dead you can restore the settings.

Buderus

@ October 25, 2011 4:41 PM in Buderus vs Burnham, stainless steel vs stone-lined

I have seen anywhere from a 50-80% reduction in annual usage using a G115 with the 2107 and a S120 indirect.  I just put in a system for a person that has radiant ceiling heat.  I used the Buderus Quick mix station with the card for the 2107.  The system does not even run a quarter of the time the old system did.  Not to mention I took out a 178,000 BTU IBR rating unit and put in a G115WS-5 with an output of 119,000 BTU the load calc came back at 115,000.  So the system is still a little to big.  But with the Logamatic and the quick mix station that should not matter too much.  The next smallest unit is 95,000 BTU output.  Any ways.  The point I am trying to make is if your contractor installs the boiler properly and you use the 2107, you should see some real savings. 

numbers

@ October 24, 2011 11:06 AM in Taco PC700-2 - Real Savings Numbers

It will be hard to say what you will save.  There are to many variables to just blurt out a number.  The problem is also no one has really done any true testing to say you will save this.  The closest people to say you will save anything is Beckett with their AquaSmart.  They guarantee a 10% savings.  that is just using their heat MGR system. 
If I had to put a number down.  I will say 10-15% should be in the right neighborhood.  could be more could be less.  Depends.