Heating Help

a few things to think about

@ May 24, 2012 11:45 AM in HEAT PUMP

The condensate drain may have been clogged but you already replaced it.  Also you will need the unit running so the drain pan is filled with water, and then check the pan to see if it is dripping.

How low do you have your thermostat set?  If your house is cold enough eventually the duct work itself will begin to sweat. 

How is your unit running?  Is it operating normally and cooling your house?  Or does your house get comfortable and then really hot?  Do you ever notice ice on any of the pipes around the unit inside or outside.  If ice builds on your coil and then melts as the house gets warmer that will cause an amount of water the drain pan won't be able to keep up with.

When is the last time you changed your filter?  Dirty filters can restrict the air flow and allow the coil to ice up as well.

Let us know how it goes.


Mike

things to check

@ May 21, 2012 6:57 AM in yellow flames, combustion problem?

Do you have a manual for the equipment your working on?  Most of the time the company will post their IOM manuals in pdf online.  Do you have a monometer?  I prefer a U-tube, but your digital might be sensitive enough.

Check to make sure your getting the proper draft through the equipment.  Also is it a forced draft or natural draft.  If forced make sure your fan is spinning in the proper direction!!!

Check the incoming gas pressures.  The manual should also tell you how much pressure you should be supplying to the unit.  Is your regulator at the unit set up right?  Are you feeding enough gas to the regulator? Are there any valves partially shut near by.  Next I would go to the meter like the others have suggested.  You need to test the incoming gas pressure to the building.  It should be enough to feed both the boiler and the range stove at the same time.  Make sure that when the stove or boiler is on that your can see the dials on the meter actually turning.  Sometimes meters will hang up and cause a low/no flow scenario.  If you find it's the meter you can call the local utility to come check it out, but make sure your right other wise you will have to eat the cost.  Check pressures on both sides of the meter to see if there is a significant pressure drop.  Good luck

what about maintenance

@ May 11, 2012 10:36 AM in Commercial steam boiler - drain for summer?

If you drain it down now, all of the "mud" sitting in the mud legs and the low water cut-outs will have a chance to dry up and be extra exciting when you go to clean it out.  Personally I would leave it filled.  Haven't ever noticed this leading to rusting unless you have a leak on some of your piping.  Then the leak should be repaired, draining the boiler isn't fixing the issue there.
Good luck

well....

@ May 9, 2012 5:43 AM in BOILER LEAK

You may just have a bad seal between sections.  This summer it may need to be shut down, drained, and pulled apart to have the sections inspected and the rings replaced.  Something like this happened before to me but on a H.B. Smith, however when the boiler was fired the leak was worse and it ended up being a cracked section.  They did try replacing the rings and gaskets first though.....just a thought.

thanks

@ May 9, 2012 5:36 AM in Check valves on top

Thanks for the info.  I've asked around and the best I can get is that we are only there to maintain that single boiler.  Our company installed it in 2000.  We don't actually take care of anything in the building so nobody seems to know what the whole system looks like.  The only clue I did find in the boiler room was a Trane Tracer panel.  Unless the building is loaded with AHUs that might point to zone valves. 
Next question would be wouldn't it have been better to put a vacuum breaker on instead of a double check valve set up?

Check valves on top

@ May 4, 2012 7:36 AM in Check valves on top

Any ideas as to why someone would pipe to check valves into the top of a steam boiler like this?  When I asked a guy at this site he replied that it was a vacuum breaker.  Doesn't seem right or necessary to me.  Any thoughts?  The ball valve stays open throughout operation and they said steam doesn't come out.  I was actually there to check something else but noticed this.  When I asked why it was there they replied because they boiler works so we don't touch it.    Thanks, Mike.

The piping is correct

@ April 30, 2012 7:45 AM in low water cutoff controls - redundancy?

That piping is correct.   As long as you have a head of steam on the boiler when you open the ball valves it will push through the LWCO.  If you don't feel like it is passing through you may want to open them up and make sure they are not clogged with mud.  Don't forget to check the piping as well.  The taller of your two LWCO has the three test cocks on the back.  You can use these to check the water level in the boiler if your sight glass (gauge glass) ever is to dirty to see.  The bottom valve should be straight water, the middle should be a combination of steam and water, and the top should be straight steam. 

What Steamhead said about the code is correct as well.  One should have a manual reset on it.

Also I noticed the gauges and pressure controls are straight piped into the header up top.  You should install siphon tubes (pigtails) to help prolong their life.  These will help create a buffer between the steam and the controls.

glass like soot

@ May 19, 2011 2:25 PM in glass like soot

What causes soot to turn into a glass like coating?  I've seen it once before and it seemed to be caused by a failed nozzle.  Anyone else seen this happen before, this is only the second time I've seen it and in two different locations.  

Thanks,
Mike

Webster vs Suntec

@ November 24, 2010 7:45 AM in webster pump

The webster pumps are not made with strainers.  They are a little more durable and are able to pass along some of the "filth".  Suntec pumps have the fine filter built in to protect the pump.  If you are worried about the filth in the system I would swap out the Webster for a Suntec that matches up and install a filter on the supply line.  Do everybody a favor though and install a few shut off valves on the lines around the new filter so it can be changed/cleaned easily! 
Good luck
Mike

Check a few things

@ November 24, 2010 7:40 AM in Only first sections of radiators getting hot. Why?

It wouldn't hurt to check the level.  Also you may want to replace the air vents if the radiator got hot after you removed them.  As far as it taking so long, what is the cut out setting for the boiler?  How much steam does the system build up to.  Also is it one pipe or two pipe?  Are your traps working on the radiators?  They could have water laying in the bottom.    Just some things to look into. 

Clean that thing!

@ November 19, 2010 2:42 PM in Replace boiler?

You may want to have it serviced before the winter as well.  That thing is dirty as it could be.  Your getting very little heat transfer and all your money is going right up the stack.  Have the burner looked over once too.  New nozzle and some clean filters and a clean combustion chamber and flue passage and you should see something at least. 
If you decide to keep it, definetly think about changing out the circulating pump and the burner with something more modern and energy friendly.  For the love of your poor old war horse there, get it properly brushed down and cleaned out. 
Good luck!

Beckett AFG

@ November 11, 2010 5:10 PM in Boiler is cycling but no demand for heat

It could be recycling if it is trying to heat your water. Do as was suggested in the last post and turn your heat on and see if it does the same thing. If the burner loses flame signal it will automatically recycle and try again until it has reached a number or tries and locks out.

Are you having to reset your burner? You may need to check the cad cell and make sure that it is not dirty and can "see" the flame properly. These are also very easy to replace.

Also you may want to just make sure nothing is blocking the burner and that they cleaned your diffuser when the performed the maintenance. That way you know there is not soot build up blocking the flame from being seen by the fire eye. You may also want to check and see that all the wiring connections are tight.

Here is the address to a manual for the Beckett AF/AFG burners. Hope it helps!

http://www.beckettcorp.com/Protect2/techsuppt/product-manuals/6104BAFG.pdf