Heating Help

uh............

@ May 23, 2013 2:06 PM in When tenants call for hot water, the gas boiler makes steam ..outside temp 70

call back the original installer.......stat!
You got big, but easily fixable problems

uh............

@ May 23, 2013 2:06 PM in When tenants call for hot water, the gas boiler makes steam ..outside temp 70

call back the original installer.......stat!
You got big, but easily fixable problems

Steam-in-ator....

@ May 22, 2013 10:50 AM in whatever happened to the development of a steam assoc.?

Yeah they are relatively close, in size, location (a few blocks), original windows,and remodeling (almost no remodeling). 
The other site is hvac-talk.com, which most everyone knows, but they hardly get any posting in oil or hydronics.  But they are big on vetting, and locked areas for tech to tech chat.
As we all know, this is still the best place to be :)

Another suggestion....

@ May 22, 2013 10:41 AM in Order of Catagories on the Wall

Hi Dan.  I wondered what you, and others thought about the following:
On posts (and who knows how long/far a post will go) , it seems to me it would be better if people can only reply and attach their post at the end of a thread, instead of inserting comments in between older posts.  It's a little hard (for me) to sift through an old post, looking for the newest comment, especially post that have hundreds of comments, and figure out who is responding to who (or what).
Almost all blogs & websites only let you post at the end of a thread.  The person responding usually puts "@ so&so", then their comments so readers can figure out to who (or is it whom) the poster is responding 
Just wondered if anyone else had problems following along sometimes.....maybe it's just me.
Thanks
Steve.

Regarding proof.

@ May 22, 2013 10:18 AM in whatever happened to the development of a steam assoc.?

Other posters have called for fairer studies to compare systems.  It may help if owners of oil companies (people who have real world access to numbers) can report their findings.  Here's an excerpt I posted on another forum.  It was basically a customer complaining they are burning too much oil with their steam system. I compared 3 of my customers houses--steam to bad steam, and steam to bad gravity conversion.....
....Tricky....hard to tell without a piping diagram and all the math. Is anyone looking at the option of making sure the steam system boiler is sized properly, and working the way it was originally designed? For example, near boiler piping is right, all pipes pitched correctly and insulated, all vents/traps working, etc.
When was the last time (if ever) the steamer was skimmed?
A proper working/performing steam system is a thing of beauty and comfort.
Don't forget, when you switch to water, this thing could leak anywhere and almost everywhere with the higher pressure.
If their only complaint is what they think is higher fuel usage, getting the steam up to snuff, skimming the boiler, make sure all vent/traps are properly sized and working, and adding insulation to the house might do the trick (doesn't make you as much money as a replacement), and will reduce their fuel bills.
Here are some examples from my customers:
All houses are blocks from each other, 3 story, mildly insulated, 120 years plus, oil heat, fuel usage from Oct-May 1st
House 1. One pipe steam, everything maintained perfectly--550 gallons for last season.
House 2. One pipe steam, completely knuckleheaded, owner refuses to spend any money (gonna move soon, 5 years ago, lol)--1123 gallons for the season.
House 3. Boiler, forced hot water, converted from gravity (poorly)--1275 gallons for the season.
Just something to think about.
Maybe others have information to share too.

Few Questions.

@ May 10, 2013 2:31 PM in No hot water unless calling for heat

Is this one zone, with hot water coil, or indirect tank?
What is the low limit set to?
Did you try going through the "Test/Setting", checking that all the settings are correct?
What lights are lit when you need hot water, and what lights are on/off when you turn up the thermostat?
Also, check the well to make sure its tight, connected and well greased.
Here's a manual, go thru the wiring & settings, let us know how its set up
http://www.weil-mclain.com/en/multimedia-library/pdf/weil-mclain-pdf/products/boilers/oil-boilers/wgo/go_hydrostat_instructions.pdf

I think it may be easier...

@ May 9, 2013 11:44 AM in Automatic water cutoff

If you have an alarm system with monitoring.I think it may just be easier to close the water feed, put a low water cut-off on (which you should have anyway), with dry contacts that could signal an alarm to your monitoring company.  They would call you, and you can call someone to take care of the problem. 
If you don't have an alarm company, you can install alarm components your self, with a dialer to do this, or if you leave your router on, could send you an email.
Obviously fixing the leaks needs to really be done, but setting up an alarm to notify you when your away could be worth looking into.
You can start here, and google away
http://www.x10.com/homepage.htm

I think I have that now....

@ May 8, 2013 5:50 PM in 20+lb garbage disposal in large SS sink?

I'll measure it when I get home, but I got the biggest, deepest single bowl undermount sink they had, and put a garbage disposer on it (don't know the weight)
Never had a problem, even with big pots in the sink filled with water.
Been about 6 years now.

Depends.

@ May 5, 2013 7:51 PM in What's the proper order for oil to gas conversion?

If the oil tank is not going to be in the way, I'd have the propane tank first, filled, followed by the boiler, get you up and running, then yank the tank.

Edit: Why the 3 contractors?

Shouldnt....

@ April 25, 2013 2:21 PM in National Plumber Day!

Shouldn't EVERY day be National Plumber Day?

try........

@ April 25, 2013 2:19 PM in Can you sell heating oil?

Assuming it's hers to sell, try a couple local mechanic shops, especially a truck mechanic.  If they have a waste oil heater, they may come out and give you some money, and pump it out.
Most oil companys wont take the oil, because it's now mixed in with everything that has been the tank for years, and now is considered waste oil.
Ask the oil company anyway.  I'm sure the landlord has considered removing the tank, and they, or the company they use to remove tanks, may offer a cheaper price if they are getting a full tank of heating oil.

Free Fyrite Classic CO2

@ April 17, 2013 4:29 PM in Free Fyrite Classic CO2

Was wondering if anybody wanted this, for backup, etc.  Free, with or without case, you pay shipping.  Send me an email
oilman19008@yahoo.com

Could ya.....

@ April 13, 2013 9:29 AM in help with taco zvc 404

Could you draw us a piping diagram showing all the components, including the other controls in the system?  It can be a sketch.

probably not your problem...

@ April 12, 2013 3:09 PM in Need a tigerloop?

Of course it would be a good idea, but I dont think that's your problem.  If it's going off on safety, there is most likely something else wrong with it.  You need a pro in there to check the entire system--draft, combustion, transformer, primary control, pump, oil line, etc.
If it were a 2 pipe, and you were losing your prime, then the only thing that might be wrong a restriction, high vacuum, loose oil line fitting--something a tiger loop could help.

simple answer

@ April 11, 2013 5:24 PM in Replacement options for oil furnace?

Without debating best option, and oil prices, you could get an electric boiler.  Unless its running or solar or wind, some kind of fossil fuel is going to need to be burned. (Virginia is coal country, no?)
Depending on who you listen to, oil prices are expected to stay the same, or even drop, nat gas is suppose to go up.....and up.  Check out the article about old nat gas lines leaking more nat gas in New England then is being consumed.

response to ?3

@ April 11, 2013 5:14 PM in Indirect installation on Alpine with MCBA control

I wouldnt put them together, why would you?  If you need the boiler pump and the DHW pump to run at the same time you do it in the control programming
http://cdn.usboiler.net/products/boilers/alpine/assets/AlpineIO.pdf
page 103
and I would pipe it more like figure 39, just make sure you size the circulator correctly

You may want to look at....

@ April 4, 2013 10:53 PM in spacing

If your short on space, consider a Hydrolink from Caleffi
www.caleffi.us

Very important..,,

@ April 3, 2013 9:43 PM in Return line or no return line?

If you convert back to one pipe, don't forget to remove bypass plug.

The only way to know....

@ April 3, 2013 9:40 PM in Old 550 in ground tank, how many inches is absolute minimum?

Without historical data from a run out, is to let run out. Everyone installed them differently, and if there was a water problem in the past, someone could've pulled up the line a little. Typically we install the new tank, fill it, run line over to burner, and run the old tank until its dry. Then do a proper change over.

Along with your other post, if you convert to one pipe, don't forget to remove bypass plug

Some thoughts

@ April 3, 2013 9:51 AM in Hydronicly Challenged

1. I would never speak for Dan, but in those types of situations, you end up owning the entire problem, and end up working for free, and you'll always be on the hook for anything that goes wrong after that.

2. I would always pick the manifolds with the flow meters. Unless you need practice soldering, the additional $200 would easily be eaten up by labor, 75-plus solder joints for each supply/return, etc.

Some other points
1. how was the heat loss calculated?
2. Can you post pics/diagrams of your plans, you'll get more opinions. The reason why I say this, is you sound super insulated, with large rooms, you should definitely have enough floor space for the btu requirements. The higher, well insulated ceilings arent a propblem with the radiant heat.
3. If I was in your shoes, depending on your location, I would submit the plans to someone who specializes in radiant heat. The few bucks you spend now will be well worth preventing future long term problems. There are some great people here, who are up to date with the latest equipment, practical experience far superior to a supply house, Some supply houses may steer you towards products they sell, and ways they 'always did it'.
Some of the top dogs I would trust in a heartbeat are
Mark Eatherton
Rob @ NRT
Ironman Bob Boan
and many others.
Just search related posts and you you'll see (read) their expertise.

Questions..

@ April 1, 2013 9:00 PM in OnWatch 51 burner monitor

Good price...any problems with any components? Hard to tell when enlarging pic, does it have pressure and vacuum sensors?

little more info...

@ March 18, 2013 5:18 PM in Adding a secondary pump to my radiant heating system

First, I don't think the second pump idea will work.
What pump do you have now?  What are the sizes of all the piping?
What water temp do you have running thru the radiant?
Where are the radiator loops on the diagram, and what temp are they running at.
How many btu's do you need for each loop.
Lets evaluate the design first to make sure it can do what you need it to do as far as flow, btus, right circulator, etc.