Heating Help

ok, were getting somewhere....

@ May 10, 2012 4:29 PM in Taco sr606

glad to see you followed my advice to disconnect the tsat wires.  Next step...disconnect the tsat wires going to the thermostat, leaving the tstat wires in the relay...if the lights go off, its the tstat.   If the lights stay on its the wiring.
You can double check that by removing the tsat wires from the tstat, and removing them from the relay.  Use your meter to see if your getting continuity. If you are, with all wires disconnected, your wire is bad/shorting out.
I would follow up, like ME said, with taco, regarding power stealing t'stats.
Also Taco has a wiring book that's pretty excellent, and covers all wiring options.

When you say....

@ May 9, 2012 5:55 PM in Taco sr606

"Can a taco box work with tekmar boxes?"  What are you trying to accomplish?
Do you mean can you wire a taco zone control to a tekmar boiler control?  Sure.
When you say the zone lights are on, but the thermostats are not calling, are the circs running?  What happens when you disconnect the t'stat from the 506?  If the circs are still getting power, then the taco is bad.
Provide a little more info, and people will be glad to help.

Sure...

@ May 9, 2012 5:40 PM in Old radiant system

I think you would benefit both in comfort, and savings by changing some near boiler piping, and adding outdoor reset to all zones, and a mixing valve to mix down your radiant, and like Paul said, to protect your boiler. 
Please make sure you have someone who knows what they're doing.
Ask them to perform a complete heat loss for your home, to determine how many btu's you need for each zone, and at what temperatures.  If they dont want to do any of the calculating, don't let them do any of the piping/controls.
JMO.

Tell us a little more ....

@ May 9, 2012 5:32 PM in air in heating pipes

About your system.  If you can, take some pictures showing all the piping around the boiler.  And especially show your expansion tank.
For starters, 2 different things could be going on.  You have a small leak, and when your feed is opening up, letting in fresh water, the air cant get out, and stays airbound.  Or something is up with your piping, and the air vent is sucking in air, and sending it around the system to get trapped somewhere else.

YIKES

@ May 6, 2012 9:56 PM in oil fired hot water run with out water

PLEASE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, DO NOT PLUG THE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE. EVER!!!
As the others have said, you need to get a pro in there, there are a few on this site near your area.
Also, you need to keep the flooring guy to stop touching your system.

I have some ideas

@ May 5, 2012 3:46 PM in Need help with heating & hot water setup for tight space

But I'm on the road, typing on my phone. But someone will pop on to help you.
Energy kinetics and Buderus make boilers that stack on top of an indirect.
I also can't believed, no mater how poorly insulated, you need 100,000 btus for 1200 sq ft, only exposed on 2 sides.
Some wall mounts can use the same venting you're using now.
If no one responds, I'll get back on tomorrow.

Isnt Gerry Gill...

@ May 4, 2012 4:05 PM in steam boiler written spec needed

in Ohio? He's listed on this site.

I think he was referring to Dan's newsletter.

@ May 3, 2012 3:51 PM in Critical article on Tankless water heaters

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/are-tankless-water-heaters-waste-money?lookup=auto&V27=R&V28=5&V29=10&V30=N&V31=&V32=0&V33=0&V34=0&V35=0&V55=01-JAN-2013&V56=0&Taun_Per_Flag=True&utm_source=email&utm_medium=eletter&utm_term=water-heating&utm_content=20120416-concrete-countertops&utm_campaign=fine-homebuilding-eletter&utm_source=May+3%2C+2012&utm_campaign=Email+Newsletter+Analytics&utm_medium=email

I think,

@ May 3, 2012 3:48 PM in Computer programs to run your business ?

Unless you have a large company, Wintac is a pretty expensive propostion.
How exactly are you using it in/for your business?

Can you give us a little more info???

@ May 3, 2012 3:46 PM in making a conversion

What did each person propose (equipment, oil/gas, piping changes, control strategy,etc)?
Please leave out the pricing.
Either application can work fine, depending on all the other factors.  Luckily neither one suggested not relining the chimney.

Geez Dan....

@ May 3, 2012 3:40 PM in In ceiling electric radiant heat and lights

If you can't find out, what kind of radiant is in your ceiling, how do you expect anyone to help?
There's no way to contact previous owners to find out who installed it?  Maybe a permit was pulled and you can find the contractor.
Other then that, when you say use it as a back up, do you mean only when there's a problem with the gas, or do you need it on the coldest day of the year?
The only other options, and others I'm sure may have a better solutions, get an infrared camera, fire up the radiant, and mark on the ceiling where the wires are running.  If your lucky and it works, you'll see some initial striping.
Anyone? Anyone else?

Yup.

@ May 3, 2012 3:33 PM in Drippy Relief

I think you definately need an expansion tank.
Look at page 9.
http://www.triangletube.com/documents/2/Smart-PhaseIII-TR-Manual.pdf
Regarding the shower issues, how is the recirc line, and pump controlled?
edit:  Also you'll need another check in the cold domestic side.

Some opinions

@ May 1, 2012 3:50 PM in L8184E, 2 circulators, one T calls, high limit exceeded

I think your high limit isnt working, or isnt working correctly, for starters.  It should either work everytime or it needs to be replaced.  I would pull it, make sure you have some well grease, then reinsert it.  If the doesnt fit snug in the well, make sure you slightly bend the wire to ensure the bulb is making contact with the well.  Then fire it back up, either on the small zone, or disconnect the circulator and let it run up the temp and see if it shuts off on high limit.  If it doesnt, or does sometimes and not others, you need to replace it.
The small zone just might be the reason why it's running up to limit, but the limit should work when either zone calls, and shut down the burner.
Checking the smaller zone circuit.  Go through your basic trouble shooting. Check all wire connections. Going into the relay, are you getting 120v?  Coming out of the relay, are you getting 120v (when the tsat is calling for heat)?  Check your low voltage side. Going into the circ, same testing.  If everything is ok there, then you can move on to see if the zone is getting heat.  Do you have enough pressure?  Did you confirm with a separate gauge?  Bleed the zone again (circ off).  Call for heat in the zone, check supply and return pipes.  Could be bad/wrong circ, bad impeller, flow check stuck, or built up with crud and cant fully open/close.  This might be why you get heat when the other zone calls.  Is there a flow check on this loop?
You could repipe with one circ with a zone valves.  However, you might run into a balancing problem when both zones are calling.  So you will need to consider that with a re-pipe.
I would solve your first problems via troubleshooting, and worry about re-piping and a different control strategy second.  Like resident gure Icesailor always says, If it was working before, what changed?

Henry is spot on...good point!

@ April 29, 2012 3:44 PM in Chimney: Is B-vent on top of masonry chimney possible?

After all of that, go with the SS. Aluminum can even be damaged during transport

I agree

@ April 29, 2012 3:38 PM in Return Air Duct: Incline Necessary?

Probably just a little laziness from the Installer (finish quicker or go get one more piece?), or maybe there are some takeoffs coming out of the top of the return.

I think...

@ April 29, 2012 3:34 PM in Manually opening Erie zone valve sends power to the end switch?

It just detected some flow. Did you remove power to the valve before switching it to manual?

Jim......

@ April 29, 2012 3:27 PM in Radiant layout

What size tubing & how are you fastening it? Staple up w/without plates, staple down for wet bed, subray, warmboard, tying to wire mesh?

Last thing first.......

@ April 26, 2012 2:37 PM in Opinions please on outside reset controls

Outdoor reset may not cure your expansion noises.  Depends on the cause of the noise.  If its rubbing against some bare wood, in through a tight hole, for example, you're still going to hear it.
You could easily go with a Taco zone control, with ODR, & priorty for DHW.  Or a Tekmar unit, with a Zone Manager.  Also Beckett makes the AquaSmart & Heat Manager products.
Any one of these, applied properly to your application, will save you some money.

yes.. you need to do more...

@ April 26, 2012 2:31 PM in Infloor PEX tubes at control joints

Here's something that should help
http://www.wattsradiant.com/support/literature/#/wattsradiant-products-hydronic-radiantpex-radiantpexal/WR_RadiantPEX_Manual

Ice....

@ April 24, 2012 9:32 PM in 007 Whole Building Backflow Preventer

I probably could've phased my reply differently. Instead of 'mandated' I should've said they don't enforce it. And local municipalities don't require it unless its new construction or a plumbing permit is pulled on a remodel.

Govt strikes again.

@ April 24, 2012 11:40 AM in 007 Whole Building Backflow Preventer

Around here they havent mandated it, but the water company has taken the lead.  And they have plenty of leverage.

Oldieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....

@ April 20, 2012 10:58 AM in Might be puchasing a home with original 1950's boiler?

Please remember, you're not suppose to discuss pricing.
It's definately old, probably a gravity system (did you see any circulators?)
You are correct to start with a full heat loss, and replace with a new, non-condensing oil boiler, unless you can get gas on your street.  Then you can go with a mod-con, or even propane. The new one will be much smaller.  And you could eventually do youre domestic hot water off of it when the hot water heater goes.
Chimney lining is definately recommended, considering you'll only need a 5 or 6 inch flue.  You really should have the unit evaluated before putting it into service.  One like this I saw in the fall, similiar situation, was burning with best adjustment over 1000ppm of carbon monoxide in the flue, with about 8ppm around the appliance.  So it was replaced.
Peerless is fine, just make sure you get a boiler with a swing out door for inspection and cleaning.  Also even without the new regs, you should get outdoor reset, and definitatly make sure (if its non-condensing) that the plumber put in a bypass line (or 4way mixing).  If he doesnt know what that is, or says you dont need it, you should find someone else.  Burnham MPO is also a nice cast iron boiler.
Before you do the heatloss, you really have to figure out the insulation.  It will make a big difference in the size of your boiler, and you dont ever want to oversize.  And consider if you're replacing the windows, also will affect boiler size.  With a heatloss program, you can put the info in as is, get your total loss, then with upgraded windows, and insulation, and get your total loss.  Once again, dont oversize.
For programs, why not have the contractor do the heat loss.  If he doesnt own the software, and he should, usually the supply house has great (expensive) software and will perform the heatloss for contractors who buy from them as a courtesy.  Slantfin has a free program to download.  You do need a working knowledge of doing a heat loss to get accurate numbers.