Heating Help

Pictures

@ June 11, 2013 7:15 AM in Boiler hot, 2 zones, both thermostats turned "Off"

If you post some pictures of your boiler and the piping we can probably narrow down the problem pretty quickly.

Are you also making domestic hot water with your boiler?

Tough to know without seeing it

@ May 10, 2013 6:29 AM in Primary Secondary Problem

Heatpro I think you are doing the right thing, I read this thread and came up with 10 possibilities, Chris covered a few of them. Without being there seeing it and doing the testing they are all just guesses. Let us know what you find.

Chris

@ May 1, 2013 4:30 PM in Taking out a 3 yr old Navian..

This is northern Vermont, 180 degree water temp is seen a bit more than a day or two a year. I think we see periods of cold dropping to -10 or lower for weeks at a time. I agree if heat loss was done by me on the initial install and I sized it for lower water temps it would be a high efficiency unit, but the fact is the baseboard is in place and more often than not they don't want that touched. I guess I like the simplicity and reliability of the GV, coupled with the price, and the ease of install it makes a pretty cost effective and nice option for a low budget boiler swap.

Thanks for the input

@ May 1, 2013 5:43 AM in Taking out a 3 yr old Navian..

I have a really hard time not putting in a known bullet proof reliable boiler at 92% efficient, or a 95% efficient boiler that will need attention in the first 5 years. That is a pretty general statement I know but it seems the case in MOST high efficiency boilers.

Do you really think at design temp of 180 degrees in a cold climate with just baseboard and domestic the higher efficiencies are worth the difference? If it's my house I am leaning toward bulletproof and get what I can I get for savings.

I see a few...

@ April 30, 2013 6:15 PM in Taking out a 3 yr old Navian..

Guys on this thread I would like to answer this question... If the customer is swapping a boiler and has 180 degree designed baseboard in the house and doesn't want to touch it, is a Weil Mclain GV90+ (of course assuming Btu's are spot on) and an on demand a good suggestion? I specifically mean is the GV a good choice? It's been bullet proof for years and it runs at 91-92% all the time. I get a lot of these jobs and feel for reliability and bang for your buck it's a good choice. Ideas?

Sorry to highjack the thread a bit.

Dan

@ April 25, 2013 4:32 PM in Hot Water Recirculation pipe erosion

Have you had the water tested for ph or minerals?

Wow, would not have guessed

@ April 17, 2013 6:21 AM in Strange residue in Giannoni heat exchanger

I completely follow Brownie's statement "condensing boilers are OK if you don't use them in the condensing mode. "

My scenario: I currently service 2 boilers both propane units, installed by others, one is piped old school, that is 4 zones, that is 4 circs and no primary loop just like you would pipe a non condensing. We will call that boiler 1

The other is 2 zones all radiant in the slab it's one level, piped primary secondary. Typically runs at 90 degrees for 6 months at a time. Thats boiler 2

Boiler 1 after 3 years of running needed tuning, customer called and said this thing is thumping a little on take off, so I went there and popped open the heat exchanger, WOW, clean as a whistle. Turns out the installer had pitched the vent pipe the wrong way and it was so long out of the wall that it kept freezing so the customer removed the factory exhaust tip (concentric venting on both units, both units are the same manufacturer) so it was sucking in it's own filthy exhaust air. Fixed vent pipe pitch and tip and did calibration on combustion.

Boiler 2- The first time I showed up the boiler wouldn't run at all and so I pulled apart the Hx and it was full of the coffee grounds and scale junk. I cleaned it thoroughly (I use a toilet brush and water) and it ran great so before adjusting anything I checked the combustion, and it was spot on to the manufacturers spec's. I mean SPOT ON. I assumed it was burning bad and that's what caused the plugged Hx, but 2 years in a row that heavily condensing boiler has plugged solid, so I totally get Brownie's statement.

First time

@ April 14, 2013 7:06 AM in Radiator Hot, Thermostat Off WHY?? Triangle Tube Prestige Excellence

In the front of the unit with the cover off you see a gray honeywell box with the 3 copper lines going into it, thats the 3 way diverter valve. It basically switches from domestic water heating to space heating. I believe when the boiler is just sitting and waiting the 3 way is in heat mode, I may wrong it's been awhile since I worked on a TT.

Possibly

@ April 11, 2013 5:21 PM in help with Laars Endurance

Where are you located? From what I am reading your current and only issue is the flow switch, is that right? It just started randomly or has always been a bit of a problem?

Flow Switch

@ April 4, 2013 6:39 PM in Embassy ONEX

Seems to be like a flow switch issue, it's not seeing the low flow or the flow at all for a bit of time.

Temps

@ April 3, 2013 5:05 PM in radiant calls for heat but making steam for whole house

You dont allow to cool of return water to protect the boiler from condensing.

You typically wire the Tstat to the burner so the burner will run for as long as the house tstat calls and the aquastat that is on the radiant loop will be wired into the burner and the circulator relay box 5 and 6. So when there is a call it powers the circulator, sends a call to the aquastat which will run the burner up to 180 and down to 160. I do suggest getting in a pro to help with the aquastat and wiring setup.

You got it

@ April 3, 2013 6:39 AM in radiant calls for heat but making steam for whole house

You have a full grasp on it, if you disconnect 5 and 6 or the TT back to the boiler you won't be calling the boiler. If you install an aquastat in the loop out of the boiler it will come up and down as it should. Make sure that the aquastat is high enough in temp to protect your boiler from too low of return water temp. Another caution is if you are not running some sort of heat exchanger then make sure you dont have any iron products in the radiant zone, such as the pump or black iron fittings the water that comes out of the boiler has lots of air.

where does the TT go

@ April 2, 2013 7:10 AM in radiant calls for heat but making steam for whole house

If there isn't an aquastat controlling the boiler on the hydronic heat side then the boiler will run like a steam boiler, but if the aquastat interrupts the call to the burner at 180 down to 160 then the boiler will not make steam.

Pro's

@ April 1, 2013 6:47 AM in Help identifying what I've got

Be careful when it comes to "pro's", remember a "pro" probably installed this current problem.

Tstat

@ March 23, 2013 6:51 AM in radiant calls for heat but making steam for whole house

Did you land both the steam tstat and the radiant tstat on the TT of the burner? I had a customer who did that and man it was warm in there when I showed up to change it. If you did, the boiler will make steam as long as the radiant tstat calls, you would need to install a separate aquastat to call the boiler that would come on and off with water temperature and not allow the boiler to get warm enough to make steam.

I've had both

@ March 23, 2013 6:45 AM in Sprinter look a like from Fiat

The 2007 is awesome for it's room and smooth ride. Its the long wheelbase which helps a lot in the winter driving conditions. The 2004 was awesome in the summer when I was getting 28 - 29 MPG the 2007 goliath is only at 24 in the summer 18 in the winter combined driving. These vans are very much like the new mod cons, they need VERY specific service in proper intervals by qualified techs or the problems will come. In all the miles I put on both vans the only non wear part I put in was a computer in the 04 under warranty so no big deal. Diesels require proper break in times and need to be fussed over like a bad customer if you don't want that headache steer clear and buy the gasser.
When the Ford does show up I may go with the ecoboost gas based purely on the boat load of emissions they will be forced to put on the diesel to meet EPA standards.

Hopefully

@ March 21, 2013 2:02 PM in Sprinter look a like from Fiat

One of these companies can step up with an AWD or even better 4WD option. Ford has sort of thought about it but hasn't committed.

Zman is correct

@ March 15, 2013 5:41 PM in propane wall mount boiler

I second Zman in his comments. I have a few Ti150's out there with out a problem. Don't just toss the boiler, have a qualified guy come and do it right.

scrooge

@ March 15, 2013 5:39 PM in LAARS Endurance EBP 110 help!

Try pulling the front door off and run it. If it runs without problems for a day or two you need a heat tech with a combustion analyzer to set up the burner properly after he does a thorough cleaning on the unit. The LO is a pretty common problem when you are not set up for combustion quite right and these Laars are finicky.

as usual

@ March 15, 2013 6:52 AM in Delta T issue

I want pictures of the boiler set up and any pics I can get of the manifolds. Your write up was precise but I can't start thinking like a marble without pics!

Its a hard find

@ March 15, 2013 6:46 AM in WTB: Ridgid 1210

I have been watching local Craigslists and when I say local I mean within 400 miles of Vt and found nothing. I have a 700 and 1822-I and the hand set. The 700 is to much of a bother for me to actually use for the small jobs and to slow to use on the big jobs. I would trade or that thing anytime. I will keep searching

thanks heatpro

@ March 14, 2013 5:56 AM in WTB: Ridgid 1210

For that kind of money I think I will give it a try. I am a Ridgid guy, but I am also a student of economics, mainly how much stays in my pocket.