Heating Help

2-Pipe, air vent system.

@ May 15, 2012 6:34 AM in Radiator rating

Jeff,
That's an odd one, but don't change it.
It's a 2-pipe, air vent system and it was installed in the early days of steam before thermostatic traps were invented.

Each radiator needs what we now know as a 1-pipe air vent and some steam will always make it into the return. It's designed to work that way.

Good luck with it.

45-gallon

@ March 19, 2012 2:47 PM in Weil-McLain Indirects, no more tank-in-tank?!?! What happened?

I put in the 45 gallon unit. The Tech guy told me it's a 1" coil with 1.5 ft/hd.

Anyway, it's working fine as far as I can tell.

Well....

@ March 10, 2012 6:15 AM in Weil-McLain Indirects, no more tank-in-tank?!?! What happened?

I called WM to express my concerns and they assured me the 1" coil caused only a 1.5 ft/hd pressure drop. Some coil/tanks have a 12 ft/hd drop which means use big pumps or suffer reduced output.

I'll be installing one soon, so I'll take a good look.
Thanks for the reassuring post, KCA.

Weil-McLain Indirects, no more tank-in-tank?!?! What happened?

@ March 5, 2012 4:59 PM in Weil-McLain Indirects, no more tank-in-tank?!?! What happened?

I always preferred the tank-in-tank design for its low head pressure and high recovery.

I think Triangle Tube made the product for WM.

Why did they switch?

I'm kind of freakin' out here.

No.

@ March 1, 2012 1:19 PM in correct boiler size?

Changes in building envelope are not a factor in determining replacement boiler size.

I also don't always measure a radiator. By now I've come to know a radiator's dimensions by the manufacturer and style. Counting sections is a must.

That sounds like something...

@ February 27, 2012 3:39 PM in Gravity conversion to constant circulation w/ odr?

I'll take a look at Taco. I know they've got a lot of new stuff these days.

Thanks, Frank.

JC

Gravity conversion to constant circulation w/ odr?

@ February 27, 2012 10:32 AM in Gravity conversion to constant circulation w/ odr?

Hello all,
I'm looking for any documentation to support my advice to a friend who's being advised by his oil company to install an aquastat on his heat-only boiler to prevent condensing via a high Delta-T.

I've had great success using outdoor reset and circulation below warm weather shutdown.

I'd appreciate any help finding something to support the practice.

Thanks,
JohnNY

Thanks, Alan.

@ January 4, 2012 6:45 AM in Burnham Alpine Bulletin

Great, informative post.

12°F / -11°C in NYC this morning!

@ January 4, 2012 6:40 AM in 12°F / -11°C in NYC this morning!

Boiler upgrade anyone?

Energy Star eliminated programmable thermostats?

@ December 29, 2011 8:55 AM in Energy Star eliminated programmable thermostats?

In this article, the paragraph that starts, "Half of your home's energy...." states that Energy Star program has eliminated programmable thermostats as a category.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/01/technology/personaltech/nest-learning-thermostat-sets-a-standard-david-pogue.html?_r=2

When did that happen? Any press announcements on this?

Thanks,
JohnNY

Location, location, location

@ December 17, 2011 7:11 PM in Steam radiators and air vents (for homeowners)

Don't put the vent at the bottom. It'll foul up with crud in no time. Tap the radiator to accept an 1/8th inch thread in the middle of the end section.

Great post

@ December 11, 2011 7:48 AM in domestic hot water heater

Thanks for this, Mark.

Oil to gas burner only

@ December 10, 2011 6:28 AM in Burnham V8 conversion to NG

Any time I've ever asked a manufacturer about this, or an I=B=R rep, I've been told that oil boilers are made to exchange and vent the heating properties directly associated with the hotter flame of oil and that changing a burner alone would not create a desirable, long term condition in a boiler at the residential level of construction.

Thoughts on this are appreciated, gentlemen.

Yes.

@ December 7, 2011 8:00 AM in Should my plumber know what I mean by 'clean and tune'

We do a clean and safety check for an annual fee for our service agreement customers.
Where we see an older boiler or evidence of a problem we do combustion tests, thermal scans, meter clocking, draft test, etc.

If these are foreign concepts to your plumber then you need someone else to take care of your boiler. Use your plumber to clear your clogged drains.

oh no

@ November 22, 2011 1:46 PM in plumber here 'skimming' ???

Terrifying installation.
It should look more like this one in the picture. But then again I'm biased:

Your Favorite Snowmelt Heat Exchanger?

@ November 17, 2011 8:02 AM in Your Favorite Snowmelt Heat Exchanger?

What are you guys using for a heat exchanger these days for glycol systems?

Gravity

@ November 11, 2011 6:16 PM in gravity hot water conversion

I find that constant circulation via an outdoor reset device like a tekmar 260 provides the most even distribution.

Thanks, Ron

@ October 29, 2011 4:28 PM in A Newly-Installed Steam Boiler. (aka Showing Off Again)

I value your opinion and thank you very much.

I don't like to answer questions with an opinion...

@ October 29, 2011 1:34 PM in Installing outdoor reset thermistor in air intake

...but I do think the rapid changes in temperature between the boiler being idle and still connected to the heat exchanger and the drop from the incoming air will do nothing good for the reset curve.

That said, I'd love for you to try it and let us know how it went.

That loop...

@ October 29, 2011 6:37 AM in A Newly-Installed Steam Boiler. (aka Showing Off Again)

...is a connection to a dry return.

Oh!

@ October 29, 2011 6:36 AM in Installing outdoor reset thermistor in air intake

No. You can't do that. You,d need a constant draw from outside or it won't work. 1

Well....

@ October 28, 2011 8:50 AM in A Newly-Installed Steam Boiler. (aka Showing Off Again)

....we did some measuring from the spec sheet first and pre-cut and threaded some of the header in the shop.