Heating Help

Dead Compressors

@ October 8, 2011 12:36 PM in Another one bites the dust!

No suction accumulators on this job.Every running comp was a big ball of ice. Superheat was 1*-3* ,I'm inclined to belive accumulators would not have helped .Every suction press was below 58psi (r-22) and thats in the freezing range. NO glycol allowed. They once had a production line heat-x  fail and the glycol screwed up the works.

The TRUTH!!!

@ October 8, 2011 9:01 AM in Another one bites the dust!

I have been in the total HVACR -ICE profession for 40 plus years. I have some 200 + school/classes/seminars some by Dan Holohan ,John Barba,Burnham Boiler Co,.I.B.R. and others. I'll bet that those "hydronic formulas" are in over 50 of my hundreds and hundreds of books. Between you and me I did not KNOW those formulas, never had to! I have maybe 10 hydronic heating customers.Two Steamers too ! But ,this Chiller job FORCED me into formulas. I asked for help from Taco ,the Chiller mfg., the heat-x mfg,and others. EVERY ONE OF THEM spoke GPM, Flow,BTU's, AND FORMULAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So. I had a lot of reviewing to do in a hurry! I even used my 25-30 year old SystemSizer for the very 1st time. WOW!! I thank each and every one of those Educators, Engineers ,and Gil Carlson!

Duster

@ October 7, 2011 7:36 PM in Another one bites the dust!

There was only enough heat in the 260 GPM to properly supply 6 comps. So w/ 10 comps running all 10 were starving for heat to boil off the freon.Liquid freon does some damage to a Scroll comp.  

Dampers

@ October 7, 2011 3:38 PM in Warm air seeping out of hydroair vents

That is exactly what that sounds like.Being stuck could be anything from a stuck mouse/squirll to a loose /missing Allen Fitting to a few other reasons. Can you see the actual damper/motor assy.? Usually a few screws hold the damper in place. Can you pull the damper out an inch or two ? If so ,check the damper position and turn the t'stat up all the way and recheck the damper, then turn the t'stat all the way down and recheck.

Another one bites the dust!

@ October 7, 2011 8:10 AM in Another one bites the dust!

Finally figured out why 8-10 compressors have died and 2 brazed plate heat-x ruptured.Repaires/replace have cost/will cost  a LOT!!!!!! Each comp is 15 ton. The chilled water loop is good for 260GPM and the 10 compressors require 450GPM. Go figure! Now, the "fix em' up time" is here! This is a new customer to me,they HAD problems  w / the Chilled Water. WHAT A RUSH I GOT  !!!!!!!!!  

TRV's

@ October 7, 2011 7:44 AM in Cant figure out how to work this thing!!

Hay Camera Guy, are your two photos,  taken of the same radiator/TRV ? It must be my eyes!

Return line

@ October 6, 2011 9:00 PM in Hammer after new boiler

Is the return line at the boiler sized properly?

Pilot

@ October 6, 2011 8:53 PM in Main burner blowing pilot off.

is the manifold press supposed to be 4.0"wc  or 3.5"wc. ? Is the pilot/thermopile  positioning to each other correct? Can you measure the pilot orifice w/  a "orifice drill bit index " set ? Is the pilot flame adjustable? Is pilot flame/main burner distance correct?

Still.

@ October 5, 2011 4:28 PM in Stupid Steam Question?

How many gallons of wine are in the Still ? How fast does the wine have to get up to temp in? The faster the better? How long does the wine stay @ this temp? Was it always 1 boiler -1 Still ?

Good catch

@ October 4, 2011 5:14 AM in High co

Robert! I didn't even catch that accent!

Traps

@ October 4, 2011 5:08 AM in Issue with my American Standard High Eff Furnace

Traps for furnaces are different then boilers.Some furnace traps are little ,black plastic ,un-take-apart-able, 1 1/2" x 2 7/8" x 4" or something like that. The stuff from the combustion air is part of the stuff in the trap. How many CFM of combustion air  for a therm of gas ? How many GPM or GPH or GPD goes thru the trap ?

STEVEusaPA.

@ October 3, 2011 6:12 PM in Second thoughts - help appreciated

OUCH! an HVAC tech. R, also!


LOL

Furnace

@ October 3, 2011 3:49 PM in Issue with my American Standard High Eff Furnace

Sounds like it could be a patially plugged trap for the flue gas condensate. Shutting the unit down allows time for the trap to drain ,then restarting the unit the condensate will build up in the trap after running for a certain ammount of time. Remove the trap, use white vinegar in the trap ,shake,shake, shake and pour it down the sink drain. Flush w/ lots of hot water and junk should come out of the trap.Do that several times,until the trap is clear. Re-install and run . Upon a call for heat the furnace starts and flue gas condensate forms. Upon a back-up of condensate the unit trips off by the safety pressure switch and "locks out"after several attempts for heat .But the unit is still calling for heat so the "timer" for the fan brings  the fan on.

Wiring

@ October 2, 2011 10:29 AM in First Company VFD Air HAndler Wiring

The power for the  24v control wiring goes from the hot side of the xformer TO the "R" terminal in the AHU ,then from "R" terminal it goes TO the t'stat "RC" terminal, then from the t'stat "Y" terminal the power goes BACK to the AHU "Y" terminal and on to the AC. Then, IF, the heat has it's own 24vac xformer then the hot side of the heat xformer goes TO the t'stat "RH" terminal (NO jumper between RC -RH) and then BACK to the heat thru the t'stat "W" terminal. OR ,depending, a relay at the heat xformer can control the heat thru the relays contacts. And then back @ the t'stat put IN  a jumper from "RC" to "RH" then the( AHU 24v power) power goes thru the "W" terminal to the (heat )relay coil. Or a few other ways.
What is the heat source?

Burner/Boiler

@ September 29, 2011 1:38 PM in Up in smoke again

Both need to be vac'ed out. Not just the burner .

Hartford Loop,

@ September 27, 2011 6:43 PM in What's up with these pipes?

Is there one lurking down there?

Garage's

@ September 26, 2011 5:42 PM in Safety of gasoline in basement with RC98i water heater.

also have cars ,which have gasoline in them . I think there is a "equipment hight " above the garage floor rule! Yes/No ? I'm not saying to store gas filled containers , I'm just saying!

Also,keep in mind ,

@ September 26, 2011 5:26 PM in Cannot line chimney

some brave soul, w/ tools has to Hop/Skip/Jump /Crawl/Dance his way out to that chimney and back several times on any service call relating to that thing WAY OUT THERE ,alot of times!

Great link,

@ September 26, 2011 6:37 AM in Joist Bay Return

thanks Robert! Hay, Professor,in that EV Article they mentioned the targeted return static pressure was .05"w.c.  As Carrier and other mfg's have taught ,the return static press is figured for .08 -.06" w.c.  depending. Is the .05 a new standard ? Or just their choice for sizing?As always,curious!
With ANY of the above mentioned return static press's the return duct is LARGER then the supply trunk, every single time! We find so many under sized returns,but, we get to straighten them out.So, thanks! Having talked w/ many guy's who are mechanics/duct designers that install undersized returns I think the answer lays in the numbers. Carrier's( and others) basic residential duct sizing is usually 0.10" for the supply and .08" ( or .06 ) for the return .Now enters "fuzzy math ",many of the many guys I have spoken  to simply say , "well. .10 is 100% right! so .08 is 80% right! So, the return duct is supposed to be smaller! " I've convince only a few mechanics/duct designers of the proper sizing methods. One guy in particular installed hundred  and hundreds of systems for Sears,he also works for Brookhaven National Lab. After our "math" dicussion he went to several  Engineers @ BNL  and he was suprised and dimayed  to find out that .08 is not 80% . He instantly changed his return duct designing.

Nice set up!.

@ September 24, 2011 5:45 PM in WM Ultra Boiler and Carrier Infinity Heat Pump

If you are operating regular baseboard with a regular baseboard temp of 180* F then compare COP's ,BTU's and comfort. The HeatPump will carry your heat load down to about what temp? The HP can be the 1st stage of heat and the BB can be 2nd stage. The Ultra will not be a "condensing boiler " at regular baseboard temps!

Return duct

@ September 24, 2011 4:58 PM in Joist Bay Return

As the Professor said -ductwork the return. But, keep in mind a 14" x 8" will carry about 500CFM of air, a 14x10 return will carry about 700CFM . One ton of AC is 400 CFM , 5tons is 2000 CFM. And a 14x 31/2  wall return is about 150 CFM .How many returns do you have? The return register has to have a bigger dimention than the duct , the register should have a " free air opening " measurement . If not, then the duct CFM drops.
icesailor , we, insulate our returns when in an uncoditioned environment . I believe every mfg ( Carrier,York ,etc. ) says to insulate in unconditioned spaces, as does EVERY originazation -RSES , NATE , ACCA. So, we AirHeads  have some " not -so- gooders " in our ranks. I apologize for all of those hoopel's. But, a dope is a dope!

Chimney

@ September 21, 2011 5:53 PM in Cannot line chimney

Re-doing everything is crazy. Using a vent assist fan , power assist, is out of the question ? If so, then ripping out the existing chimney might be a possibility. As far as I know ,single wall " A " vent is not for outdoor/cold applications . If used double wall "B " vent might have to be enclosed,depending. Can you open a couple of holes in the walls to see this "square to rectangle " piece? If you're doing this once then stainless might be the way to go.