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Re: 2 pipe primers never under estimate the stupid
I learned a long time ago that you have to sit back and look at everything at some point. Just assume it was all done wrong and go step by step.
Years ago we were making a power supply for a navy radar system after the original manufacturer went under. Our supply worked great but once in a while a specific fault would show up. Swapping out the supply did not help. After some head scratching i looked at the system that was faulting out and looked at the circuit diagrams for that system.
It turns out we supplied one aux voltage feed (24v nominal) for misc use and that was an unregulated line but one are that aux feed supplied used it as a voltage fault detector. if that ever dropped below 22v it faulted out. We ended up putting a couple of extra turns on the transformer that fed this aux supply and the problem stopped.
That aux feed navy spec was wrong it should have either been a regulated output or had an absolute minimum level specified. By pure chance the original supplier supplied a slightly higher voltage and thus did not fault out.
Always suspect things you know are right, sometimes things change and that that was right isn't anymore.
Bob
Years ago we were making a power supply for a navy radar system after the original manufacturer went under. Our supply worked great but once in a while a specific fault would show up. Swapping out the supply did not help. After some head scratching i looked at the system that was faulting out and looked at the circuit diagrams for that system.
It turns out we supplied one aux voltage feed (24v nominal) for misc use and that was an unregulated line but one are that aux feed supplied used it as a voltage fault detector. if that ever dropped below 22v it faulted out. We ended up putting a couple of extra turns on the transformer that fed this aux supply and the problem stopped.
That aux feed navy spec was wrong it should have either been a regulated output or had an absolute minimum level specified. By pure chance the original supplier supplied a slightly higher voltage and thus did not fault out.
Always suspect things you know are right, sometimes things change and that that was right isn't anymore.
Bob

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Re: NAHB stalls energy efficient code changes for new housing
As a licenced tradesman, I have voted down my small township's adoption of MUBEC "Maine uniform building&energy code" 3 times now.
I built my own home, and if MUBEC were in place I'd have spent at least $15k more. I am below 10btu/ft2, yet my I would have had to build on a frost wall and not on a monolithic slab, due to building occupation.
Basically, all the extra excavation would have cost, and I wouldn't have had the money to put into energy efficiency and air sealing that i did.
I believe in minimum codes (which should be specific to the area) but like most else, it always seems that this stuff goes about 5x too far. It's all or nothing. Where is the middle ground?
My non-code compliant building has about 1/4 the carbon footprint of my neighbors. I can back that up.
Just my thoughts.
I built my own home, and if MUBEC were in place I'd have spent at least $15k more. I am below 10btu/ft2, yet my I would have had to build on a frost wall and not on a monolithic slab, due to building occupation.
Basically, all the extra excavation would have cost, and I wouldn't have had the money to put into energy efficiency and air sealing that i did.
I believe in minimum codes (which should be specific to the area) but like most else, it always seems that this stuff goes about 5x too far. It's all or nothing. Where is the middle ground?
My non-code compliant building has about 1/4 the carbon footprint of my neighbors. I can back that up.
Just my thoughts.
Re: 1725 RPM Motor replacement recommendations please...
Most 1940s and 1950s oil burners used the same standard oil burner motor. https://www.supplyhouse.com/Century-XEL2014-5-5-8-Oil-Burner-Motor-115V-1725-RPM-1-6-HP You are probably correct about the 50+ year old motor. Especially if you never added any oil to the bearings. (Permanently sealed or not)
Re: Radiator Valves
On the pipes -- look at where they come through the floor, or where they are supported or run through joists -- if you can get there! -- andparticularly where they come through the floor, make sure they don't touch or, if they do, slip a piece of slippery plastic -- such as a piece cut from a polyethylene milk jug -- in there. On the radiator itself, I've had some success (not always -- no guarantee) with slipping similar pieces under the feet of the radiator, so it can slide more easily.
Doesn't always work...
Doesn't always work...
Re: Radiator Valves
If the radiator is ticking, that's expansion, not hammering. It may be the radiator, it may be the pipes. Changing vents won't help -- but making sure that the radiator and pipes can expand freely will.
Re: Open radiant heat system not circulating through water heater
I will start right up front: I don't like, and can't recommend open combined radiant heating with domestic hot water. Just too much chance for contamination. OK. I've said that.
Now. How, exactly, is this thing piped? Can you provide a drawing of exactly how the pipes and pump and heater and valves are laid out? We'll help you if we can, but we need that.
Now. How, exactly, is this thing piped? Can you provide a drawing of exactly how the pipes and pump and heater and valves are laid out? We'll help you if we can, but we need that.
Re: 1725 RPM Motor replacement recommendations please...
@swihart_art , can you post a pic of the burner? Many burners did/do use standard motors, but you never know...............
Re: Taco power head terminal 3 as trigger.
Do I presume that you have a separate 24 VAC transformer and circuit wired through terminals 2 and 3 for that relay? That's what you should have...
Re: Steam Rads - Electric Conversion
North York in Toronto has all electric subdivisions. Reason why nobody knows nothing is that there's nothing to fix? Company making liquid filled baseboards was InterTherm in my day. RadiantSystemsInc was the company whose products I used for ceiling height panels. Need an electrician to bring power from floor level. When it comes to comfort a watt may not be a watt. If furniture obscures baseboard then high quality high temperature heat dissipates to lower temperature which may not feel warm unless you crank up thermostat. Radiant heat on the other hand makes you feel warm at lower air temperature.Thank you Jumper! I've learned a lot in this thread: mostly a watt is a watt is a watt (thank you solid fuel man)! Honestly, I'm lost here in Toronto, where electric heat really isn't really common like it is in Quebec--and I haven't been able to find good local advice. It's a substantial investment to install radiant, but I think worth it. My place is definitely not 2000 standards. Proper thermostats will probably be the biggest improvement. All my baseboards have knobs that seem to only set at medium and high. I just moved in last winter and am still getting a feel for my electricity bills. It's been a mild winter so far.
If your Toronto townhouse is up to Canada2000 standards, then it doesn't matter.

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