Best Of
Re: Proposed Piping Layout
Thanks @Big Ed_4 , the purpose of the mixing valve is boiler return water protection, it keeps the return above 130 degrees. When it is just Zone 1 running, since the piping and radiation was designed for another era, it would take over 45 minutes to get the return temperature over 120-125
The smaller zones, 2-4, never had that issue since the mass is much smaller, but I think I read that Dan's book suggests having the boiler protection in place.
DJDrew
Re: What I think
You made the right decision then, no one would invest in a 37 year old system.
What's your design temp there?
ChrisJ
Re: Possible Tekmar replacement or tweaks?
Tek mar is the best. The other option is a Heat Timer which is big $$$ and does not work as well. Balance the system with venting and run the pressure as low as possible.
Re: What I think
I take it as it uses X amount of fuel, and produces X amount of heat output.
I'm not sure how else it could be taken? How else would you size a furnace? The input amount is only relevant to sizing the fuel source. The Bonnet capacity would be the only thing you have to go on for sizing it to the structure.
However,
This is really, really far off topic. Maybe we need a new thread about older equipment and alleged efficiencies.
ChrisJ
Re: Heating an Old House: Gas Heat Options
It all depends on what you want to spend and how the existing work is done. If you extend the existing ductwork to the 1st floor the ac will never be even between the floors unless you zone it. You could add ac to the first floor. You could add a hydroair coil to the existing furnace and control the blower to heat the second floor off the boiler. You could add hydronic emitters to the second floor and add either mini split or ducted ac to the first floor with a separate system. There are lots of options.
mattmia2
Re: Minisplit sizing - 1920’s Victorian in Northeast
You aren't even close to having enough information yet. With no wall insulation, this house is not a great candidate for heat pumps. Spend the money on tightening up the envelope and insulating and they will save more in the long run.
Re: Maid-O-Mist Failure Rate ?
Today they say "made in USA" on the box. There was a time a couple years ago when they didn't say that and I don't know if they were made overseas but I would think if your stuff was made in USA you'd proudly state it (as they do today).
Re: Clogged steam mains
Or a serious lack of main vents?
For Chicagoland, get in touch with @The Steam Whisperer .
Real efficiency gain potential vs sales fantasy vs as installed efficiency.
With regard to burning things and efficiency gains, the days of lots of low hanging fruit are limited. Finding a natural draft iron block serving a radiant slab is more and more rare where I am. New stuff that will save a substantial chunk of energy is less and less likely to be true.
Many boiler swaps are high efficiency for high efficiency with barely a real improvement in 20+ years. The physics of extracting heat from combustion are not going to change, the materials aren't going to change much either. 97% seem a reasonable peak to assume it won't be bested by much. Bean counters are pushing engineers to reduce costs. You can sell reliability or durability or repair-ability or even safety but selling new equipment has superior efficiency is most of the time, around here, sales talk nonsense. I was putting in 90+ equipment way back when and that's what's being replaced now. ECM isn't all that new anymore and isn't a quantum leap in savings.
New is more of just a re-up and not a substantial improvement in most cases. Yes a skilled tech can fetishist-ize efficiency with design and tuning, if the customer wants to pay for that. Most don't. New is simply a heat exchanger that's not plugged up or doesn't leak or components that don't have a million cycles on them or don't have an existing design/ build error or aren't rebreathing. Those pushing new gas burners as more efficient, better, high tech are either buying their own BS or are small cons. I know there are always some small gains on the table in addition to efficiency but it's diminishing returns at some point.
How high efficiency equipment is installed and used can make it very mid. and there's little honesty about that pre-sale. Efficiency tales are a bit of a contractors figs leaf covering up max. profit seeking and squelching repair. It's ok, it's natural to seek max. profit. Just be honest about it. Covering it up with half truths is shady.
Teemok
Re: New Century House with Two Pipe Steam - Questions
It depends how tight the system is. If it is relatively leak free it can draw a vacuum but that is the least of your current problems.
There should be those vent traps at the end of each main and they all need to work. There also needs to be a way for the returns to vent because that is how the radiators vent. If it isn't venting it may compress the air enough to allow some steam in to some of the radiators.
mattmia2