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Re: Are all radiator traps created equal?

Keep in mind that proper application is crucial to longevity.

mattmia2

1

Re: Oversized boiler suggestions

If your 605 EDR is correct, as others have said it is properly sized. I have an ~1870 house in MA that is only 1800 square feet. Blown in insulation in the walls/attic and new windows and doors so I'd say it is tighter than the average older house, but still far from perfect.

We have an EDR of 230 and an oversized boiler with a capacity of about 350. My system is balanced and vented properly but does cycle on pressure because it is oversized. That said, December was colder than usual and our gas bill was $350. We used about 10% more therms than the year prior but it cost us another $100, the price of gas has gone up.

Some thoughts/questions:

What type of system do you have? One or two pipe? Counterflow or wet/dry returns?
With 605 EDR you should have some very robust main venting. Probably 2 or more Gorton #2's on each main. More is better. Consider venting long runouts or risers as well. This will help balance the system.
Install a low pressure gauge. 0-3psi at most. Since your system appears to be properly sized the used steam should condense at roughly the same rate as your boiler can produce steam. You shouldn't build much pressure at all.
Does your pressuretrol ever cycle on pressure? Yours is set a tad high but nothing of big concern. Does the needle ever move on that 0-30psi gauge?
I suspect a Vaporstat operating at ounces is more appropriate for your situation, but if you never build pressure it won't save you money. Just set the pressuretrol as low as it will go.
Vari-valves vent ALOT even at the lowest settings. This can make it hard to balance radiators. Consider using Maid O Mist's as you can swap orifices to optimize the venting. In rooms that get too hot, use the smallest orifice….#4. In rooms that don't heat up enough…increase the venting orifice size, they screw on/off easily.

I'll copy that it sounds like a balancing problem, not a boiler problem. But if you are shutting off radiators you are effectively reducing your overall EDR….which will mimic an oversized boiler. In this case it will waste some fuel but nothing horrendous like 2x the usage.

AdmiralYoda

1

Re: Hot Water radiant heat system not outputting enough heat diagnosis help

Well the pump is installed wrong so it's a good chance it failed earlier than you'd like. They don't want the pump shafts to be vertical on those things. It's also some pretty darn small piping, how many BTU is the boiler rated for?

GGross

3

Re: Used Diesel While We Wait for Delivery = Black Smoke

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1833532#Comment_1833532

But you can't really put big loads on the lighting sections (unusual that it has 2 lighting sections instead of one, I've never seen that before), big loads should go on the main section although they could possibly go on a lighting section if you are careful about your load calculations. You could feed a subpanel off the main section but at that point you might as well just replace it with a new main breaker panel.

mattmia2

2

Re: Used Diesel While We Wait for Delivery = Black Smoke

split bus panels are used for cost. up to 60 a breakers and fuses are commodity items and much less expensive than 100 a + breakers and fuses. mostly used in housing developments where someone is trying to save $50 per house on the panel. they can make sense where you have a lot of subpanels or outbuildings or big loads. looks like the 2023 code requires an outdoor service disconnect and essentially requires only one disconnecting means in each cabinet so split bus panels would no longer be allowed in new installations as service equipment.

when the 2023 code gets adopted in your state and if the state doesn't alter that part

mattmia2

3

Re: can the wrong nozzle size cause damper to blow off on oil-fired boiler?

Riello specs a .65 60°A or .65 60°B at 190 psi for the G115/4. No 80° angle mentioned.

The draft regulator needs to be secured with screws. Even if it's not, it shouldn't blow out. Combustion needs to checked and adjusted with an analyzer, smoke tester, and set draft for -.02 breach with 0 to slightly positive over fire.