Best Of
Re: oversized water heater
Just for reference, we have a 75 gallon gas water heater in a 4-unit condo building with 4 bathrooms and 6-8 occupants, and we've never run out of hot water.
As others have pointed out, 200 gallons for a 2-family is massive overkill.
jesmed1
Re: Burner technicians -what’s going on in this industry?
Common sense is something some do not have
Re: Basic Radiator Questions (Noise!)
That WAS a two pipe steam system. It is now a bodge job. The original concept was that the steam was supplied by a boiler, at rather low pressure, and arrived at your radiator, where it condensed and heated the room. The air was released from the radiator through the trap on the right-hand side of your radiator and made its way back to the boiler Very simple. Very quiet.
I agree that it is likely the shiny silver vent was put on because the trap failed. They do if the system isn't maintained. This means that any condensate probably has to try to make its way back to the boiler through the inlet. Now someone decided to put a TRV on the inlet. It may or may not be a correct TRV from a steam system — but unless it is a very unusual one, it is installed in such a way as to almost guarantee to restrict that condensate flow. This will trap condensate in the radiator, and when the TRV opens, it will make objectionable noises.
As a renter there really isn't all that much one can do about it all. Try to get your building manager to get a steam heating person in to examine the whole system; it is unlikely that your installation is the only problem with the system…
Re: Basic Radiator Questions (Noise!)
There's probably nothing you can do. Somewhere there is water pooling in the steam supply pipe (the one on the left). It is likely under the floor. The problem has to be solved by a steam professional hired by the building management. The pitch of the radiator is not going to affect this.
When the heat is likely reduced at night, and this allows that pooled condensate water to cool. Then when there is a call for heat in the early morning, the steam comes into contact with that cool water and it causes the steam to collapse which flings the water against the pipe, causing that sound.
Now that vent on this two pipe radiator is a sign that something is fouled up. And ironically, that might help you. You could rotate the vent so that it's upside down and see if that makes the sound stop. If it does, it will also probably prevent steam from entering the radiator so it may make your room cold.
You could also try adjusting the TRV on the left side, turning it all the way down, but I don't hold out hope it will help much.
Re: Is this normal for a brand new Lochinvar NCF150L
They probably connected the wrong pipes tell them to come fix it, nasty work with that foam too lol. That vent goes up pretty far ideally something would support it. Exhaust always goes above intake, or same level, never below
GGross
Re: Looking for advice on balancing the system in my house to to help with heat and clanging
The return is dry until it comes down to level with the water line and will warm up much more quickly as it is empty. Below the level of the water line the return line is full of water, and the hot condensate drips are diluted. By the time it gets near the Hartford loop it could be cooled off. Warm condensate is a trickle. The water filled return piping is gallons, therefore any temperature change in the return piping is very slow and gradual. Can not use temp. variation to diagnose a clogged return. Most steam water line issues are due to contaminated water. Skimming is often the answer.
Re: Burner technicians -what’s going on in this industry?
I agree with @GroundUp to an extent. There are plenty of losers in the union and out of the union. I ran a job with 8-10 pipe fitters and 4 sheet metal guys and one of the pipefitters feel asleep outside in the blazing sun. Probably had too much liquid lunch so I fired him on the spot. And he had just come back to work after being laid off for two years…….I wonder why!!!!!! And he complained no one would hire him!!! Guess riding the bench didn't teach him anything. And he complained that "black pipe is too hard" & "why wern't we using copper" It was a steam job!! We were an out of town contractor so the other local tried to stick us with him.
But you learn who the good ones are and there were a lot of them at least in my local. I learned a lot from them when I was young. Most of them did a good job and a decent days work.
Re: Return/Condensate pump questions
»someone installed it trying to fix some other problem«
over the years; well designed properly working go astray…..
pumps are sold by well meaning hungry folk.
jumper
Re: Lochinvar WB80 not lighting, many new parts already. SOLVED
Saturday update. Once again thank you to 109A_5 for your help and time on this problem! I have to admit to being confused by the schematic, it seems a lot of those paths are on the circuit board and I'm reluctant to fool with a $1000 board.
HOWEVER, I'm getting intermittent firing again. I believe this is either low voltage due to several factors, or just plain electrical wiring faults. I'm wary of trying to trace any voltage on the control board itself, but I did replace a wire to the DHW tank temp sensor that was so tightly bound to the pipes the heat had melted the casing. However the wire was still good when I checked it with meter. I also pulled a couple connectors off and cleaned with contact cleaner. But, when I hit reset it fired! Ran for about 10 minutes and died.
As it tried to re-ignite I started juggling wires, starting with the connector at the top left that seemed to help the other night:
While I was jiggling this connector it started to fire and I heard a clicking sound coming from this device on the side of the heat exchanger:
Boiler fired as long as I held that top connector with pressure to one side, died when I left off - so, bad connector! But can you please tell me what that device is on the side and why it's clicking? Should I pull it out and inspect? Could it be dirty?
Can it also be I'm chasing a bunch of old connections that are accumulating in low voltage? That 4 pin connector on top (it's either inlet or outlet temp sender) is part of the whole cabinet harness which sells for about $400 (if I can find one) so best bet is to try and find just the connector or jury rig a replacement.
I'm really hoping this is the culprit. We contacted Lochinvar for recommendation on a service provider up here and they referred us to AquaTech which is the outfit handling Lochinvar in Canada. Their rep put us in contact with a guy about 20 miles away, but when we talked to him it was obvious he really didn't know Lochinvars and admitted he was "just a plumber"! Went through all the same basic stuff we've already done. He did suggest we go ahead and try changing the "throttle" on the gas valve, giving it a bit less, or a bit more. Only (really) big problem is that adjustment screw is extremely difficult to get a screwdriver on. It's hidden on the backside of the gas valve, shrouded inside a tube, and the condensate trap blocks access to getting a tool on it. Argh. I can barely get a tool (1/4" drive on extension - no handle) on it. Not even sure if I've turned the screw and if so how much - it's gonna make things worse; I'm leaving it for the original service provider who installed the gas valve to try and adjust when he comes Monday (we contacted them to come do the combustion test when I thought I had the boiler working last Wendsday). Hopefully I can rig something for that 4 pin connector before he gets here.
Good grief, what a **** show.
Re: Replace B&G 100 or use Taco 007 monoflo
Now, of course we size it correctly. In the '90's, at 3:37 am Sunday, with a leaking bearing assembly (not a B&G 100. We carried parts for those.), a 007 always did just fine. There were other circulators that were taller flange to flange. We carried spacer blocks and longer bolts to pipe in a 007. I do not miss those days/nights at all. Using a hack saw to cut rusted bolts. 3 bolt flanges. No isolation valves anywhere. Close the feed and the expansion tank. Drop the pressure and pray you don't have to drain down the whole system and bleed EVERY radiator. Then pray the bleeders haven't been painted over 14 times.
HVACNUT