Best Of
Re: True variable speed pump
The HEC-2 does have a minimum speed (see here http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLibrary/100-101.pdf) for the performance curve. You can get to the low speed and achieve that 1-2 gpm you are looking for. 1 to 2 gallons or minute is 20,0000 BTU's on a design day. If your system is about that size, you are right, it will be hard to vary below that speed.
How much baseboard is connected to your system?
Also, are you looking for a variable speed circulator or a high efficient ECM circulator?
Dave H
Re: Equalizer Return
It carries water, not steam so it can be smaller. Pipe diameter doesn't figure into delivering pressure to the return.
Re: Beckett Oil to Propane conversion kit: requesting advice / suggestions
I have an 1,800 sf home and pay $2,500 — $2,700 per heating season for fuel oil which — to me — is outrageous. Meanwhile, my neighbor — whose home is more than 4,300 s.f. pays between $600 - $800 for propane during the heating season to heat his home.
With an assumed price of $2.80 for propane, your neighbor, by his claim, is using 250 gallons of propane for the entire heating season.
There are only two possibilities:
a) Your neighbor keeps the house at 45 degrees throughout the season.
b) Your neighbor is lying.
You use about 875 gallons of fuel oil per heating season. This is quite typical of an 1800 square foot dwelling that is a bit compromised on air sealing. Work on that and you can reduce the fuel oil to about 700 gallons per heating season. Propane will not affect the outcome in any way. In fact, due to the 65% energy available from propane, it will likely cost you more. LOOK ELSEWHERE!
Re: Beckett Oil to Propane conversion kit: requesting advice / suggestions
Beckett makes oil burners and gas burners but as far as I know there is no conversion kit. You can't turn an oil burner into a gas burner.
You might be able to remove the oil burner and put a Carlin or Beckett gas burner in your existing furnace but I wouldn't do that with a 9 year old furnace.
Neither Carlin, Beckett or Carrier would have tested that combination as Gas furnaces are available so you would be in uncharted territory even if you could find someone who would do the switch.
As @Jamie Hall mentioned oil has 140,000BTUs/ gallon.
Propane has 91,500 BTU/gallon of propane
So for example if you burn 500 gallons of fuel oil/year (500 x 140000)=70,000,000btu/year
70,000,000/91,500=765 gallons of propane to do the same job. Efficiency is about the same
Check the fuel price before you do anything. In most areas fuel oil is less expensive.
Re: Sizing a New Steam Boiler
Probably correct. Personally, I have had close to zero success with warranties. Always an excuse. And can never talk to the actual people making the decisions. There are probably people out the who would suggest removing the cyclegard and reinstalling it if a warranty issue came up. Just saying.
Re: Difficulty in Properly Sizing Equipment - 2140 Sq Ft New Construction Spray Foam House
For reference, I just looked at a Suffolk County statement for a Long Island PSE&G residential electricity bill and Delivery and System Charges include "certain transition charges" and other fees that raise it to $0.13/kWh; adding in power supply charges, taxes and other charges brings the total rate to $0.27/kWh.
Can you please link to this? I'm seeing $.0534 - where are you finding the other $.08/kwh?
The All Electric heating would reduce this rate for purchases over 400kWh by about $0.04/kWh; some of the other charges are fixed, so the bill is likely to be about $0.23/kWh at these rates, or $9.34 per gallon equivalent ($3.74 to $4.67 per gallon at a COP of 2 to 2.5 which is reflected in field performance at 30°F outside, but higher priced at lower temperatures).
$/MMBtu delivered is so much easier to understand for me :).
It's interesting how few hours under 30F (well HDD base 65 >= 35F) Long Islands experiences.
Re: Trouble getting an Air-to-water heat pump for radiant retrofit in Virginia
At 12F the Mitsubishi will have about 94% of its rated capacity and an air to water will have about 50%. If you need 51K BTU/hr, you could get that with a 3-ton Mitsubishi and a 2-ton Chiltrix. Use the Mitsubishi for all your cooling in the summer, use the Chiltrix for your primary heating and the Mitsubishi to supplement when it can't keep up.
This Mitsubishi unit is rated for 37K BTU/hr at 5F:
https://ashp.neep.org/#!/product/34584/7/25000/95/7500/0///0
Re: Weil-McLain Ultra
Properly maintained… YES
Neglected like you would do with an atmospheric boiler with standing pilot, NOT SO MUCH
Re: Difficulty in Properly Sizing Equipment - 2140 Sq Ft New Construction Spray Foam House
I don't know why the new home I want to build has to be so much more complicated.
ha because you’re installing a luxury heating system !
Re: Replacing Circulator Pump
By the way, whose pump is it, the name brand, the model and just what is wrong with the pump. Please include a picture or two of the pump. Some pumps have built-in shut off valves.