Best Of

Re: Frequent Boiler Interruption

Well… the first thing to do is to figure out what is shutting the boiler down. It might be low water. It might be high pressure. It might be a wonky connection somewhere. It might be a combustion or fuel delivery problem to the burner. Until you figure out what the actual problem is, you don't have much hope of fixing it.

It's unlikely to be a rash of bad traps. First off, they usually fail open — they'd have to fail closed to trap condensate. So honestly that's about the last place I'd look for a problem.

So figure out what is shutting off the boiler…

Like, for starters, what are you doing to "reset" the boiler manually? Which button do you push?

Jamie Hall

3

Re: Cast iron radiator output tables are wrong?

It seems like a lot of people have a problem with others trying to understand what is going on around them and how things work.

I don't understand why that is. Learning is important as is understanding how things work and why we do what we do.

ChrisJ

3

Re: B & G Dou - Flo Valve??? Main loop Supply/ Return and Secondary loop Supply / Return

Thank you all for taking your time on this I feel truly honored. I also strive to be as knowledgeable as you gentlemen one day, as I sit here at the dinner and study. I wish I had the opportunity to be under your wings. Thank you again @hot_rod @delcrossv @EBEBRATT-Ed

BarthBoiler

2

Re: Indirect DHW Question

How's your water. Test for chlorides if you want a stainless tank.

I have had the best luck with glass lined steel tanks. This tank is sold under different brand names. Bock, Laars, now BW, Lochinvar.

Dual anodes, brass drain, large smooth coils, a nice pro quality tank.

How much hot water are you needing? 40- 50 gallons covers most homes, unless you nave a large soaking tub or other high load need?

hot_rod

2

Re: Funny but not so funny

Imagine how much water my service pipe leaked in the 10-12 years it was leaking underground.

EBEBRATT-Ed

1

Re: gas steam boiler heating problem

Well, they are ranked in order -- good, better, best. No argument there. All three options are quite reasonable and will work well. But I have no clue as to what your particularly financial circumstances are, nor what your future plans are. Only you have that information.

Therefore there is no way that I can tell you -- or even suggest to you -- which option you, personally, should take.

Jamie Hall

1

Re: gas steam boiler heating problem

Hello @montek,
I would just repair what is causing the problem(s). Which is probably NOT the boiler or the copper pipe at the boiler since apparently it has worked fairly well for decades.

109A_5

1

Re: Experience I had with a boiler tech and what I learned along the way.

I'm not directing this at the original poster, but combustion regulation requires far more than a computer combustion analyzer.

There's a huge learning curve that goes into adjusting combustion and understanding the particulars. Working on combustion in small boilers is a rather obscure specialty. Finding material on the topic that is the proper blend of theory and mechanics can be difficult. Unfortunately we've recently lost a great training resource in the field.

When you buy that combustion analyzer, search beyond the little leaflet that comes in the package.

The computerized analyzers may have made the job a little too easy.