Best Of
Re: Adding manifold help needed
Note to any contractors tuned in.
On unknown or DIY systems always get a signed disclosure indicating what the potential outcomes are, or are not.
If a competent load calc and design ( pex manufacturer, wholesaler, rep, design software print-out) cannot be provided, assume the worse.
This is a classic case of you don't know until you go.
hot_rod
Re: Steam Boiler Help
oversized boiler or not, the Ptrol should be controlling the pressure, fix the ptrol and pigtail,
neilc
Re: Adding manifold help needed
If you do end up adding supplemental heat, consider panel radiators. The behave more like a radiant system, and generally use lower water temperature.
With a condensing boiler you want to avoid high temperature fin tube type. Although there are high output versions.
Panel radiators are radiant and some convection heat transfer.
hot_rod
Re: Do I replace my 75 year old in-floor radiant, or do in wall radiant?
Almost certainly there is no insulation under that concrete. Unless you're prepared to take it all up and retrofit insulation I'd say abandon it and go with wall radiators or baseboards.
Re: How to Remove Sweat Unions
I think that the new AM 101 valves use fiber seals which is why I wet them before installation. As stated the surfaces of the fittings must be cleaned because the old fiber seals sticks to the surfaces. I use a fine file to remove the debris (the old gasket still stuck to the fittings) and wet & dry sandpaper to finish the cleaning of the surfaces. I don't replace the nuts, just the valve body + gaskets and have never had a leak.
You have hard water which gums up the valve and interferes with its regulation. I don't spend the time cleaning valves as it is uneconomical. I just replace them.
Re: Makeup water causing boiler failure due to thermal shock
Will thermal shock hurt a boiler and how much thermal shock? Who knows?
We were told in school that you could drain and refill a steel boiler with cold water but don't do it with CI. That's good enough for me.
I also have had the experience that @retiredguy mentioned about draining a boiler that the steam is connected to another operating boiler.
You will only do that one time believe me. The idle boiler is cold and the steam rushing in condenses and causes hammer. 1700 times a volume reduction it is a noise you never forget. It is a lot more powerful than you would think.
But as far as thermal shock why take the chance?
It will not help the boiler, it will cause stress to the cast iron.
We had a CI boiler Smith 2500 that the lwco failed. My coworker showed up and the boiler was red hot and glowing. He went back the next day after it had cooled and the boiler held water. He installed a new LWCO and fired it up and made steam. No leaks so we let it run.
A few days later it puked water all over.
Re: DC-GCVC960603BN Direct Comfort by Goodman blowing backwards
@Ironman is right, centrifugal blowers literally cannot blow backwards. They might not work as good, and might be loud in the wrong direction, but it'll still blow outwards.
ChrisJ
Re: Need to replace 2 radiators in Woodside, Queens, NY
@paddys , post some pics of your radiators. I'll bet there's a proper place for a steam vent on them, just have to drill and tap it.
Re: Makeup water causing boiler failure due to thermal shock
The part above the water line in a steam boiler could be and likely is significantly above ~212 f since it won't be able to transfer heat to the steam gas nearly as efficiently as it can transfer to the liquid water. I wonder is surging and thermal shock and maybe particularly not resistant to thermal shock construction is how the problematic burnahms run in to problems.
mattmia2