Best Of
Re: Wiring zone valve in Crown Boiler AWR series
Ironman
Re: How to keep an electronic record of when boiler fired
I am monitoring every run my boiler makes because I have a new system. I put a security camera, one that can do continuous record in 5 minute clips and record sound, in front of the boiler's LED panel. Once a day I download all the videos and find the on times and off times. It is laborious but I sort of like doing it. I put the data in a spread sheet.It is so interesting to me that, based on this thread, it seems LOTS of people have the same question -- we want to know exactly when our boiler is firing! But how is it no stock solutions exist for this? It just seems that the boiler manufacturers should have an easy add-on for tracking and analytics.
I don't think it would work for most people because the thumbnail of every video has to be checked to see when the temperature is higher than the thumbnail of the previous video, and then play that video to get the date stamp time when the boiler turned on and then off from the burning gas sound. A bit laborious.
Re: Can’t figure out the banging noise in the radiator
There is almost certainly no point in taking out and cleaning the radiator. This is a pipe pitch problem. Condensate is pooling somewhere. Get rid of the pool and you will get rid of the hammer.
On the plus side, it looks like whoever installed that boiler actually read the instructions and piped it properly.
bburd
Re: Climate Master Replace ?
Find out where the refrigerant went 1st. Then decide if it's worth fixing or replacing.
pecmsg
Re: Oil to Gas Boiler Upgrade - Which Boiler to Choose?
I wouldn't even consider a combi for several reasons. They usually are ridiculously oversized for heating in order to be able to make hot water on demand. Why buy a 199K BTU or 155K BTU boiler when you only need 50K BTUs? They get a lot more wear and tear in the parts because they are cycling on and off constantly. That equals more service and repair
Installing a combi is always a compromise for someone who doesn't have enough room for a proper indirect tank or they can't afford to do it right.
I would look into the boilers from Energy Kinetics. The EK-1F with a Carlin gas burner is about as solid and reliable as it gets. Also pretty efficient. EK also makes a very nice modulating condensing gas boiler as well.
I prefer to see a cast iron boiler installed when the heat emitters are high temperature baseboard or radiators. I like condensing boilers for low temperature radiant floor heating. It's like picking the right tool to do the job.
Re: Oil to Gas Boiler Upgrade - Which Boiler to Choose?
Contractor is the most important thing. Lots of hacks around so beware. You could check Find a contractor on this site & post your location.
The decision is a choice between a Condensing boiler or Combi and a standard CI boiler.
Depends on what you have for heat emitters. Baseboard will not give you much better efficiency with a condensing boiler over a CI boiler. CI rads on the other hand are better with a condensing boiler.
There are a lot of issues that have separated contractors into 2 camps. The CI camp and the condensing camp.
CI lasts longer
Almost anyone (within reason) can work on a CI boiler
Less expensive install
Requires service less often and parts are available and less expensive
Condensing
More efficient (but sometimes not as much as they claim)
flame modulates (a nice thing)
May require more service and is more "technical"
Runs quiet
Some MFGs change models frequently
after 15ish years parts may be difficult to source,
As far as sizing you can size to what your Manual J tells you. No need to add for domestic water.
There are plenty of good people on this site that will comment from both camps so hang tight.
Re: Can’t figure out the banging noise in the radiator
The valves on that radiator suggest to me that this may have been piped as a two pipe air vent radiaator. One pipe generally led to a steam main. The other to another pipe which also had steam in it, but was intended to carry condensate back to the boiller as well. A return, if yu will, but not a dry return as would be found in later systems.
It works. Actually, in many ways like a one pipe system. However, pipe pitch — not so much radiator pitch — is essential to make sure that condensate can, indeed drain.
So that is where I would start looking. How does condensate drain? Are the pipes all pitched to allow it to drain freely?
Also make sure both valves are wide open…
Re: Cleaning a 130-year-old hydronic system before new boiler install - was it worth the 30+ hours?
Rust never sleeps , my friend! If O2 is getting in, and it is, corrosion will continue
If your boiler treatment has an oxygen scavenger ingredient, that will help. But it needs to be boosted from time to time.
Either a combination device, or two separates
Air removal is usually supply out if the boiler
Mag and dirt on the return side.
Can’t go wrong with Caleffi products. We pioneered the various separation devices, especially hydraulic and magnetic
hot_rod
Re: Manual J Heat Loss Calculation
I would also include the EDR calculation with the boiler manufacturer's recommendation for sizing according to the EDR. Just in case you actually need a 4 section boiler to get it to operate properly without being undersized (and the inspector will only approve a 3 section boiler that more closely matches the building load.) Unlikely but power can be intoxicating.
OR
You can always make the manual J come out to the BTU that you need it to, by increasing the infiltration number to 2 or 3 air changes per hour. You won't believe how that increases the load calculation numbers.
Re: Radiator Fitting
It might be easiest to just get another 1 1/2" valve to do the job in the place of the 90 ell.
We assume that this is hot water…..not steam?
JUGHNE