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Re: Welding a Cracked Boiler

Yes.

My dad was a welder in WWII in the 757th Railroad Shop Battalion. His commanding officer asked him to weld a boiler for a French school/orphanage at the tail end of WWII prior to the invasion of Germany. There was no choice. Nothing was available. Wartime.

He said the boiler was toast. Goodwill type of thing done by the Army. He had one drip. Just as he was about to peen the drip, his Captain had hammer in hand and tapped the braze, one expert blow to seal it.

He hated doing it as he knew the boiler was essentially Swiss cheese and paper thin. But there was zero choice.

He would not encourage you (or anyone) to try if he were alive today.

Daveinscranton

Re: Cast iron radiator at high flow rate

@hot_rod , the place I've seen over-pumped rads is in converted gravity systems. These have larger pipes feeding the rads than newer systems do, since the original motive force acting on the water is so small. Over-pumping one of these can, and does, cause the water to short-circuit through the rads. Here is an extreme example (note that we eventually replaced the original boiler some years ago):

https://www.heatinghelp.com/systems-help-center/adjusting-the-flow-rate-for-an-old-gravity-hot-water-system/

which led to further research that produced this:

https://www.heatinghelp.com/systems-help-center/sizing-circulators-for-old-gravity-hot-water-heating-systems/

Steamhead

Re: Better Quality Low Level Carbon Monoxide Monitor/Detectors

Sal- You just explained the exact reason we don't sell to homeowners.

captainco

Re: line voltage thermostat

You can use the 14 gauge line voltage wire from the thermostat location to the boiler location. I find that when i need to do that it is easy to connect to the thermostat with a short piece (10" to 12") of 18 gauge wire connected with a small wire nut to tyhe 14 gauge wire. then secure it with electrical tape, then push it inside the wall so only the 18 gauge wires stick thru the wall.

On the boiler end you can connect the other end of the 14 gauge wire directly to the Hydrostat screw terminals of the wire is long enough. If it is not long enough, then add 18 gauge wire in the same way as the thermostat end. Just ber sure the connection is secure.

The Hydrostat has a built in transformer so all you need or do is connect the R from the thermostat to the T on the Hydrostat and the W from the thermostat to the TV of the Hydrostat. just like in the instruction manual.

The gauge of the wire does not change the connections process. (in other words 14 gauge wire does not automatically change the 24 volt electricity to 120 volt electricity.) I needed to say that just in case anybody thought that could happen...

EdTheHeaterMan

Re: Cast iron radiator at high flow rate

I think we should send @ethicalpaul over there with his video camera, Bob. Between the two of you liking to test theories out and Paul's ability to tell the story on camera, you two can start a Norm Abrams, Bob Villa type show called "This Old Radiator" on the HeatingHelp channel. You guys will need a theme song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pZXjb6aCy8

EdTheHeaterMan

Cast iron radiator at high flow rate

I've been playing around with cast radiators at different flow rates.

Also checking output with low SWT. I ran this one today at 8 gpm, 1" ID hose.
About 90 SWT.

I will compare heat up time at 1 and 4 gpm, 1/2 and 3/4 supply for example, as a for comparison.

Connected supply and return on the bottom connections. Within 20 minutes it was pretty consistently warm. After an hour delta was down to .6°

Even at these high flow rates across the bottom, the upper part of the sections get as warm, as the lower part.