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That Escalated Quickly (and how I got a new heat pump water heater)
This is just me admitting a major screw up. Sorry for the length. I'm aware that I was in over my head - but someone may find this amusing...
Last night it got down to 23 degrees here. It's been a LONG fall, and I've been busy with harvest, tillage, spraying, etc. As a result, I hadn't put all the things that can't freeze (chemicals, meter, pumps) into the heated shed. Fortunately, everything that needs to be moved is either on pallets, or mounted so it can be picked up with forks. Last winter, we built a nice loft where everything would easily fit. So at 5:00 last night, I took to moving things to he shed with a tractor and forks. It was going great. I was so pleased with my design and how things were fitting. Except for one pallet that wouldn't line up with the rest. I tilted, jiggled, lifted, lowered - really everything short of getting off the tractor and checking to see what the problem was. Finally (and by this point, I'd downshifted for a little extra torque) I determined what the problem was. Actually, the lights flickered a little and water started pouring from under the loft. I'd crushed the electric water heater that had been installed last winter. If anyone else had done this, I'd have classified it as carelessness. Since it was me, I'm considering this an unavoidable accident
I got the water shut off (the power had conveniently shut itself off) and called our plumber. Doug is a great guy, one man shop, but selfishly has taken his wife out of town for a weekend getaway. Sheesh. I didn't want to bother him - so I told him "No big deal, nothing that can't wait until you've got time" which I think we can all agree sounds better than "I crushed the water heater you installed 9 feet off the floor with a tractor". Frankly, I wasn't too thrilled about admitting I'd done this anyway, and thus far, there weren't any witnesses.
I've been reading the back and forth on here about heat pump water heaters. We've got one in the house and it's fine, and the shop is generally about 50 degrees in winter and rarely air conditioned in summer. Seems like the perfect place for one. Plus our Electric Coop gives a nice rebate, and there's the tax credit. I went to Menards last night and purchased one.
This morning, I decided that I was going to give the install a try. This had the added advantage of disposing of the evidence before anyone can figure out what happened. I haven't sweated copper in years - like 20 years. You all would be appalled at my work. The pipes didn't line up, and I did get to work with pex to make the connections back to the shed restroom - which was easier than I imagined.
I just finished. Almost 9 hours today to install a straightforward water heater. One of my hands is bleeding, I burned my other hand, I briefly lit the building on fire and drilled through the power line running to the furnace. I've completed many complicated tasks in my life. I've plumbed several entire sprayer setups and rebuilt our well pits. To be honest, this job looks more like vandalism than plumbing. I'm not sure where things went wrong, but wow, this went badly. I'm dreading explaining to Doug what I did.
In any case, I always say this, but this is an amazing site, and I have unbelievable respect for what you all do. I'll go ahead and take it a step further and say that if none of you try to plant, grow and harvest corn and soybeans, I'll forever hang up my plumbing tools.
Finally, no there won't be pictures. I spent some time destroying and getting rid of the evidence.
Last night it got down to 23 degrees here. It's been a LONG fall, and I've been busy with harvest, tillage, spraying, etc. As a result, I hadn't put all the things that can't freeze (chemicals, meter, pumps) into the heated shed. Fortunately, everything that needs to be moved is either on pallets, or mounted so it can be picked up with forks. Last winter, we built a nice loft where everything would easily fit. So at 5:00 last night, I took to moving things to he shed with a tractor and forks. It was going great. I was so pleased with my design and how things were fitting. Except for one pallet that wouldn't line up with the rest. I tilted, jiggled, lifted, lowered - really everything short of getting off the tractor and checking to see what the problem was. Finally (and by this point, I'd downshifted for a little extra torque) I determined what the problem was. Actually, the lights flickered a little and water started pouring from under the loft. I'd crushed the electric water heater that had been installed last winter. If anyone else had done this, I'd have classified it as carelessness. Since it was me, I'm considering this an unavoidable accident
I got the water shut off (the power had conveniently shut itself off) and called our plumber. Doug is a great guy, one man shop, but selfishly has taken his wife out of town for a weekend getaway. Sheesh. I didn't want to bother him - so I told him "No big deal, nothing that can't wait until you've got time" which I think we can all agree sounds better than "I crushed the water heater you installed 9 feet off the floor with a tractor". Frankly, I wasn't too thrilled about admitting I'd done this anyway, and thus far, there weren't any witnesses.
I've been reading the back and forth on here about heat pump water heaters. We've got one in the house and it's fine, and the shop is generally about 50 degrees in winter and rarely air conditioned in summer. Seems like the perfect place for one. Plus our Electric Coop gives a nice rebate, and there's the tax credit. I went to Menards last night and purchased one.
This morning, I decided that I was going to give the install a try. This had the added advantage of disposing of the evidence before anyone can figure out what happened. I haven't sweated copper in years - like 20 years. You all would be appalled at my work. The pipes didn't line up, and I did get to work with pex to make the connections back to the shed restroom - which was easier than I imagined.
I just finished. Almost 9 hours today to install a straightforward water heater. One of my hands is bleeding, I burned my other hand, I briefly lit the building on fire and drilled through the power line running to the furnace. I've completed many complicated tasks in my life. I've plumbed several entire sprayer setups and rebuilt our well pits. To be honest, this job looks more like vandalism than plumbing. I'm not sure where things went wrong, but wow, this went badly. I'm dreading explaining to Doug what I did.
In any case, I always say this, but this is an amazing site, and I have unbelievable respect for what you all do. I'll go ahead and take it a step further and say that if none of you try to plant, grow and harvest corn and soybeans, I'll forever hang up my plumbing tools.
Finally, no there won't be pictures. I spent some time destroying and getting rid of the evidence.
Re: Heat never reached my son's room very well...
The vent on that radiator looks like a Dole #1933, which is a very slow vent- for perspective, slower than the Hoffman #40. Assuming the main vents are OK, try changing the Dole to a Vent-Rite #1 which is adjustable. This will let you fine-tune that radiator.
Re: Heat never reached my son's room very well...
As @ScottSecor said it could be the heat anticipator or cph setting in the stat not allowing the boiler to fire long enough. May need to increase that setting and fool with the vents. The main venting inthe basement is crucial.
Re: Heat never reached my son's room very well...
Start with putting in a larger air vent . a maid of mist or Gordon c . I like the maid of mist because I can change the orifice to help balance the system. also Are the Basement pipes insulated, if not insulate them . I prefer 1 inch thick fiberglass insulation, especially in the furnace room. it can be trimmed out to go over fittings and holds the heat in the pipes better than 1/2 inch thick. if the basement is laundry and storage cover all the steam pipes . in will not only get the steam further into the house but will save you a lot on your heating bill. steam pipes where meant to be insulated. asbestos litigation. has caused a lot of insulation to be removed, but those selling often don't put anything back.
Re: Heat never reached my son's room very well...
That's a steam radiator, not a hot water radiator.
OK. If a steam radiator doesn't heat, it means that the steam isn't getting in or getting to it. Is this the last radiator on a steam main? Is there a main vent on that main? If not the steam just can't get to the radiator... On the other hand, if the vent (the silver thing) is too small, then the air can't get out of the radiator fast enough -- and the steam, correspondingly, can't get in.
Of course, one might add that the pipes leading to the radiator have to be pitched enough for the condensate to get out of them...
Many possibilities here.
OK. If a steam radiator doesn't heat, it means that the steam isn't getting in or getting to it. Is this the last radiator on a steam main? Is there a main vent on that main? If not the steam just can't get to the radiator... On the other hand, if the vent (the silver thing) is too small, then the air can't get out of the radiator fast enough -- and the steam, correspondingly, can't get in.
Of course, one might add that the pipes leading to the radiator have to be pitched enough for the condensate to get out of them...
Many possibilities here.
Re: Heat never reached my son's room very well...
Is the thermostat anticipator set up for steam, most thermostats come set up for warm air?
Are the main vents in good working order and properly sized?
Has the boiler been properly serviced and is the water level steady in the gauge glass?
Are the vents too large in the other rooms, especially the room with the thermostat? If this is the case, the thermostat may be satisfied before the steam reaches your son's room.
Steam systems sometimes require some balancing.
Are the steam mains insulated and pitched away from the boiler (assuming they are typical parallel low and not counter-flow.)
Are the main vents in good working order and properly sized?
Has the boiler been properly serviced and is the water level steady in the gauge glass?
Are the vents too large in the other rooms, especially the room with the thermostat? If this is the case, the thermostat may be satisfied before the steam reaches your son's room.
Steam systems sometimes require some balancing.
Are the steam mains insulated and pitched away from the boiler (assuming they are typical parallel low and not counter-flow.)
Re: Heat never reached my son's room very well...
Is that on a first floor and is the ceiling open so you can see the piping to that radiator or is it in a hard ceiling or on a second floor? Can you see where the runnount for that radiator connects to the main?
mattmia2
1
Re: Troubleshooting HW baseboard
A couple options:
Close the ball valve above the boiler on the supply, put fill valve in fast fill mode, flip the lever.
Flow goes around the system and you could purge some from the boiler drain, not ideal but workable with fast flow.
Easily add a valve between the two ball valves on the return. Press tee in there with a full port ball valve with hose connection.
Close the ball valve above the boiler on the supply, put fill valve in fast fill mode, flip the lever.
Flow goes around the system and you could purge some from the boiler drain, not ideal but workable with fast flow.
Easily add a valve between the two ball valves on the return. Press tee in there with a full port ball valve with hose connection.
hot_rod
1
Re: Replacing an old condominium thermostat
I'm not 100% convinced that's a Normally Open zone valve, but if it opens when then wires are disconnected and not touching at the thermostat, then... ISU is Installer Setup. You need to access it and go through the prompt so the thermostat knows what to do. Wire R+Y and do Step 5 and see what happens.bokerman said:@HVACNUT many thanks for the comment. I don't really understand the note 5, what is ISU? I see three modes on the thermostat menu, Heat, Cool and OFF. There is nothing more in the Menu except from clock setting and similar. Again, thanks a lot for the help!! Here is how it looks right now, it is basically acting inverted (turns on when it should turn off):
HVACNUT
1
Re: A heartfelt thank you to all American Veterans...
Thank you to our men and women in uniform, past, present, and future.
