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Re: AC BTU size for ice bath.
Forget the window ac. You need a medium temperature chiller. Everything for AC is a high temp.
The chiller will need glycol and your chiller evap temp would need to be 28 degrees minimum. Lower if you want a faster pull down. The window ac will never cut it. You need 3 tons at medium temp just for the water. If you tank is insulated the you will have to allow for the surrounding environment
The chiller will need glycol and your chiller evap temp would need to be 28 degrees minimum. Lower if you want a faster pull down. The window ac will never cut it. You need 3 tons at medium temp just for the water. If you tank is insulated the you will have to allow for the surrounding environment
Re: Wall Brackets for Wall Hung Cast iron radiator
I rarely come across old brackets that are practical for specific jobs so I like to use these homemade brackets. The gold one is 2-1/2” pipe which work on narrow radiators. I use 3” pipe for most radiators including one like yours. For the upper bracket I use threaded rod to fashion whatever tie is necessary to keep the radiator plumb. That varies depending on the radiator style. The silver radiator pictured is an installation with 3” pipe brackets in a commercial space.
JimP
3
Re: Proper pH of a steam boiler
> @Canucker said:
> > @ChrisJ said:
> > Personally, I like 9-10 but 8 is fine. 7 is on the low side in my opinion.
> >
> > 11 is pushing it and anything above that there will be issues.
> >
> > I also believe a high PH is known to etch the gauge glass over time.
>
> You're correct on the glass. The glass is dissolving and clouding up
I made the decision a long time ago that I'd rather replace the gauge glass than the boiler. So far though, in 8 years no issues.
> > @ChrisJ said:
> > Personally, I like 9-10 but 8 is fine. 7 is on the low side in my opinion.
> >
> > 11 is pushing it and anything above that there will be issues.
> >
> > I also believe a high PH is known to etch the gauge glass over time.
>
> You're correct on the glass. The glass is dissolving and clouding up
I made the decision a long time ago that I'd rather replace the gauge glass than the boiler. So far though, in 8 years no issues.
ChrisJ
1
Re: Tandem bowls?
They're ya go...dont be shy boys...NYC Public HSs up until the 1970s REQUIRED graduates to be able to swim well enough to survive. Oh yeah. And the boys all HAD to swim naked....hmmmm....Mamy also has rifle teams and ranges in the basement. It was normal to see boys carrying their 22 Cals in a gun case. Mad Dog 🐕
Re: Heat never reached my son's room very well...
I would try and solve the problem by venting. If that does not work the thermostat could be the issue. Is the thermostat located in a room that is warmer than some other rooms? or near a lamp that is on?
If so you might vent the radiators near the thermostat a little slower and see how the system responds.
Make small adjustments a little at a time don't change the vents drastically a few small changes will do it.
If so you might vent the radiators near the thermostat a little slower and see how the system responds.
Make small adjustments a little at a time don't change the vents drastically a few small changes will do it.
Just posting my work :)
Hi guys this is me Steven and im
in Newark NJ, after being introduced to steam at 9 years old from my father I decided to become one of the best steam boiler installers in my area. im only 23 years old and I’ve been reading the lost art of steam which introduced me to drop headers and king valves, I finally got my first boiler this winter season of 2023 and here it is I want to post the video to show the full job but I don’t know how to do that, hopefully you guys enjoy. 2 1/2” headers with a 2ft 6” riser before I turn into my drop
header
in Newark NJ, after being introduced to steam at 9 years old from my father I decided to become one of the best steam boiler installers in my area. im only 23 years old and I’ve been reading the lost art of steam which introduced me to drop headers and king valves, I finally got my first boiler this winter season of 2023 and here it is I want to post the video to show the full job but I don’t know how to do that, hopefully you guys enjoy. 2 1/2” headers with a 2ft 6” riser before I turn into my drop
header
Re: I have great news..........
Congratulations Michael best of luck. I am a third generation master plumber myself. Soon my son James will continue the family tradition like you. The saying goes “when you love what you do you never work a day in your life” how true.
Re: Satisfying Project
Where are you out of and how big of a radius do you work? You will notice there is nobody in the find a contractor on this site in the SE Michigan area. Wish I had found you winter of '13/14.
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.
