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Re: YOU WANT TO HEAR A GOOD ONE?
@EdTheHeaterMan
Now that is a good one. Sometimes I wonder who found my secret stash of green army men in the ducts of the little house I grew up in, maybe they are still there waiting.
Now that is a good one. Sometimes I wonder who found my secret stash of green army men in the ducts of the little house I grew up in, maybe they are still there waiting.
GGross
3
Re: What should I set my PSI regulator to?
That depends on several factors. I remember that one boiler would not operate unless the pressure in the system was above 18 PSI. But if your boiler does not need a minimum pressure of more than 12 PSI, then you should be good to go at 12 PSI cold fill pressure.
Another factor is how high the water needs to go above the boiler. Are you sending the water up to the 5th floor when the boiler is in the basement? Then you will need more than 12 PSI. If you are in a building that is 2 stories (plus a basement) then the 12 PSI is all you need.
Since most auto feed valves for residential heating systems are factory set at 12 PSI and most expansion tanks for residential heating are pre-charged at 12 PSI, then I would just go with 12 PSI. It is a lot easier that way. You want to use good design practices in order to cause air to leave the system via the main air vent near the boiler. that would be pumping away from the expansion tank that is located on the Hot or Supply side of the boiler piping.
More research is needed by you based on your question.
I hope this helps.
Another factor is how high the water needs to go above the boiler. Are you sending the water up to the 5th floor when the boiler is in the basement? Then you will need more than 12 PSI. If you are in a building that is 2 stories (plus a basement) then the 12 PSI is all you need.
Since most auto feed valves for residential heating systems are factory set at 12 PSI and most expansion tanks for residential heating are pre-charged at 12 PSI, then I would just go with 12 PSI. It is a lot easier that way. You want to use good design practices in order to cause air to leave the system via the main air vent near the boiler. that would be pumping away from the expansion tank that is located on the Hot or Supply side of the boiler piping.
More research is needed by you based on your question.
I hope this helps.
Re: Replacing a battery- operated thermostat with a EcoBee thermostat
Hello @tomsloancamp,
Looks to me like the pan sensor uses the Red and the Black for power (24 VAC), and the Gray and Purple just interrupts the Yellow wire functionality, compressor control (White out to the compressor) so if the drain is plugged up the compressor gets shut off before the pan overflows.
So you are up and running ?
Looks to me like the pan sensor uses the Red and the Black for power (24 VAC), and the Gray and Purple just interrupts the Yellow wire functionality, compressor control (White out to the compressor) so if the drain is plugged up the compressor gets shut off before the pan overflows.
So you are up and running ?
109A_5
1
Re: Replacing a battery- operated thermostat with a EcoBee thermostat
Hello @tomsloancamp,
So you are not operational yet ?
The manual gave me the impression that it was screw terminals, not wire pigtails with some missing. Anyway connect the Blue to the C at the thermostat and connect the Blue to the Brown under the wire nut.
The old thermostat ran off a battery the EcoBee most likely wants to get power from the Red and the Common. The Blue wire will give the Common a path to the thermostat. The Blue is at the thermostat in the wall, or did they cut it off ? I don't see the Blue in the thermostat mount plate picture.
In your case the White is unused (no heat), unless it need to be a substitute for a cut off Blue. Then connect the White to the C at the thermostat and connect the White to the Brown under the wire nut.
So you are not operational yet ?
The manual gave me the impression that it was screw terminals, not wire pigtails with some missing. Anyway connect the Blue to the C at the thermostat and connect the Blue to the Brown under the wire nut.
The old thermostat ran off a battery the EcoBee most likely wants to get power from the Red and the Common. The Blue wire will give the Common a path to the thermostat. The Blue is at the thermostat in the wall, or did they cut it off ? I don't see the Blue in the thermostat mount plate picture.
In your case the White is unused (no heat), unless it need to be a substitute for a cut off Blue. Then connect the White to the C at the thermostat and connect the White to the Brown under the wire nut.
109A_5
1
Re: Please Fact-check Retired Plumber's Advice Re: TRVs & Lockshields
Mainly a TRV offers automatic temperature control for individual radiators or groups of radiators. By design, balancing comes along with some TRV assemblies
Lock shield is just the brass valve itself. It is a manual valve that in most cases can be upgraded with a TRV head
You do not need a valve on both ends of a radiator, as the system you have now works with one valve, and that valve can slso manually balance.
so unless you are adding TRV functions now or later really no need to just add a lock shied
It really comes down to your wants or expectation first. Do you need or want radiators controlled automatically? For comfort and fuel savings?
Next us it worth the time and money to do the upgrade?
I agree with the plumber that it will be a bit of a job upgrading. Working with old threaded pipe, things can go bad. Id find a plumber with a lot of threaded pipe experience. It will probably be an older guy or gal👳♀️👳♂️
While not a common in the US, millions of TRV are sold yearly in Europe and other parts of the world, they work great with modern boilers
Lock shield is just the brass valve itself. It is a manual valve that in most cases can be upgraded with a TRV head
You do not need a valve on both ends of a radiator, as the system you have now works with one valve, and that valve can slso manually balance.
so unless you are adding TRV functions now or later really no need to just add a lock shied
It really comes down to your wants or expectation first. Do you need or want radiators controlled automatically? For comfort and fuel savings?
Next us it worth the time and money to do the upgrade?
I agree with the plumber that it will be a bit of a job upgrading. Working with old threaded pipe, things can go bad. Id find a plumber with a lot of threaded pipe experience. It will probably be an older guy or gal👳♀️👳♂️
While not a common in the US, millions of TRV are sold yearly in Europe and other parts of the world, they work great with modern boilers
hot_rod
3
Re: Peerless Coil Replacment
@ethicalpaul The coils are only 2-4 years old. Tankless coils usually last a lot longer than that. Most coils get changed because the gasket leak because the torque on the bolts is not maintained. Then the gaskets leak and deteriorate.
I admit a tankless is not the best way to heat hot water but for a small family they can be ok. I can see spending thousands for a HPWH or a new boiler or indirect when he may only need a gasket bolts and some labor.
I admit a tankless is not the best way to heat hot water but for a small family they can be ok. I can see spending thousands for a HPWH or a new boiler or indirect when he may only need a gasket bolts and some labor.
Re: Oldest steam boiler still in use
They are fire tubes. The brick directs flue gates up the outside of the boiler shell about 2/3’s of the way then allows it to travel back over the top of the boiler to the breeching. There are “smoke shelves” inside arch to guide flue gases. Definitely attempting to improve efficiency.
Scott Fewer
Re: Oldest steam boiler still in use
I was asked to look at a boiler and make a replacement recommendation. What I found was a 95 year old American Radiator Ideal 2098 series 5K cast iron, originally coal fired converted to oil fired beauty still in use.I can't even begin to tell you how many of this very boiler that I replaced in Hudson County, NJ. It was always an adventure as well as a sooty mess. Thankfully, we were able to provide the homeowner the proper service and size the replacement boiler with something MUCH smaller and certainly more efficient. It has been many years since I have seen one. Thanks for the memories!!
This monster is over 5’ tall and the size of a small SUV. (Note the size of the oil burner in the bottom of the photo.). Thankfully the domestic hot water side arm heater had been capped off.
Re: Oldest steam boiler still in use
Mr. Scott Fewer, are those fire tube or water tube?
I have seen these brick vaulting boilers and wondered what the bricks do.
Are they holding in the gases or just insulation?
Having worked on some baby Kewanee boilers and ridden the Amtrak thru Kewanee Ill. enroute to Chicago I get nostalgic as we pass thru that city.
It has said that Amtrak takes you thru the back yards and down the alleys of America.
I have seen these brick vaulting boilers and wondered what the bricks do.
Are they holding in the gases or just insulation?
Having worked on some baby Kewanee boilers and ridden the Amtrak thru Kewanee Ill. enroute to Chicago I get nostalgic as we pass thru that city.
It has said that Amtrak takes you thru the back yards and down the alleys of America.
JUGHNE
2