Best Of
Re: What does "Wet Steam" mean to you?
You do like to poke bears, don't you @ethicalpaul ? I don't like the term, as it is so non-specific. As someone noted, all of the heating steam we play with is saturated, which means that it is at the temperature and pressure at which water vapour is in equilibrium with liquid water. Thus, if you cool it (or expand it) some of the water vapour will condense to restore equilibrium
But…
This is not a problem (or shouldn't be!) as the resulting water droplets are invisible — too small — to either drop out of suspension or do anything particularly evil. Think puffy white clouds…
So I suppose I would only use the term if there were visible water droplets in the flow, big enough so that if the velocity is reduced they drop out by gravity or inertia.
Now does this affect the efficiency of the boiler and distribution? No, but it can be a symptom of problems (like poor near boiler piping, or lack of insulation in cold areas where heat isn't wanted) which do.
Re: Zone Valves BANG on opening only
Yes, the zone valves are NOT directional and they are the capacitor type. When the thermostat closes, the light flashes until it opens. They do close fast, but they do NOT hammer on closing, just opening. The check valve is my thought as well. Even though the Zone Circulator is at a 0 (zero) second post purge, there is a couple of seconds that it is running full out. Not only is is putting pressure against the zone valves and manifold, it is also pressurizing the expansion tank between the circulator and zone valves. I'm thinking the pressure is what is causing the BANG when they open. The installer is coming back out Monday morning to do some more troubleshooting, since all Circulators are properly isolated with ball valves, I may tell him to lose the check valve(s).
mikted1
Re: Uponor zone control board fuse blows and relay is cycling every second
Well I'm sad to hear this went as far as a boiler change. Good troubleshooting would have isolated the boiler early on to prove it was not part of the issue. Seems you were dealing with salesmen and not good technicians. A Tech skilled in control system wiring should have isolated the problem and just repaired / replaced the defective part or wiring error / defect.
Rewiring may help since it basically requires reviewing most everything, especially if the system has been severely messed with. Find the wiring diagram(s) that best matches the equipment you have.
Keep in mind that even with rewiring it may not solve the original issue, and that may require further troubleshooting.
The Taco zone actuator(s) (depending on the model) may not be compatible with the Uponor three zone control board, you would have to compare the current draw of each.
109A_5
Re: Piping for New Steam Boiler
I got the cross sectional areas from LAOSH and Engineers Toolbox, so I did not run the calcs from scratch.
I like the looks of using full size tees with reducers, but you can gain some horizontal space on your header by using reducing tees: a 4x4x2 tee is 2" shorter than a regular 4" tee.
dennis53
Re: Wifi replacement for aube telephone controller ct240
Pretty sweet, it is an app. However, it works with Google Home, si I am mainly controlling it from there (Google Home, not the native app).
blaccko
Re: Ghost or Gravity feed - not fixed with replacement TACO FLOCHEK
are you sure the pump for that zone is displacing water to the problem zone? Take an amp meter reading, and you should be close to nameplate amps. Call Taco tech support at 401-942-8000 before changing anything else.
Re: Wifi replacement for aube telephone controller ct240
Hello,
So, it was a simple plug and play installation! Worked great right after pluggin the wires.
Thanks a lot for helpful advides. I can now control my thermostats from afar.
Have a great day!
blaccko
Re: Room seems to be stuck in a narrow range of 66 and short cycle.
@CoachBoilermaker Said: Thermostat is in the living room. That's where I want the heat, actually. Radiator in the living room gets 50% full during these 8 min. cycles. I do not want to throttle the LR radiator, as that is the main living space
This is the exact thinking that prevents the average person from getting a heating system balanced. Think of it this way. The living room is the place that you want the heat to be just right, so that is where the thermostat is located.
What if the thermostat was located in the coldest room? What would happen to the living room then? You say it would get too hot? Then throttle down the radiator (slower vent on steam or valve down the radiator on a water system) until you get it just right… and then you will have a balanced system. After you have a balanced system, you can put the thermostat back in the living room. You will still have a balanced system with a thermostat in the living room. So… Why not save the step where you move the thermostat, and just throttle down the radiator without moving the thermostat? The living room will still get the same temperature while the other rooms will get more heat and wont be so cold.
You want the fuel bill to drop? Then use a lower thermostat setting. The higher the temperature difference between the inside temperature the more fuel you will use. You need to pay for comfort. Either in a more expensive heating system, insulation, better windows and the like, …or… in a higher fuel usage. You want lower fuel cost…. use less fuel by getting a more expensive heating system, insulation, better windows and the like, …or… turn the thermostat down.
Re: Non-electric back-up for hot water system
Hi, I'd contact the insurance company and see if installing a wood stove will affect your insurance. If it doesn't much, that's probably the simplest way forward. I'll add that some areas have no burn days, where they don't want the smoke from stoves and fireplaces. I'd check with the local health department to see if you're subject to that restriction.
Yours, Larry
Re: Indirect HW off steam- shaking circulator
If I am not mistaken the bypass loop Dan talks about is to keep a HW baseboard loop from overheating and to keep it at a reasonable temperature.
A hot water loop to an indirect probably does not need a bypass loop as the circulator starts and stops on the tank temperature sensor
