Best Of
Re: Is this a staple up hack job?
I would be even more concerned with whether the radiant floor can produce enough heat for a 1840 house.
Was a Manual J heat loss calculation done to determine what the actual heat loss of each room is and to know if the floor can provide enough for each one?
How about a radiant design and layout? Or, are they just assuming that putting up tubing in every joist bay is sufficient?
Re: Is this a staple up hack job?
it does look like the tube is pulled to tightly at the ends of the runs, you want to allow some movement
Fasten plates at least every 12” or less
Plates should not touch the joists on the sides as the will expand some, possibly squeak.
Yes you need to clean any burr whrn the plates are cut. Are they extruded or stamped plates?
Certainly no kinks allowed!
The more aluminum in contact the better
Re: Is this a staple up hack job?
Not a hack job, but there could have been more attention to detail. There should be more slack to allow for expansion and contraction, no sharp edges at the ends of the plates, the plates should be closer and there should be no kinking whatsoever.
Others will chime in.
Re: Issue with Trane screw compressor
It turned out the compressor module was defective. The transition contactor never would energize, therefore the shorting contactor stayed energized the entire time, and then the compressor would lock out on winding temperature.
It took a while to get approval from the customer to change the module, then a while to get the part. I replaced the module today, and both compressors are online now. Big thanks to all that commented, and an especially huge thank you to @109A_5 breaking down the starting sequence was very, very helpful. Thanks and take care to all
Re: Roughing in Heights..
Chris..that's a great illustration of the Island Vent! The only thing I do additionally, is add two clean out tees on each vertical just before they disappear below the cabinet base. Mad Dog
Re: How to Stop Radiator Hammer?
I don't like the pitch of that return pipe. It will trap water — unless the building is off level! — and that will hammer from time to time. For that matter, the pitch on the supply is none too good either, from the look of it. That might hammer more on startup — but could any time.
Can you raise the radiator enough to get some pitch on those pipes? There seems to be clearance under the window.
Re: How to Stop Radiator Hammer?
@aidenbc Shutting the radiator off by closing the valve isn't a good solution. Steam and condensate need to be separate. In a two pipe steam, dry steam comes in the inlet and condensate drains out the outlet.
If the pitch isn't correct condensate can build up where it shouldn't be and when enough of it gets in the way of the steam it will cause a bang.
As @Jamie Hall mentioned, 99% of the time it is because the pipes are not sloped correctly. This can happen over time as older buildings settle or if work had been done elsewhere and shifted things a bit.
An easy fix is to elevate the radiator an inch or two or three to correct the slope. The more the better but don't force it, and with those long supply/return pipes there won't be much risk of over-doing it.
But because pictures can be deceiving, the best first step would be to put a level on the pipes and see if there is no slope or negative slope. If our suspicions are correct…just raise up the radiator. 2x4's and boards can work to try it out and fine tune it….then once you are satisfied you can find a fancier solution like some metal pucks or something. 👍️
Re: This weeks case, The difference between a condensate tank and boiler feed system
Second guess, @EdTheHeaterMan . The steam injector — which was used on almost everything — is a simple venture device which uses high pressure steam to — by magic, it's always seemed to me! —- pump water from the tender into the boiler. It was supplemented by — or on some engines replaced by — a mechanical feedwater pump.
Either way, the fireman controlled the flow with the injector steam valve.
And no, the tender was never pressurized with anything. Just pretty much gravity to the injector pumps and on into the boiler from there.
Re: Is it time to replace my outdoor oil tank? (Urgent)
I would do what it takes and install an indoor tank. You will be much better off in the long run do it right and get it over with.
Outdoor tanks should only be use when there is no alternative. They also make smaller tanks that you could put two of them in if one will not fit.
Re: Alternative to Baseboard Slant Fin Tube
either trust a contractor to run some numbers or do it yourself. Find free heat load calculators online
Yes hot goes to cold, always. So heat emitters under a cold window will drive some convective currents across those fins, and the glass.
I suspect you will have metric connections to deal with, so be sure to get adapters to U.S. CTS copper tube size. I do like the looks of those.