Best Of
Re: Should I be worried about what I am observing and hearing (radiant heat install in process)?
This is a pretty accurate on-line tool (need to register but free):
The hard part with existing houses is how leaky the place is, there is no easy way to get an accurate handle on this except for a blower door test. Older houses definitely tend to be on the leaky side.
Kaos
Re: Cleaning Alpha 2 circulator by running at higher speed
Is the boiler piped primary secondary or with a hydraulic sep? If so you should not need to lock TRVs open to keep flow moving. With all TRVs closed the Alpha will go into an "idle" mode where it barely spins just to get a reference point, around 7W.
Is the Alpha switched on by a relay box? Caleffi ZCR and some others have an exercise switch to run the pump.
The gpm readout is based on power consumption, rpm, and the calculations by in the computer, as I understand it.
hot_rod
Re: No 1 Ideal Sectional Boiler from American Radiator Company on house built in 1926
I am a licensed Master gasfitter and conversion burner in Md. I may not know the code in your location but I was taught a conversion burner for this type boiler required modification of the vent to use a horizontal or vertical draft diverter. The field Barometric burner should be removed. Also the Cast Iron coal damper at the base of the boiler should be sealed. As well as all the front doors. That being said, these old boilers were designed for coal which is a slow hot fire. The air flow from over-fire to chimney was a straight shot with very little heat surface absorption from the fire. In this configuration the gun burner efficiency can be 80%, but the overall efficiency of this boiler with this burner is more like 65%AFUE. This gun burner blower also increases the draft. But than this boiler was never rated for todays standards. My advice is install a new boiler designed for high eff gas 80-83% and correct all the other problems. Clean the chimney, or better yet, line the flue to comply with the code. It appears to me this would never have passed a gas permit inspection. My license would require me to shut the gas off and tag out this boiler until corrections were made. Questions? Your local gas company would have the answers as well as the local gov't dept. of licensing and inspections. If there is no record of a combustion test, consider the combustion setup was never done. Did my eye see the water heater gas pipe is trapped? It should not be trapped.
BE safe, put in gas and monoxide detectors. Sadly there are many victims in cemetery's who ignore the laws of physics. The codes we follow are fire and safety codes. they should be followed.
Good luck.
Lance
Re: Goodman GMNT060-3B
Transformers don't click. Unless they're on fire. But even then it's more of a pop.
9 hours is a long time to come up empty handed. What's the serial number on the Goodman furnace?
HVACNUT
Re: Goodman GMNT060-3B
You have 7 safeties wired between the w terminal on the thermostat and the gas valve. I would guess the inducer pressure switch is the most likely offender. Disconnect the switch and blow out the tubing connected to the switch and make sure they are all clean. Some of these safeties may be auto reset or manual reset.
You can also start the furnace and jumper the two switch wire to see if the furnace will continue to run.
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LEAVE THE JUMPER IN PLACE>
Re: Moving column cast iron radiator valve to outlet
The valve will function with reverse flow as you propose — just not at reliably. However, I have to ask… is this system piped all parallel (home run) flow to a manifold? Otherwise… you may have some unpleasant surprises.
Re: Goodman GMNT060-3B
Check and make sure that all ground wires in the furnace and all the way back to the electric panel have good connections. The ignition system uses the ground with micro voltage passing through it to prove the flame.
Also: has the flame rod been replaced?
Ironman
Re: No 1 Ideal Sectional Boiler from American Radiator Company on house built in 1926
The boiler looks good. The field MG1 is double action vent regulator designed to protect against downdrafts. As long as the face is plumb and the hinge, level, it can be adjusted to maintain the proper draft over fire. There should be a test hole to measure draft on the flue pipe between the regulator and the boiler breach. However the best place for a hole is 12" from breach, elbows and regulator which cannot be here so it has to go in the middle between both. Draft over fire from a warm flue should be about -.02" WC. and at the flue breach about -.04" WC. In these old boilers overfire may be hard to get to -.02" as the boilers internal path is fairly wide open. But if it is not making any soot, the combustion should be correct. The water stain on the right may be nothing or a sign of age and leaks on a section or two. Otherwise, it is tough to let the old girl go. Remember the longer it lives, the cheaper per day its life cycle cost is. So if you put a new boiler in and all you save is 10-20% over the fuel bill, you might consider which is cheaper. Divide projected fuel cost savings into the price of replacement and factor where you will be. If I pay $7,000.00, more or less to save 20% off of $1,600.00, 370.00/ year aver price over say 6 years it may take a 17 years to make up the difference. But if the boiler fails, its times to renew. Just remember there are a lot less parts to fail on this boiler than some of the new ones, which need more maintenance. Some new Weil Mclain boilers recommend service every year which costs at least 400.00 or more.
Water level looks ok. There are two levels to watch. 1 is when it is off and all water is drained down. The other is when on and there is water in the system above. The key to water is it clean, does it seem fairly steady when on. Water level if manual needs this reference, if automatic it needs to done right to meet the system demands. One thing I have always had to deal with is if the burner shuts of by low water cutoff when needing to fill. It changes the action. I always liked a fill control to feed water at a rate and time to keep the burner running as long as the stat calls for it. But it depends on boiler design. Of course most of my work is in a cold house. Best way to test is if the house has been maintaining comfort.
My previous comment on another field control in another pic did not show me if it was dual acting.
Lance
Re: Weil McLain EG50 no power after a pop
I have a question about the thermostat you are using.
Did you happen to try to connect a Smart Thermostat that requires a C terminal along with the R and the W terminal on the thermostat? That may be the reason for your POP
Re: Weil McLain EG50 no power after a pop
Get a whole new fan center control. The pop you heard was likely the transformer. And the base of the terminal board is lifted off on the right side. Shut the power off, stick your head in there and give it a sniff. Probably pretty rank. Add an in-line fuse like Ed said, because it could be it was the transformers time to pass, or there could be a short somewhere.
HVACNUT

