Best Of
Re: Lochinvar Boiler Leaking Gas
Lochinvar says replacement heat exchanger gaskets are 2-4 weeks out, not including shipping. Bah!
Re: Do you trust the “pros” in your area?
Trade schools are very important. More so now than in our recent past.
One of the things that trade schools cannot fail at is its relationship between administration the instructors and of course the students.
For example. When I was a Voc. Ed. instructor I fell victim to what I see happening in our grade schools today. Administration allowing for bad behavior to rule the day from the students.
I had an unruly student. Would cause disruptions constantly. This would happen numerous times for weeks. And it was an adult class!
The entire class was upset. I reported this issue to the front office with a response that was equivalent to a shrug. They wouldn't do anything about it. Finally I asked the student to leave.
The next day I was asked to come to the office. The student was there. To make a long story short I was asked to apologize to the student right there in the office. Does this sound crazy to you? Can you believe it?! I couldn't. But yet there I was ambushed in the office. The other students were also upset after finding out what happened. But, you know what I did? With my best poker face I apologized. And I said I will handle things differently next time. The timing when this happened was at the end of the semester. I submitted my two weeks notice and left to the disappointment of the students and fellow instructors. And as a result of my leaving the school from what I was told had to scramble to find someone else to fill the vacancy. They were now also under threat to lose their accreditation.
I was a well thought of instructor with above average and excellent performance reviews. I ended up at a different school that didn't behave this way, taught there for years. The school that I had left sold to another company and closed shortly after. This was reportedly due to the poor practices of the administration.
@ILikeEmOlder Integrity and fairness builds trust and success. Hopefully the school that you teach in will allow for it.
Intplm.
Re: Pumping towards?
Original reason the circulators were on return pipes were the lower temperature water was better for the pump seal material.
After President Kennedy sent us to the moon, there were new materials that could withstand that hotter water temperature that we could make pump seals out of. Since the temperature no longer matters, the only reason to put the circulator on the return is because that is the way I was taught to do it, and things like Packaging
Re: Lochinvar Boiler Leaking Gas
Yes, the nuts were loose, but I think the real culprit is the refractory. There’s nothing to secure it to the cover plate and when I pulled out the burner, the refractory had slid over the burner. I think this caused overheating which caused the gasket to fail.
Re: Radiator with no air vent?
You are missing something: the trap on the outlet from the radiator just to the right of your feet in the pictures.
That trap is the way air — and condensate — get out of the radiator so steam can get in. The pipe going down through the floor should connect to a dry return near the overhead in the basement, and that, in turn, should go to a vent somewhere near the boiler.
If that trap is failed closed — which happens — the radiator won't heat. It also won't heat if the pipe in the basement isn't connected to a dry return.
So that's what you want to go after. Check first the piping in the basement, and if that looks at least plausible the odd are on the trap. Replacement innards are readily available — if you tell us what markings there are on the cover we can help find them.
You neither need nor want a vent!
Re: I need a new tank due to rot. Is Roth the way to go?
"Oil will not rot out a steel oil tank but water will" ….. Someone once told me …
Big Ed_4
Re: What Do Space Exploration, Beer, and Hydronic Heating Have in Common?
Hi, I don't know if it was Coors, but beer vats were glass-lined. It's where the idea of glass-lining water heaters came from 💡
Yours, Larry
Re: Wrestit wrench
Retired guy. When I need to get a really tight screw fitting off a loose piece of pipe with no Ridgid Tristand around, I'll lay a wrench in it's back like that and then scissor bite the joint.
Alot of times, the wrench on its back will move or fall over. This white wrench with the Wings is perfect for this. Mad Dog
Re: When to NOT use sharkbite? A question
No. I believe codes and rules should be followed permits as well.
My problem is the manufacturer seem to have taken over some of the code making panels by there influence and the code making panels are bending to what the mfg wants.
Some of the equipment they are approving is junk IMHO
I never liked CSST since it first came out. The mechanical construction is very flimesy at best. It is about the same construction a electrical seal tight.
The few times I used it were for temporary work to fire up some temp heating units. The inside of it is like tin foil. I just think gas is too hazerdous to use something that can be so easily damaged. MA approved its use then took it out of use after the bonding/lighting strike incidents. After discussing it with the MFGs they let it back in. I wish they didn't do that.
As far as the whole AFCI/combination breaker thing it is the same issue. Maybe in time the MFGs will get it worked out. I follow a lot of the electrical forums. Most electricians absolutely hate the thing and are sick and tired of call backs they can't charge for and do not want the things in there own house. Building a new house requires almost every circuit to have arc fault. The MFGs pushed this on the code panels saying how many lives would be saved due to arcing faults. This was never proven. The failure rates are very high and at $60 + dollars for a single pole breaker they are expensive. They want them on electric stoves outside condensing units etc.
This didn't happen years ago. Things were thought through and products really tested before they were forced on the market. Now they bring things to market that are not ready. Are the code makers paid off from kick backs??
Re: Old oil furnace nozzle compatibility
Keep in mind that the stamped firing rate of a nozzle is at 100 psig fuel pump pressure. Many modern burners operate at higher pressures, meaning the nozzle will fire at a higher rate. This can be calculated.
bburd