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Re: Water trickling sound after boiler turns off - normal?
@EdTheHeaterMan did you modify that picture?No I didn't, that is out of a newer version. I thought that was odd also, but I found a better illustration that better matches the OP's boiler. Here is the original illustration from my post so folks know what your are talking about. But it looks like it should work as a second or alternate main location as far as steam and condensate are concerned.
(surprised to see that bullhead at the end of the header)

It's on page 11 of this document.
Re: Help me with the basics
i would recommend a boiler like a lochinvar knight. With the knight you can wire in the 3 zones directly to the boiler and you can adjust each zone to different heat outputs, meaning different loop temperatures. Having an unbalanced system could be caused by not having enough baseboard or too much. With each zone connected to the lochinvar smart control they can have different loop supply temperatures which can help the required BTU output.
2
Re: Geothermal residential system - frustrated
Do you have the manual for the heat pump? Maybe there is a time delay function to prevent quick change over from heat to cool
hot_rod
1
Re: Geothermal residential system - frustrated
you would think the contractor would have identified that the compressor went into cooling mode---seems like the stat was 'stuck'.
GW
1
Re: Indirect Controls
The water heater is not on priority.
Is the water heater piped as a separate loop, Tee'd off the primary loop and wired into the boiler, or is the water heater piped on the same manifold with all the space heat zones?
Does the boiler know to max fire on a DHW demand?
Is the water heater piped as a separate loop, Tee'd off the primary loop and wired into the boiler, or is the water heater piped on the same manifold with all the space heat zones?
Does the boiler know to max fire on a DHW demand?
HVACNUT
3
Re: Harsh Reminder
Today in Virginia: Propane leak. Tank outside the house. House explodes. One firefighter killed and nine others injured.
https://apnews.com/article/virginia-fatal-home-explosion-firefighters-909fdbcb6e189d2c4bcb4a7512f0c053
https://apnews.com/article/virginia-fatal-house-explosion-ca5bba45c6311573b3ec82dfa3919ee7
Lessons learned in the LEAP blowout still unlearned. People OUTside smelled gas, so responders go inside to check it out. I'm no expert, but seems to me the response should be to evacuate, barricade, and ventilate until your _Gas_Detector_ shows a low-low-low reading.
https://apnews.com/article/virginia-fatal-home-explosion-firefighters-909fdbcb6e189d2c4bcb4a7512f0c053
https://apnews.com/article/virginia-fatal-house-explosion-ca5bba45c6311573b3ec82dfa3919ee7
Lessons learned in the LEAP blowout still unlearned. People OUTside smelled gas, so responders go inside to check it out. I'm no expert, but seems to me the response should be to evacuate, barricade, and ventilate until your _Gas_Detector_ shows a low-low-low reading.
1
CI radiator demo high and low connections
Broke my heart to cut out this decorative plug.. but in the interest of research. Cast plugs don't come out easily like steel nipples. So I chose to tap the inside to 1". I think I can braze the flowered plug cut off back onto a 1" steel plug.
So feeding the bottom at 4 gpm, return from top same side. 45 minute run time.
Delta T started at 12, closed to 8 at 45 minute run.
BTU output at start, cold radiator 25.8K BTU, 500 X 4 X 12.6= 25,200 BTU/ hr
BTU output at 45 minute 19.4
So the BTU meter reading and the hydronic formula, in italics, pretty much square.
Also, no question the connections on the same side, top and bottom does allow the radiator to heat just fine. It differs from the bottom to bottom flow path by the heating profile, a small amount.
Getting toasty in here, I'll run it to thermal equilibrium, supply and return temperature stabilize.
So feeding the bottom at 4 gpm, return from top same side. 45 minute run time.
Delta T started at 12, closed to 8 at 45 minute run.
BTU output at start, cold radiator 25.8K BTU, 500 X 4 X 12.6= 25,200 BTU/ hr
BTU output at 45 minute 19.4
So the BTU meter reading and the hydronic formula, in italics, pretty much square.
Also, no question the connections on the same side, top and bottom does allow the radiator to heat just fine. It differs from the bottom to bottom flow path by the heating profile, a small amount.
Getting toasty in here, I'll run it to thermal equilibrium, supply and return temperature stabilize.
hot_rod
3
Re: Snake-bit Hot Water Heat
With plans like that no wonder it doesnt work. My eyes hurt from looking at them
Re: Cast iron radiator at high flow rate
@SteamheadNo, the opposite. One side had way more flow, and that was where it was overheating and leaking- right near the return connection.
OK, I read through your case study again. I think I answered my question about unequal distribution, and how you fixed it.
I was having a problem visualizing the two sided boiler. So one side had lower flow and was getting too hot? You increased the flow to the hot side, and that resolved the problem?
As a car guy, I'm sure you understand "dwell" in old-school breaker-point ignition. You need a certain amount of dwell to build up the magnetic field in the ignition coil, so when the points open and the field collapses, there will be enough energy in the "collapse" to generate a spark.
Same concept here. If the water is racing through the boiler fast enough, it won't stay in the boiler long enough to pick up the heat. Not enough dwell, as it were. In this case, the wildly oversized circ and the unequal distribution combine to produce this result.
@hot_rod , we'd have to locate some design info that was used to design gravity systems. I'm sure it's out there.
Oh, and having had that experience, I've been able to solve some other systems' problems. One that comes to mind was a converted gravity system with ~700 square feet of radiation. The old B&G 100 circ had been replaced with a Taco 0010, which has almost exactly the same performance curve. The lady complained that the bedroom was too hot, so I helped her turn the shutoff valve clockwise. But the room got hotter!
I'm sure you all see what the problem was now- reducing the flow made the water distribute through all of the radiator, which increased its output.
I replaced the 0010 with a 007, opened the valve, and the problem went away.
Remember, when dealing with a gravity conversion, you have to think like the Dead Men did, and try to mimic the flow they designed the system for.
