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Re: Burnham Independent Near-Boiler Piping - Seeking Advice
@ethicalpaul
It sounds like it's coming from the radiator, as if the vent is spinning around. But I also know that the source of water hammer is not always where you hear it. Need to do more investigating.
Thanks for the callout. Re: water quality, I'm north of Boston in a town known for its hard water.
Edit: Photos attached.I'll add a photo when I'm back home but it's 0.5 psi with a 1 psi differential. I adjusted the cut-in earlier a few days ago after noticing it was between 0.5 and 1. 
Unfortunately I don't know how it was sized. We had it installed before I knew anything about steam... regrettably I didn't ask all the great questions Dan calls out in We Got Steam Heat!.
The radiator/convector pitch is important, but even more important is the pitch of the pipes supplying them. Can you localize where the banging is coming from? It can be difficult. Unless condensate can drain back to the boiler, it will remain in the pipes and cause banging and/or "killing" of steam to that area.
It sounds like it's coming from the radiator, as if the vent is spinning around. But I also know that the source of water hammer is not always where you hear it. Need to do more investigating.
What the Burnham engineer said to you is weird. Water/steam zig-zagging to the header or equalizer is not a concern I have. In fact, that additional travel serves to let water droplets separate from the steam better. Also, if your water quality is decent, basically no water will be coming up the supply anyway. If the water is good, the header is basically unused in its purpose to separate water from steam because there is no water getting in there.
Thanks for the callout. Re: water quality, I'm north of Boston in a town known for its hard water.
Do you know what pressure your system gets to? Can you supply a photo of your Pressuretrol so we can see the settings? You want it set to basically the minimum pressure.
Edit: Photos attached.
Related to above, how was the boiler sized? Did the installer calculate the total sq ft of radiation in your house? That is necessary to ensure a properly-sized boiler. Too big a boiler will result in it building pressure too fast and cycling on pressure, which makes some people want to increase the Pressuretrol setting. DON'T DO IT
Unfortunately I don't know how it was sized. We had it installed before I knew anything about steam... regrettably I didn't ask all the great questions Dan calls out in We Got Steam Heat!.
milesgem
2
Re: The case of the non heating steam system, this Friday's case
My best guess is that there was a steam radiator in the attic that had been disabled for years. When the boys moved up there, they reactivated the radiator (with the valve, or by re-installing a plugged vent, whichever).
But the supply pipe for that radiator was in the wall behind the thermostat, heating it prematurely.
But the supply pipe for that radiator was in the wall behind the thermostat, heating it prematurely.
Re: 2 Pressuretrol Cut-Ins and 1 Cut Out?
@holograham
You could probably convert that burner to LO-High fire. It's still going to cost a few bucks. You replace one of the gas valves with a two position Honeywell gas valve and hook the gas valve linkage to the air dampers.
There is a little more to it and the installer has to be competent with that burner. This would be cheaper that full modulation which in my opinion is a little overkill for a burner that size.
I was a Power Flame rep for 10 years now retired.
You could probably convert that burner to LO-High fire. It's still going to cost a few bucks. You replace one of the gas valves with a two position Honeywell gas valve and hook the gas valve linkage to the air dampers.
There is a little more to it and the installer has to be competent with that burner. This would be cheaper that full modulation which in my opinion is a little overkill for a burner that size.
I was a Power Flame rep for 10 years now retired.
Re: Looking for help in south central kansas
Mkflyy said:
Grundfos UPS26-99FC Is the second added pump between the return manifold and water heater the other pump after expansion tank is a a grundfos up 15-42. Today I completely took the system apart to make sure there wasn’t an obstruction or something. I am using a 1/2 hp cast iron inline pump to fill and purge the system. I went through and did every loop individually after to starting with just the system loop then doing each individual loop. At this point I’m not opposed to adding a boiler but they are very expensive. I obviously don’t know what I am doing to install it either. Sounds like I would want a primary and secondary loop and I have looked at several diagrams and I can’t make sense of it and how I would add one to my system. So the last thing I want to do is buy a $2500 boiler and still not be able to get it to work. I also don’t have natural gas or LP only electric. That’s why I opted for this system.
Regardless of what's wrong, it must be corrected. First is, it needs to be an electric boiler, not an on demand water heater.
Then simply follow the boiler manufacturer piping instructions, and you'll be good to go.
HVACNUT
1
Re: Are there seriously no leveling shims I can just buy?
Plastic checkers. You get to choose the color.
Re: 2 Pressuretrol Cut-Ins and 1 Cut Out?
A modulating burner would be wonderful. Unfortunately, your burner cannot really be retrofitted to modulate. In simple terms, Powerflame produces three type of gas power burner that would likely fit your boiler. On/off is what you have, low/high/low is the next step up and fully modulating is the top of the line version.
The advantage of low/high/low firing is there is a small flame at start, high fire until roughly 1psi steam pressure, and back to low fire until the call for heat is satisfied or the pressure goes above say 2psi. With modulating burners, the flame (in theory) stays on even longer and you get more even heating and less short cycling. Ideally, a modulating burner would allow the boiler water to "simmer" all day like the coal boilers did a hundred years ago. With modulating burners you need a special pressure control that sends a variable (modulating) signal to the burner. We don't talk specifics about pricing, but I would guess a special order modulating burner with controls would cost you more than double the cost of the existing burner.
The advantage of low/high/low firing is there is a small flame at start, high fire until roughly 1psi steam pressure, and back to low fire until the call for heat is satisfied or the pressure goes above say 2psi. With modulating burners, the flame (in theory) stays on even longer and you get more even heating and less short cycling. Ideally, a modulating burner would allow the boiler water to "simmer" all day like the coal boilers did a hundred years ago. With modulating burners you need a special pressure control that sends a variable (modulating) signal to the burner. We don't talk specifics about pricing, but I would guess a special order modulating burner with controls would cost you more than double the cost of the existing burner.
Re: Water line over 2” drop
Hello @trivetman,
I kind of wonder if you are trapping water in the main, probably should be an eccentric coupling or changed so it drains properly.
I kind of wonder if you are trapping water in the main, probably should be an eccentric coupling or changed so it drains properly.
109A_5
1
Re: 2 Pressuretrol Cut-Ins and 1 Cut Out?
The previous owners did a remodel and added radiant water heating in the back part first floor. That is why the current boiler is oversized (took out probably 2-3 large radiators).reggi said:What is the spare boiler for ?
Re: Cleaning my SEP4 - how often?
try once a month and see what comes out. Usually the first few months clears up most of the particles, then maybe a yearly flush
Flush into a bucket to see what flows out. If it always flows black colored you still have magnetite particles swimming around
Be sure the fill valve us working and on when you flush
When it finally runs clean, maybe squirt a hydronic conditioner into the system , to stop further corrosion, or at least slow it down
Flush into a bucket to see what flows out. If it always flows black colored you still have magnetite particles swimming around
Be sure the fill valve us working and on when you flush
When it finally runs clean, maybe squirt a hydronic conditioner into the system , to stop further corrosion, or at least slow it down
hot_rod
1
Re: Repeated Air in Fuel/Fuel Line
A little over a week ago, a tech was out for an annual tune up. Everything was fine, but we did discover that a draft inducer on the flue (weird routing requires it) was not actually powered. Tech used the unused "valve" terminal on the controller to power it. Worked great.
This is actually incorrect use of the valve terminal. The motor terminal should power the inducer along with a proving switch of some type. the proving switch will then allow the burner motor to start. with your set up on the "valve Terminal" operating the inducer, the control can get incorrect diagnostic information from a problem with the inducer.
