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Re: Phasing out of r410 and what’s next r 32
pressures start to get crazy also in high pressure refrigerant systems, 300-400 psi? Some of the ultra high pressure 700 psi plus!CO2 is very high pressure. Still it was used over a century ago. With today's technology it's doable. An advantage of a cascade system is that the compression ratio for high pressure fluid like carbon dioxide can be modest.
jumper
1
Return of the lost radiator- removing a plug
I'm looking to re-add a radiator (one pipe steam) that was removed from my kitchen some time ago- maybe 15-20+ years ago. This plug seems to be where the original supply went. I have to imagine it's sealed shut at this point, but maybe not?
I'm tempted to try to open it up after heating season and pipe it myself- everything's easily accessible - but I'm afraid to damage the pipe or the encapsulated asbestos lagging.
How would you do it safely? I'm not opposed to calling in a pro if I'm likely to cause more damage to the main, but it seems like a fun project. Or a quick way to inhale some fibers.
hbock
1
Re: Has anyone used Lochinvar's Wireless Outdoor Sensor, or similar?
I installed it today. Doesn't work. I have to go through it tomorrow with HBX. It stops reporting the moment we leave the boiler room with the outdoor unit.
JohnNY
1
Re: New Boiler Proposed By Contractor- What Info Should I Know?
Thanks Jughne and Hot_water-fan!
Jughne, yes it is a Munchkin. I has served us pretty well over the years. I see now on the label below it was made in 2005. I took the photos you requested (I hope I did..). I also included a photo of the pressure gauge. I remember now that the technician did say that he thinks that the relief valve is "probably very corroded. That's why it isn't opening and releasing water at this high pressure". But the condensate drip line is pumping out steam.
I just measured the entire house and there is a 236 feet, 5 inches of baseboard.
Hot_water-fan, the closed system info is interesting. So you mention a leak of some sort. I do know that there was/is a drip coming from the red handle of the hose faucet (on the right "out" vertical pipe). I saw puddle of water there this morning. I tried tightening it as much as possible and think it may have stopped.
Jughne, yes it is a Munchkin. I has served us pretty well over the years. I see now on the label below it was made in 2005. I took the photos you requested (I hope I did..). I also included a photo of the pressure gauge. I remember now that the technician did say that he thinks that the relief valve is "probably very corroded. That's why it isn't opening and releasing water at this high pressure". But the condensate drip line is pumping out steam.
I just measured the entire house and there is a 236 feet, 5 inches of baseboard.
Hot_water-fan, the closed system info is interesting. So you mention a leak of some sort. I do know that there was/is a drip coming from the red handle of the hose faucet (on the right "out" vertical pipe). I saw puddle of water there this morning. I tried tightening it as much as possible and think it may have stopped.
Sorta
1
Re: New Boiler Proposed By Contractor- What Info Should I Know?
Is that a "Munchkin" Boiler?
You could shut off the power and loosen the two screws in the lower front panel and remove the top.
The product tag would be perhaps on the left side on a steel flap. Picture is good.
Then inside on the upper right is a pop off relief valve, it should have a tag stating 30 PSI. Picture again.
If you truly had 60 PSI in the boiler that relief valve should be peeing all over your floor, assuming it is piped correctly.
The grey expansion tank has an air valve under a plastic cap, remove the cap and depress the air valve just to see if water comes out.
Your auto fill valve is near that. Pictures also.
If either of these things fail you could replace them and use those items for a new boiler if it come to that.
They do not come with a boiler and are accessories added as boiler is installed. You could show a new boiler installer your receipts and if they would not reuse them I would send them away.
How many feet of baseboard heaters do you have in the house?
You could shut off the power and loosen the two screws in the lower front panel and remove the top.
The product tag would be perhaps on the left side on a steel flap. Picture is good.
Then inside on the upper right is a pop off relief valve, it should have a tag stating 30 PSI. Picture again.
If you truly had 60 PSI in the boiler that relief valve should be peeing all over your floor, assuming it is piped correctly.
The grey expansion tank has an air valve under a plastic cap, remove the cap and depress the air valve just to see if water comes out.
Your auto fill valve is near that. Pictures also.
If either of these things fail you could replace them and use those items for a new boiler if it come to that.
They do not come with a boiler and are accessories added as boiler is installed. You could show a new boiler installer your receipts and if they would not reuse them I would send them away.
How many feet of baseboard heaters do you have in the house?
JUGHNE
1
Re: New Boiler Proposed By Contractor- What Info Should I Know?
Great responses & thank you all for them. These really help me.
- So really...I don't WANT a new boiler. But was told due to "mud" being in it, that mine is probably coming to an end soon. (?)
It started when I mistakenly allowed air to enter in to my system, and couldn't get the heat back on in some zones. So I called the local HVAC contractor. They cleared the air from the zones and heat returned. But then the technician said he thinks there is a lot of "mud" in the system, and given the age of the system (I'm guessing it's about 20 years old. It is at least 16 y/o), he said they wouldn't be willing to clean it. But they could offer a new boiler.
Further, as the tech was finishing-up there was a large pressure increase (past 60psi) and the tech said he thought the water fill valve must have failed. So he worked to get the pressure where he said it was okay, then he manually turned-off the fill-water line. He left, and an hour later I noticed no heat in any rooms. The boiler had stopped, the pressure was down to 10 psi, and a water pressure error code was showing. But when I turned the fill-water line back to open...the boiler started back up and heat returned. But so did the high pressure. It is currently at 60+psi.
So...I was thinking, why does this mean I need a whole new boiler? What if I purchased & installed a new water regulator/auto-fill? If the tech says it failed, wouldn't it be logical to think a new one would work? Instead of a full flow of water entering the boiler (like it is now), it would limit the amount only the boiler needed it? And a new water fill valve is like $90.
- Thanks for the price range info. Gives me a better feeling of what to expect.
- Thank you for the info that in general it is a good idea to buy the boiler from the same contractor who installs it (due to familiarity, knowledge, proprietary parts, etc).
- I really have no idea of the btu information. I know zilch about this. So, when you mention the input, etc...it's like a foreign language to me. I'm not sure how to address.
- I DO have copper tube/Aluminum fin baseboard in the house.
Thank you again everyone.
- So really...I don't WANT a new boiler. But was told due to "mud" being in it, that mine is probably coming to an end soon. (?)
It started when I mistakenly allowed air to enter in to my system, and couldn't get the heat back on in some zones. So I called the local HVAC contractor. They cleared the air from the zones and heat returned. But then the technician said he thinks there is a lot of "mud" in the system, and given the age of the system (I'm guessing it's about 20 years old. It is at least 16 y/o), he said they wouldn't be willing to clean it. But they could offer a new boiler.
Further, as the tech was finishing-up there was a large pressure increase (past 60psi) and the tech said he thought the water fill valve must have failed. So he worked to get the pressure where he said it was okay, then he manually turned-off the fill-water line. He left, and an hour later I noticed no heat in any rooms. The boiler had stopped, the pressure was down to 10 psi, and a water pressure error code was showing. But when I turned the fill-water line back to open...the boiler started back up and heat returned. But so did the high pressure. It is currently at 60+psi.
So...I was thinking, why does this mean I need a whole new boiler? What if I purchased & installed a new water regulator/auto-fill? If the tech says it failed, wouldn't it be logical to think a new one would work? Instead of a full flow of water entering the boiler (like it is now), it would limit the amount only the boiler needed it? And a new water fill valve is like $90.
- Thanks for the price range info. Gives me a better feeling of what to expect.
- Thank you for the info that in general it is a good idea to buy the boiler from the same contractor who installs it (due to familiarity, knowledge, proprietary parts, etc).
- I really have no idea of the btu information. I know zilch about this. So, when you mention the input, etc...it's like a foreign language to me. I'm not sure how to address.
- I DO have copper tube/Aluminum fin baseboard in the house.
Thank you again everyone.
Sorta
1
New Boiler Proposed By Contractor- What Info Should I Know?
Hi all. Thanks for reading.
A local HVAC company came out and recommended that I purchase a new boiler from them. I'd like to make sure I'm making the best decision, but am not sure of what I should know, what important questions I should ask, etc. Are there things I should be asking, or having them answer? I tried searching through the forum threads to read-up on things.
Like how do I know that the boiler that they recommend is the best "match" for my house & needs? They gave me a north of $10k proposal for a high efficiency Bosch Greenstar 131 heating only model / and installation. My current boiler is high-efficiency, and I do know I'd like a 95% high efficiency boiler. The contractor said Bosch is the only high-efficiency they offer.
Many questions in my head. Like, how do I know the recommended boiler is the best for me? Is the price-area (not specific, as I know the forum doesn't talk about specific prices due to price-fixing!) something that makes sense for a new installation? I'm in downstate New York.
This might be a dumb question, but are are there contractors that I can find that just will install a boiler, the piping needed, etc...if I purchase the boiler separately? Can I even buy a boiler separately, or do I have to purchase one from the contractor who will also be installing it?
Well, thank you very much for reading this and for your replies. Thanks for informing!
A local HVAC company came out and recommended that I purchase a new boiler from them. I'd like to make sure I'm making the best decision, but am not sure of what I should know, what important questions I should ask, etc. Are there things I should be asking, or having them answer? I tried searching through the forum threads to read-up on things.
Like how do I know that the boiler that they recommend is the best "match" for my house & needs? They gave me a north of $10k proposal for a high efficiency Bosch Greenstar 131 heating only model / and installation. My current boiler is high-efficiency, and I do know I'd like a 95% high efficiency boiler. The contractor said Bosch is the only high-efficiency they offer.
Many questions in my head. Like, how do I know the recommended boiler is the best for me? Is the price-area (not specific, as I know the forum doesn't talk about specific prices due to price-fixing!) something that makes sense for a new installation? I'm in downstate New York.
This might be a dumb question, but are are there contractors that I can find that just will install a boiler, the piping needed, etc...if I purchase the boiler separately? Can I even buy a boiler separately, or do I have to purchase one from the contractor who will also be installing it?
Well, thank you very much for reading this and for your replies. Thanks for informing!
Sorta
1
Re: Cast iron baseboard keeps busting
I had a customer with CI old school rads. He had a constant drip on a lower nipple.
Someone changed his fill valve which would have involved draining the entire system.
Then the upper rads would not heat, the guy then bled those rads to get heat.
Then the pop off valve would drip, the guy fixed that with a pipe plug.
His expansion tank had been water logged with no room for expanding water causing the pop off and the rad to drip. The pop off was changed and all was good as the upper rads had air for compression.
I ended up changing the boiler for other reasons and adding an oversize expansion tank.
The pop off and CI raid both stopped dripping.
Is there a chance the house could have seen a freeze up in the past that you may not be aware of?
Could have weaken some of the cast without breaking and then failed expansion tank have done them in?
Someone changed his fill valve which would have involved draining the entire system.
Then the upper rads would not heat, the guy then bled those rads to get heat.
Then the pop off valve would drip, the guy fixed that with a pipe plug.
His expansion tank had been water logged with no room for expanding water causing the pop off and the rad to drip. The pop off was changed and all was good as the upper rads had air for compression.
I ended up changing the boiler for other reasons and adding an oversize expansion tank.
The pop off and CI raid both stopped dripping.
Is there a chance the house could have seen a freeze up in the past that you may not be aware of?
Could have weaken some of the cast without breaking and then failed expansion tank have done them in?
JUGHNE
2
Re: Found a stash in a radiator
I suppose this story is worth a repeat from a few years ago.
There were 3 workers from the same office living in a rental house.
Wc was slow and nearly run over with each flush.
The WC auger produced a well rinsed toothbrush.
I threw it away and went to their office and said the problem was solved... and announced "Oh, by the way I put that toothbrush back into the holder with the others."
I am sure there were 3 new brushes purchased that afternoon.
There were 3 workers from the same office living in a rental house.
Wc was slow and nearly run over with each flush.
The WC auger produced a well rinsed toothbrush.
I threw it away and went to their office and said the problem was solved... and announced "Oh, by the way I put that toothbrush back into the holder with the others."
I am sure there were 3 new brushes purchased that afternoon.
JUGHNE
6
Cast iron baseboard keeps busting
The house was built in 1957 and we had a new gas furnace put in 2013. We were able to heat all three zones and get them going good. Fast forward to 2020, we could only heat up one zone at a time and it wouldn’t get above 70. Right after this started we had two baseboards give out. Loud pop and water coming out of the cast iron baseboard. We had those broken ones replaced and everything was good for a week— the zones all heated up properly. Now, today the heat went back to a zone at a time and I just had another old baseboard on a different zone bust. Is this just old age or is air getting into the system and causing this? Not a lot of plumbers will touch this stuff or know much about it. Any help would be appreciated on where I can look to see what’s causing this, if anything.
