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Re: Single pipe steam but one rad has a return piped back, purpose?
If the piping is quiet and no water hammer and everything heats that is the goal. Sounds like they made some changes and additions which don't always go well. Not unusual. Sounds like you have 3 rads (part3) that are hooked up counterflow. The rad in the picture I would suspect is a "two pipe air vent system" (very Old"). You mentioned some rads return counterflow into the header that isn't the best situation. Maybe next summer you can cut a tee in that pipe and drip that pipe back into the boiler return connection.
Re: Beckett R7184 reliability?
Does your furnace have a fan timer ST9103 that controls the system. the thermostat would connect to that control at the R W Y G C terminals. I have found that the ST9103 controls have a bad solder connection on the 12 pin plug where the orange wire from the R7184 connects.
When that happens the R7184 is working properly but the power from the Orange wire does not always get to the burner motor.
If you have that ST9103 fan timer, look at the back of that circuit board for any bad solder connections. You may want to replace it or repair the solder connection. Either way is fine.
When that happens the R7184 is working properly but the power from the Orange wire does not always get to the burner motor.
If you have that ST9103 fan timer, look at the back of that circuit board for any bad solder connections. You may want to replace it or repair the solder connection. Either way is fine.
Re: Shorted Pump
Hello @Teemok,
The problem with an Ohmmeter measurement is the typical Ohmmeter does not has the resolution to see the defect.
Example;
(to keep the numbers easy)
The transformer (or motor) has 100 turns or windings, say 1 foot long each of 16 Gauge wire, so 4.016 Ohms per 1000 ft or in this example 0.4016 Ohms for 100 Feet. With a one turn short scenario can the typical Ohms function of a typical Multi-meter actually see the difference between 0.4016 Ohms and 0.3976 Ohms ? A minimum resolution of 0.004016 Ohms, most Multi-meters can't until you get into a much more expensive (Lab grade type meter).
If the windings are 14 Gauge wire or larger it is even harder to measure accurately. Also do you even have the resistance specification in the first place ? Relays maybe, motors less usual.
There are better methods for field service.
I've never suspected a one turn short. Though I do understand they can happen. Maybe they've confused me and I replaced the component without fully understanding it's failure. Contrary to my nature but it happens. Intermittent, works for a time then overheats solenoid coils come to mind. I would think the amp draw would rise in addition to reading less ohms. What would symptoms be? Anyway, the existence of a blown fuse is a powerful pass fail amp draw test. I agree ohm readings are just one data point. A short to ground or an open circuit is conclusive.Yes with any unintentional current path within a motor or a coil (like a relay) the input current will go up. Its like adding another winding to a transformer with the load shorted out. Or like most of continuous LRA draw for a motor.
The problem with an Ohmmeter measurement is the typical Ohmmeter does not has the resolution to see the defect.
Example;
(to keep the numbers easy)
The transformer (or motor) has 100 turns or windings, say 1 foot long each of 16 Gauge wire, so 4.016 Ohms per 1000 ft or in this example 0.4016 Ohms for 100 Feet. With a one turn short scenario can the typical Ohms function of a typical Multi-meter actually see the difference between 0.4016 Ohms and 0.3976 Ohms ? A minimum resolution of 0.004016 Ohms, most Multi-meters can't until you get into a much more expensive (Lab grade type meter).
If the windings are 14 Gauge wire or larger it is even harder to measure accurately. Also do you even have the resistance specification in the first place ? Relays maybe, motors less usual.
There are better methods for field service.
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Re: Boiler Coil- Pex loop issue

Heading to bed. can you confirm my assumptions. Will look for your answer in the morning
Re: Cold house
Especially because it appears that at least one convector was removed when the addition was put on. A bypass pipe should've been installed to replace it, but the contractor may just have capped the tees. That would significantly restrict the flow rate through the entire loop.hilltown said:Is it possible in the mono flow loop there are some mono tees that are just capped off instead of leading to a convector and then back into the system…. That can certainly restrict the flow…
bburd
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Re: Taco ZVC405 (replacing a ZVC 404) wont work with existing 2 Nest Thermostats 3 wire config
I'm pretty sure @SteveSan is correct, i.e. that Terminal #1 is a good place to land for a "C" connection.
@jcmathis44 Do you get 24 volts at the thermostat? Is the thermostat fully charged?
@jcmathis44 Do you get 24 volts at the thermostat? Is the thermostat fully charged?
Re: Aluminum High Voltage Wiring
It turned out that the wiring was fine. The detail that fried the elements was low water.
The water level probes sit in a small cylinder separated from the main tank that houses the heating elements. The cylinder is connected to the tank with two, 1" nipples - high and low - kept separate so that the water level probes don't see the violent changes in the water level when the boiler is steaming. The cylinder had become clogged with mineral deposits that prevented the probes from properly reading the water level in the tank and the tank ran out of water.



The water level probes sit in a small cylinder separated from the main tank that houses the heating elements. The cylinder is connected to the tank with two, 1" nipples - high and low - kept separate so that the water level probes don't see the violent changes in the water level when the boiler is steaming. The cylinder had become clogged with mineral deposits that prevented the probes from properly reading the water level in the tank and the tank ran out of water.



Re: Installation of my Burnham Steam Max Boiler 175K BTU Natural Gas
I like the near-boiler piping. Was the inspector happy?
It looks like the skim port has been reduced, but as long as they skimmed it and it's not surging, I'm happy.
What is the total EDR (sq ft of radiation) of your radiators?
Can we see the front of the two gray boxes over on the left side?
Is there just a single main? If not, can we see where the vertical supply feeds into them?
Can we see a picture of your main vent(s)?
Is that a check valve below your autofeeder?
It looks like the skim port has been reduced, but as long as they skimmed it and it's not surging, I'm happy.
What is the total EDR (sq ft of radiation) of your radiators?
Can we see the front of the two gray boxes over on the left side?
Is there just a single main? If not, can we see where the vertical supply feeds into them?
Can we see a picture of your main vent(s)?
Is that a check valve below your autofeeder?
Re: Solar Radiant Heat for Airplane Hangar
Un glazed solar thermal has a very small operating window. On a 35 degree day, 75 degree from the collector you are around 1% efficiency. You would need an awful lot of collector and roof area to even put a dent in a heating load.
When ambient and collector temperature are within a few degrees, expect 90% plus efficiency. But as the ambient around the collector drops, efficiency drops quickly, see the steep performance profile, the black line on the graph.
You really want glazed plate or tube collectors for cold weather operation.
When ambient and collector temperature are within a few degrees, expect 90% plus efficiency. But as the ambient around the collector drops, efficiency drops quickly, see the steep performance profile, the black line on the graph.
You really want glazed plate or tube collectors for cold weather operation.
hot_rod
1
Re: Replacing steam finned convectors
I'm not sure the mass makes as much of a difference in a convector. the convection is going to take most of the heat out of it pretty quickly and once there is no longer enough heat for much convection there is not going to be a lot of heat coming out of it.
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