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Re: Importance of outdoor temp sensor for reset on Viessmann Vitodens B1KE-120 ?

exqheat said:

"It really takes a homeowner willing to play around with the control to get it to the most efficient and comfortable setting. There is no one correct answer and you cannot expect the contractor to make a bunch or trips back without getting paid." Absolute nonsense. It needs to be automatic for most consumers who don't know the difference between a boiler switch and a light switch.

From his many past posts it sounds like the OP is asking and willing to learn the fine tuning of his system. Good for him.

More consumers should embrace the heating system.

Studies show the majority of homeowner's are unhappy with their heating systems.

hot_rod

2

Re: Taco, Grundfos and Wilo circulators

Circulators fundamentally do the same thing, deliver BTU’s, but it’s how efficiently, and effectively it gets the job done that sets the bar.
http://www.tacocomfort.com/products/variable_speed_products/007e/index.html

With all due respect, you're only kind-of right. I don't know many field techs (a big part of any pump manufacturer's customer base) who can speak to the efficiency or performance of a circulator once installed. Pumps are a big deal. Pump technology is no small thing. I'm also doing this for something like 35 years now and I can say that the way a pump company presents itself, makes its product available, supports its product, and perhaps most importantly, educates its potential customers on product selection tools and methods, is the winner at this game.

I find Wilo to be marketed to engineers. I see them on lots of job specs that come across my desk and then there's always some great effort involved in sourcing and pricing the model specified.
Engineers rarely, if ever, have to put their hands on a pump so they don't care what they specify if it looks good on paper. I rarely see Wilo on supply house shelves.

I've had more Grundfoss shaft seizures, by far, than any other pump manufacturer, and my techs often find their literature overbearing or confusing.

Taco makes a great product line which is only getting better and more technologically advanced, and their curves and included literature are field-tech friendly: install this way and not that way; wire to these specs; with X head you'll get Y flow.

I also like B&G very much and my local rep is fantastic, so out of the top 4 contenders, my choices have been limited for me through professional experience.

Pumps are not a commodity. They are a tool.

JohnNY

1

Re: Exhaust Smell from all faucets and showerheads : Tankless Water heater Rinnai RU119iN reu-n3237ff-us

We got a 'scorched' smell when hot water ran. New-To-Us on-demand heater fed from a small propane tank. Plumber pointed out that the tank was nearly out, the gas pressure musta fallen every time the big fire came on to heat water. Lean fire probably burned bad. Why it smelled 'scorched' I don't know, but topping off the propane was the cure. The smell was not just in-shower but pretty much the whole house, the un-blown heater's fumes just rose by convection and, if under-heated, had places to slip out of smokepipes and out of cellar.

Obviously if you are on city-gas, this should not happen (worn/bunged regulator?).

PRR

1

Re: Exhaust Smell from all faucets and showerheads : Tankless Water heater Rinnai RU119iN reu-n3237ff-us

Hi, Just to help rule things out, how about turning the heater off and then running water from the hot side? See if there is any odor. If not, you can eliminate the possibility of some other part of the hot side being at fault.
Is the odor at all hot taps? If not, it could have something to do with drainage not working right.
Have you had a look at the heater's inlet screen? Any plastic bits there? It's a long shot, but if some plastic bits were in the heat exchanger, maybe heating could create the odor??
I've dealt with a lot of hot water odor problems, but this one is new to me.

Yours, Larry

Larry Weingarten

4

Re: Exhaust Smell from all faucets and showerheads : Tankless Water heater Rinnai RU119iN reu-n3237ff-us

My guess would be it is bacteria and minerals in the water like the sulfur smell, possibly some reaction with the metals too.

mattmia2

2

Re: Need Help Understanding Dielectrics

Hello @JHMartin,
Either that corroded mess has been leaking for quite some time or maybe the tank has a draft issue and combustion gas spewing out. How does the other pipe look ?

109A_5

1

Passing the trade on....

Mad Dog_2

5

Re: Need Help Understanding Dielectrics

I avoid using dielectric unions for the same reason Larry stated above. They tend to be prone to leaking. Most water heaters have dielectric nipples in the tank but I find that different tanks have different quality dielectric nipples. What works for me, I put a 3/4" brass coupling on the hot water nipple and a 3/4" brass tee on the cold water nipple. I connect the type L copper with male adapters. On the bull of the tee I pipe in the expansion tank with brass nipples and fittings.

If the quality of the dielectric nipples the water heater comes with is questionable then the brass will provide adequate dielectric separation.

SuperTech

6

Re: American Radiator Co No. 1 Ideal Redflash Boiler | Update or Replace? [Photos]

It's in great shape, I have the same unit and I am currently replacing it....my God Rinnai combination water and Boiler...95% efficient....it's probably a coal converted unit. Original furnace and not in as good of shape. But damn 100 years or so and my HVAC guy says it's the oldest he's ever seen....it's jacketed, full if asbestos so....it's been on its last, last leg for 40 years and the last guy put a fill valve in it and said better start thinking about it.

eric62

1

Re: The case of the lowered steam pressure, this Friday's case.

There is some ASME rule about operating a high-pressure boiler at reduced pressure believe it or not I don't think it is allowed. Always sounded crazy to me but there is a reason for it.

EBEBRATT-Ed

1