Best Of
Re: First time designing and installing radiant - feedback
I have seen where wood shops have a lot of sawdust and small pieces of wooden scraps. Would a wood stove with a water jacket be in the future? How much does electricity cost in your area? Compare that to the cost of LP gas and a small water heater of sorts. 30 Gallon Gas Water Heater can operate on natural gas or propane. The smallest burner for the price and will work with a temperature that is perfect for radiant floor heating. I would not normally recommend that you use a water heater. for a closed loop heating system. This application is different since you do not need water temperatures higher than 120° and the size of the room is small in comparison to a standard home heated with baseboard heat that requires temperatures over 160°. I have actually done this project for someone with a similar need and it is still working over 6 years later.
But your Idea of an electric boiler has merit as long as you can afford to operate it.
Don't be fooled by the electric bill where it says cost of electricity generation some low number like 12 cents per kWh. That number does not include the deliver cost often called transmission charges (the power line charges) and other charges for maintaining the power lines plut the fees and taxes. The best way to find out your cost per kWh is to look at the meter readings to get your total kWh that are included in that month's bill, and divide it by the total amount you pay for that much electricity. You will find that the number on the bill for cost per kWh is lower that the actual price per kWh you are paying.
Re: Missing skim pipe
Luckily, between the skimming, then the draining to get the water level back down, you should have a complete replacement of all the water, so he should be good.
Re: Missing skim pipe
If that boiler was installed more than three or four years ago, the plug in the skim tapping will be difficult to remove. It may be difficult even if it hasn't been there too long; that depends on your tools and your skill. Any plug can be removed with the right knowledge, skill and tools.
As Paul says, you can add chemicals through the plugged pipe on the top of the jacket. Or you can remove the safety (relief) valve.
If I had to skim that boiler, I would remove the gauge glass, thread in a nipple and skim it through the upper gauge tapping. That would be much easier than trying to access the skim plug.
If the boiler has been in service for a year or more, I would just flush and refill it several times using the bottom boiler drain valve and consider the job done.
Re: Missing skim pipe
Looks like the water quality and the sight glass need a bit of TLC.
That's why he's asking about the skim tapping! It's behind the jacket hole
Re: Missing skim pipe
- Yes it's feasible
- You could attempt to skim from the top gauge glass fitting port but I'd rather install a skim pipe
- You can add it down that plugged vertical pipe that's roughly above the gauge glass. But I wouldn't add it until your water is clean.
Re: New boiler on gravity system
Check if your boiler controls allow for a heat purge after shutdown, if not the electrician can add an off programmable off delay timer. You want to keep the pump on until the boiler cools down after each firing, this gets you a couple % of extra efficiency for free.
Kaos
Re: White smoke from chimney
Just stop the blowdown for a while as you suggested above. Keep your eye on the sight glass.
Natural gas contains water vapor so when it is cold out you will see water vapor leaving the chimney.
We are not that far from spring. Just keep your eye on it
Re: creaking sound from indirect water heater
you ‘re probably correct that it is a foam injected insulation around the tank
If it didn’t adhere it may well be t tank movement against the foam block.
You might give HeatFlo a call to get their opinion
hot_rod