Best Of
Re: Which Wall Hung Boiler?
The answer is, the brand that has local support and experience. Lochinvar, NTI, IBC, US Boiler are all reputable brands. Most brands have basic, and higher option choices.
All brands need proper installation, and occasional service, find that guy, or girl :)
hot_rod
Re: Replacing cast iron radiator with smaller one
A smaller radiator will offer you less heat. Is the kitchen too hot? …then reduce the size of the radiator.
If your kitchen is just the right temperature when the heating system is operating, then installing a smaller radiator with less heating output, will result in your kitchen will be colder.
Re: Buderus Hardware Help
If the system is set up and adjusted properly, the boiler should only run to heat domestic water when there’s a call from the indirect through the 2107 Logamatic control on top of the boiler.
The Logamatic control operates from a heating curve which means it doesn’t call the boiler on for SPACE heating from a thermostat demand, but instead, it uses an outdoor sensor and water temperature sensor to regulate the boiler’s water temperature. This is known as outdoor reset (ODR). It also has a feature known as warm weather shut down (WWSD). This turns off SPACE heating at around 68* outside. The control probably has a radiant heating card installed which operates a mixing valve for a lower heating curve for the radiant floor since the boiler must operate at a warmer temperature to prevent flue gas condensation.
I suspect that something (maybe a bad outdoor sensor) is keeping the boiler on all the time at a high temperature resulting in excessive fuel consumption.
Unfortunately, the Logamatic control is no longer available from Buderus unless there’s one on a shelf somewhere. There are other aftermarket controls that can be incorporated by a competent tech should the Logamatic be faulty.
The boiler is the best cast iron made and was the most efficient system around when it was installed. I believe the AFUE rating was 84%. If properly maintained, it could easily last 40+ years. The indirect, depending upon water conditions, 25-30 years on average.
I would recommend that you get someone like @Alan (California Radiant) Forbes to evaluate the system and see what needs to be done to correct any issues. Again, it could be something as simple as an outdoor sensor gone bad.
If the time comes, or has come, for a system replacement, a 95%+ mod/con boiler with fire tube heater exchanger + a new indirect would be the best way to go.
Ironman
Re: Replacing cast iron radiator with smaller one
@amaiale , take a pic from the end of the radiator so we can see what type and capacity are the sections it uses. Also how tall is it?
Re: Replacing cast iron radiator with smaller one
perfect application of a Thermostatic radiator valve. Turn up or down as you need or as your cat prefers. Just swap the valve, much easier than a new radiator.
Edit: Except that’s not the problem you are trying to solve! Less radiator not just less heat.
🤣
PC7060
Re: Which New Analyzer?
This has been great everyone! Thanks! Being a solo contractor I have to balance the maintenance & up front costs vs. practicality. Having field replaceable pre-calibrated sensors is a huge plus for me.
The service department at Sauermann just cut me a trade-in deal for the SiCA-130- for a reasonable price which will bring me into the information age finally. I just wish I could dumb down my phone without consequence and I would be happy. After not looking into various analyser options for years (as we should not need to) it is great that brands are still competitive and pack a lot of great features. Thanks Again!
Re: A question about design.
It's hard to follow, it doesn't matter if its a triangle or has some 45's, the shape doesn't matter. If you have zones on the secondary loop, and all the zones have their own pumps, and those zones are NOT hydraulically separated from the secondary loop (which would give you tertiary loops?) then no you do not need a pump to circulate water around the secondary loop. Each zone pump will pump its own zone, and will circulate through the low loss header, and from what you described its not really an issue to have the expansion tank piped into the LLH like that, though personally I like to have it on the return of the boiler loop on the suction side of the pump, the location you described is OK as well just makes techs scratch their heads when they see it. I would draw this out if I were you, and not draw it like a triangle or anything, just make straight lines representing each zone so you can read it easier, it will more than likely answer the question for you.
Re: Old copper pipe smaller than todays 1/2"
Hi, I'll just throw it out there that some freezing in copper tube can expand the tube a little, so it is no longer the size of either plumbing or refrigeration tubing. So the choices are to either cut a bit more tubing out, back to where it didn't freeze, or silver braze/solder the leak. Finding a way to keep it from freezing in the first place would be nice, as soft copper can only be expanded so much… or maybe this is a good place for PEX. 🤔
Yours, Larry


