Best Of
Re: Steam Boiler seems to be pulling a vacuum causing it to shut down on low water.
Here are some tips on setting up forum email notifications:
https://heatinghelp.com/forum-user-manual
Re: Steam Boiler seems to be pulling a vacuum causing it to shut down on low water.
With a vented boiler feed tank and pumps, atmospheric pressure pushes feedwater from the tank into the boiler and header causing the flooded condition you describe.
If this is a vacuum return system, or you're interested in maintaining a vacuum on the returns, a positively closing valve on the discharge of the boiler feed pump(s) should be installed. The actuator on this valve should be wired so the valve only opens when the boiler is calling for feedwater and the boiler feed pump is operating.
Pumpguy
Re: Steam Boiler seems to be pulling a vacuum causing it to shut down on low water.
Assuming the installation of the boiler feed pump is correct and it is vented to the atmosphere and all else is correct the steam vacuum breaker can be the solution without looking for problem that may not exist.
Taken from my book steam the perfect fluid for heating and some of the problems. Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Dorrance Publishing Pittsburg Pa.
Re: Replacing cast iron radiator with smaller one
Just to let you know, I have corrected this mistake many times in my career. As I said in my first post, "It may even work in some rare cases." but I have had many situations where baseboard was added to replace a CI radiator that did not heat the space, a Kick Space heater was added to the existing supply and return, and even radiant floor tubing was connected without the proper mixing valve to lower the water temperature as required for radiant floor heating systems. Attempts to do it cheap can often result in undesirable results. If you are going to do this, then do it right the first time. Someone with Hydronics experience should be consulted.
With using the same water temperature on PEX tubing for floor heat, as the CI radiator system, you run the risk of making the floor too hot to stand on. a 165° high limit on a CI radiator might be nice to sit next to on a cold winter evening, but try walking barefoot on a 165° floor. Not so comfortable
Re: Energy Kinetics System 2000 hard lock out
@cjjeeper Dm me sir and i will do what i can to help you out
Robertw
Re: Efficiency of an indirect water heater
i would consider an indirect to be more like a shell and tube HX design.
As such the companies that build both types seem to have the best actual data. I would say AlfaLavel is one of the largest Hx manufacturers, here us their take.
About the best transfer tank I tank seen is the TurboMax, which us a tank crammed full of copper hx tube. But still with one moving fluid the transfer will be limited
Id still put my money on the EK external plate hx.
Very easy to insulate a plate Hx, manufacturers offer the foam shells to tightly fit.
hot_rod
Re: Your thoughts and opinions please
What Scott said, and he said it better than I ever could. Thanks Scott.
Hydronic Boiler Scale: Causes, Dangers, Prevention This weeks video
As the name implies, the video covers common causes of scale formation and the implication to the boiler.
Re: Your thoughts and opinions please
First of all Thanks to everyone. I have been fighting with this as each topic could be 8 hours or more. The customer was thinking of a quick thing about what to look for on each type system. For example, what's the system pressure, delta t on a hydronic system Near boiler piping and boiler pressure on a steam I guess they were hoping I could do the matrix thing and just upload knowledge. Back to the drawing board. You guys are awesome Thanks
Re: Your thoughts and opinions please
Ray, I agree with the comments above.
I am being brutally honest here, not trying to be disrespectful.
Do you want to listen to yourself talk, or do you want to teach. What I am trying to say is, let it sink in. Give the students time to respond. Reduce the amount of information you are trying to fit into a few hours.
Ask the class for responses to your questions to judge if they are picking up what you are putting down.
For example, you are gong to cover sizing a circulator pump in what, about four minutes? I am amazed at the amount of people in the trade that have no idea how to size a circulator. This includes service techs, installers, supply house "designers", and even some reps. I think you could spend an hour easily just on on sizing and identifying pumps.
With regard to electrical troubleshooting, keep it simple. Think of the hundreds or thousands of no heat calls you have been on. Only focus on the the common problems, not the obscure with such a short time frame. Start with simple hand drawn line diagrams, show the people how a simple circuit works. Use water, valves and pipes as examples. Then work your way up to more complicated examples based on the response you get.
I am thinking back to Dan Holohan's early seminar days. He made it simple, fun, had props, and spoke in a language that most of us understood. Everyone I spoke to after one of Dan's seminars learned something, most learned a lot. For me, I learned plenty and I gained confidence in what I was unsure of.
Hopefully your students will learn something and ask plenty of questions.
