Best Of
Re: Any plumbers good at small bathroom layout?
There were clever shower configurations I saw in Europe for small bathrooms.
This was simplest with shower panels folded in when not used to make space. Saw this configuration with curved panels as well
PC7060
Re: Energy Kinetics System 2000 hard lock out
I finally fixed it. See the schematic drawing.
There is a pressure switch that is a prover to start the burner motor. It has two silicon hoses, one of which goes to the exhaust fan output. There is a hose barb fitting threaded into the exhaust and that hose barb was completely plugged up. It looks like the installer put pipe thread sealant on it and got more in it than on the threads. I believe over time it collected particulate and closed up almost completely. I cleaned it out and it all works now. Thanks to Robert Wickersheim for his help.
cjjeeper
Re: buying a hydronics business
There was a time when a business value was based on it's placement in the YellowPages :)
When he goes out of business, and you advertise hydronic expert, you will get his customers without paying a dime.
Spend time and energy getting good at hydronics. Read up, follow chatrooms like this, get out and do it.
Unless the price comes back down and there are some loyal customers, phone number, contacts, etc. I don't see a lot of value.
If you want him, offer him a job, part time mentor type position.
hot_rod
Re: Best nest thermostat-Experts recommendations to choose
The thermostat is not capable of changing the heating needs of the building. You need X amount of BTUs to heat the place to X temperature when it is cold outside. If you want to save money reduce the heat loss of the building. Weatherstripping, insulation and air sealing usually do the job better than changing thermostats.
In my opinion the best choice is not using a Nest thermostat at all. Save yourself a lot of trouble in the future. If you want WiFi control get a Honeywell or Ecobee
Re: The Subtlety of Steam Heating
Please make the right one.
^ That. Right there. The most profound - yet simple thing I've seen in a long time. Really next level stuff. Thank you Mr. Holohan.
Also, I'm stealing that saying!
Re: Any plumbers good at small bathroom layout?
Hi, If there must be a tub, might a Japanese soaking tub fill the bill? Smaller footprint, but maybe some weight considerations 😎
Yours, Larry
Re: buying a hydronics business
Are Your customers stupid?
A story about the father & son, long standing, “50+ years in business company” that purchased my company. I would write a letter every year to my customers thanking them for their business, wishing them a happy new year and telling them something positive about doing business with me. One year was that the price of the service agreements would not go up this year, another time was that the cost of labor on our flat rate service price book was down 4% and that would be reflected in the new price book, and sited 2 examples of labor only flat rate repairs, like: clean & adjust electronic ignition old price $62.59 new price $60.09. One year I just told the customers that My son was doing great in Track & Field and holds high school records in 5 different events. He was offered a scholarship to The College of New Jersey to be on their track team. But I digress…
The new owner of my customers read a letter I prepared with the "good news" that I was partnering up with the new company and the "good news" is that there will be more technicians available for emergency service calls and more years of experience and several other "good news" items about the purchase of my company by their company. This corny communication was what my customers were used to receiving from me and my son. They often commented on some of my comments in the letters to me and the other mechanics during their maintenance visits, so I knew that many customers read these letters.
The buying company’s father read the letter I prepared and said this crap was too corny to originate from this firm and filed the letter in the circular bin next to his desk. He did agree that my customers should be notified that there was a new owner and composed a no nonsense business letter and mailed it to all my customers on the new company letter head. The majority of these letters went into the customer’s circular file as the letter head and return address on the envelope was unfamiliar. After several months of customers not recognizing the new truck with a different name and different mechanics arriving to service their equipment, Mr. J wanted to know if all my customers were stupid. Can’t they read a simple letter that explains what has transpired?
I just had to agree that he knew better than I about how to operate a business at a profit the way his father told him to run a business. Heaven forbid that I might inform him that a letter with my return address and my letter head would have been a better idea. Even if it was not corny and said exactly what the letter he sent out on his letter head. Jeff knew what he was doing and my customers were stupid for throwing perceived junk mail in the trash.
BOTTOM LINE: If you go through with the purchase, expect to operate the newly purchased company as if there has been no change, and you are just the new guys that work for the existing company. Answer the phone the same way the previous owner answered the phone. Send letters and invoices out using the envelopes with the company name and address the customers are used to. Change the name slowly over time if that is your intention.
Consider not changing the name at all and tell your customers that you purchased the new business and let your customers know that you will be sending letters and correspondence with the new name. You are growing and becoming more successful. Ray Kroc did not change the name of his company after he purchased it from the McDonald brothers in 1962. Somehow I don't think I would like to be eating a Big Kroc, even if it did have two all beef patties and special sauce. What Crock of stuff did that special sauce come from anyway?
Re: Delay of boiler firing?
You can try it with 1" but you may need to increase if you need more than 80,000 BTUh to heat your home. That 1" or 1-1/4" is not written on stone tablets that were delivered to a mountain in a desert.
The pipe sizing is based on keeping the flow speed below 6 feet per second in order to keep the velocity noise below a noticeable level. Above 6 feet per second will become loud enough to hear. It is not that bothersome when water moves faster than that 10 FPS when you open a faucet because the noise stops when you close the tap. With a heating system that noise would be unacceptable. The next thing is the amount of gallons per minute will flow thru the pipe and this is directly related to the FPS number. And finally the temperature drop (∆T Delta T) of that water flowing thru the boiler or the radiator as the amount of heat that is added or removed from the water. With the industry standard of one gallon per minute for every 10,000 BTU based on a 20° temperature change (∆T), we can come up with some rules of thumb for pipe sizing based on the amount of heat you need to transfer.
If you change the flow rate or the ∆T, you can also adjust the pipe size. So it is possible that 1” can be made to work for you by FPS or GPM, or by changing the ∆T in order to get the system to work.
For example you can get 100,000 BTU to go through 1” pipe if there is a 25° ∆T in the design. But when the water gets to the emitters (the radiant floor for example) it must move slower in order to release more heat to the floor. The longer the water stays in the emitter the more heat it will release. You also need to let the water stay in the boiler longer in order to change the ∆T in the boiler. So slowing down the water may be able to move more BTU through the smaller pipe.
The best person to make those calculations would be hot_rod if he is interested, since he does that stuff all the time, and I have stopped designing systems since I retired and might make mistakes and don't want you to rely on my numbers where dollars and cents are involved. But It may work with 1” with the proper flow and ∆T. It may also be just fine if you only need 80,000 BTUh on the coldest days. Without a proper load calculation, we may be discussing a point that does not really matter.
15 boiler room noises you should never ignore, this weeks video
This video was delayed because of a technical difficulty. I was babysitting the grandkids LOL Anyway thanks to @retiredguy for the idea. Have a great long weekend
