Best Of
Re: Experience I had with a boiler tech and what I learned along the way.
I'm the type of person that spends hours researching things when it comes to stuff like this and have watched just about every combustion analizer video on you tube, even the ones that are like an hour and a half long of experts discussing different things about analysis.
I've also looked through most forums and reddit discussions on the subject. Luckily for me most of my day at work consists of me sitting around with nothing better to do than look online.
Its also why I bought the insight plus because it can be calibrated using your own gas and regulator and you can get pre calibrated sensors for it too. I wouldn't have blew $2k without doing the research. I certainly do understand the concern you guys may have though since its obviously not my expertise but from what I can tell, everything is in order. I appreciate the help and feed back everyone has givein, you guys know your stuff.
mo8414
Re: Question about gas valve placement on the main inside a house, allowed or not?
so can not being able to turn the gas off in an emergency because you don't have a wrench.
mattmia2
Re: Question about gas valve placement on the main inside a house, allowed or not?
Our municipality still requires a plug type tapered valve on a gas line, and that is provided by the Utility before their meter.
The reason gas valves require a tool to operate is to keep an untrained person or vandal from extinguishing pilot lights or gas burners and then turning the gas back on permitting the flow of unlit gas into the premise. Pilot and gas safety valves are relatively new, and many appliances still operate without them. A momentary interruption in gas by an miscreet can have disastrous results.
There would be no advantage to having a second gas valve inside the premise, though I know of no prohibition against a fitter installing or specifying one. Good practice frowns on double-valving anything, for the aforementioned reasons: potential leak and failure points, flow restriction, confusion and cost…
Re: Replace B&G 100 or use Taco 007 monoflo
"And please, for the love of all that is holy, do not over-oil. The how-to for oiling your pumps is found easily on the B&G public website. They really don't take all that much oil"
Paul48
Re: Estimated life expectancy?
About 2 years ago? Peerless started putting flat steel baffles between the sections on ECT and WBV boilers. Lowered stack temp. about 20 degrees F. and increased draft differential by .005. Did I hear that Peerless has discontinued the ECT? I have always liked it for steam.
Re: Estimated life expectancy?
My understanding of steam boilers is that there's a small number of active brands, with some re-badging going on.
There are models with top taps (Burnham, Weil-McLain, Peerless,..) and those with steam take-offs on the side. (Dunkirk, and at least one other brand that escapes me at the moment). They can work but I wouldn't buy one. Seems like a solution in search of a problem.
Then there is the seal between the sections. Burnham and Peerless use steel push nipples. Weil-McLain uses a type of polymer O-ring that is sensitive to pH. Mine lasted > 30 years but I did not buy another one.
Then there is the Burnham hate; their reputation is all over the map; it may depend on the model.
From all this, I think Peerless is the safest bet. Top tappings, push nipples, and I've never heard anyone say anything bad about the brand. But I only started learning about steam a little over a year ago, so take that into account…
cheers -matt
mattmich
Re: Smoke smell in house with oil boiler
Just throwing this out there - my house has a masonry fireplace with two internal flues. The first flue is for the fireplace on the first floor and the second goes to the basement for the boiler venting, otherwise they are not connected. But because both flues exit the top of the masonry about a foot apart from each other, I will get boiler exhaust fumes down my fireplace flue if I forget to shut my fireplace damper after using it, depending on draft conditions and outdoor temps.
MaxMercy
Re: Mitsubishi heat pump not keeping up
I was finally able to crank all three heads full temp and full fan. It was about 32f outside and about 70 in the house. All units put out air between 110 and 115 measured by a pretty accurate meat thermometer. Does this mean my refrigerant is fine and my issue is just based on sizing?
ksm
Re: Mitsubishi heat pump not keeping up
@Kaos Said: @EdTheHeaterMan That unit is a cold climate unit, this specific one delivers 2.5 tons of heat at 5F. They can be paired with up to 130% capacity indoor heads, but you won't get more than what the outdoor unit is capable out of it.
I tend to disagree with the 2.5 ton (30,000 BTUh) at 5°F statement. It is just the way that Heat Pumps operate. you see the colder the outside temperature is, the less heat there is to take from the air and compress it to make the inside warmer. Now a Heat pump that is rated for 2.5 ton at 45°F outside temperature can not possibly generate 30,000 BTU heating capacity at 5F. It is a physical impossibility. Here is the specification sheet from the MXZ-3C30… it clearly states that the heating capacity at 17° outdoor temperature is less then 2 ton.
When it gets to 5° outside temperature, does some magic low temperature fairy come down from the sky and make it produce more heat? I think not. I still stand by my statement that the 30 is too small for the space and that the 36 may have been a better choice.
If you need to understand more about how heat pumps operate, I will be happy to learn ya some basics… Just send me a PM
