Best Of
Re: What boiler service tools do you carry with you?
I take my well equipped truck, and my most important tool, a well educated, experienced brain with a well practiced set of skills. What I carry in is a matter of my usual pouch of tools mainly to access and diagnose based on prior information given. Another most important tool is my pen and pencil and service order. Can't get authorized, record data or get paid without it. Needs no batteries and works with and without light. Works everywhere. And my young apprentice who needs to look smart and stay fit, carries all the tools he may never use.
I have been known to diagnose correctly what others miss without anything. But then clients that don't know me begin to doubt my ability.😉
Lance
Re: Burner technicians -what’s going on in this industry?
I see three problems in the trades today.
- Trades are considered a "second or third class" path for younger students to take. Mad Dog 2 and jesmed1 have touched on this issue above.
- Young people (not all to be sure) do not see any path but to go to a 4- year college then be dissatisfied when they graduate… if they graduate.
- Union shops are no better off than non-union shops. I have many union friends as well as business owners that complain about the "quality" of the apprentices coming in.
I've been in the HVAC industry since 1966. Started out as a "go-fer" for a heating/plumbing 1 man shop. Went to a 2 year college, got an AAS degree in Air Conditioning Technology in 1972. Worked in residential and commercial HVAC and started designing commercial systems. Made good money. Got a city electrician's license in 1978. Retired last year with a good IRA, home paid off and way too many tractors. I would stress that I did all this all on my own there was/is no training opportunities out there… I taught in an apprenticeship program for 4 years that was mirrored after local union shop training. I moved on from that, but the program closed 3 years later. There is no similar program in the area since.
Got a 4 year Mech Eng degree in 1992, then taught as an adjunct professor for 20 years. During that time, I saw the expectations as well as the effort put forth by students decrease. When asked where they thought they would be in 5 or 10 years, the general comment was to develop a dot com company, sell it for billions and retire to Tahiti… nice work if you can get it. Few students had any sort of plan for the future.
What to do?
- Get students involved in trades- in middle school, through high school. What ever happened to wood shop… auto tech… home economics where they learn to balance checkbooks? And it never hurt to learn how to sew and cook…
- Take away the stigma on the trades! A 4-year degree is not for everyone.
- Contractors need to start training in-house. They will not find qualified techs walking the streets.
- Pay the techs based on completed training and quality of work.
amr14534
Re: My first time using a purge valve after reading Pumping Away
it works well with baseboard one pipe systems but not with radiators
Re: Old Brooklyn NY church
chimney still in use two duel fuel Weil mclain 688 2m btu boilers still using it!
Re: Old Brooklyn NY church
This was a very common arrangement to get fresh air into a building and stale air out — in the days when we weren't concerned much about energy conservation. And it worked and worked well. No fans needed, no electricity, silent… easily controlled… what's not to like? Except that it wasn't all that efficient…
I saw a number of these when I was inspecting schools in Vermont, some 50 years ago.
Re: How do I adjust temp on Thermoflow OWT-3?
The pressure is a bit high, the pressure relief valve is commonly a 30 psi.
Although those gauges are not always 100% accurate.
If you crank the temperature up, keep an eye on the pressure.
A gauge like this could screw onto one of the purge valve to confirm pressure. Do that with the power off and the boiler at it's highest temperature. Find them at a plumbing supply, online or at the box stores.
The usually come with a 100- 300 psi gauge. You can replace that with a 30 psi gauge for better accuracy.
hot_rod
Re: Estimated life expectancy?
If they are in your (OP) backyard wander over in person and see if anyone is willing to talk about the best boiler they are making. Preferably talk to someone with not so clean hands.
Re: Burner technicians -what’s going on in this industry?
I also encourage African Americans & Latinos & women from the poor neighborhoods & the projects to come in to our trade for many years and they are wisely getting on board and making great things happen for them in their Familes. Mad Dog
Re: Burner technicians -what’s going on in this industry?
There's a very on-topic article in today's NY Times titled "Why Some Schools are Rethinking 'College for All.'"
The nut of the article is that teachers, guidance counsellors, etc, are finally waking up to the obvious fact that some kids aren't interested in desk jobs and have aptitudes and talents that traditional schooling doesn't encourage or develop.
One of the comments written by a NY Times reader in response to the article was very relevant to this discussion. He wrote:
"My Gen Z son taught my wife and me (with seventeen years of post-secondary education between us) a thing or two about the new economy. After two years of university in the sciences, he decided to pursue a trade. My wife and I were skeptical, but he presented a compelling business plan so we agreed.He finished trade school at 22, was immediately hired by the company where he did his co-op, and makes more money than most of the university classmates he left behind. After one year, he got an 8% raise. He has a terrific apartment all to himself, owns a nice car, has no debt, has tens of thousands of dollars in savings, and will soon be able to buy a house. There is also no danger that his job will one day disappear due to AI.The world has changed, and there are many great opportunities for kids that do not involve a four-year college degree."
Hopefully more parents will realize the world is changing, and that there is a lot of opportunity available for kids who have an aptitude for the trades.
jesmed1