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Re: Circulator test
Two quick tests.
If you have a ball valve in the hydronic circuit, with all zones running, quickly close the ball valve. If you hear a tapering HIISSssss, you have flow. If you hear nothing, you most probably have little to no flow.
Other check is performed with the burner off, and the pump on. Hold a lit torch against the pipe for 5 seconds. Wait 5 seconds, then carefully touch the pipe. If it's hot, there is no flow. If its cool, there is flow.
When using an amprobe to check motors, one has to be careful. A locked rotor on a 007 draws the same amperage as one that is running correctly...
ME
If you have a ball valve in the hydronic circuit, with all zones running, quickly close the ball valve. If you hear a tapering HIISSssss, you have flow. If you hear nothing, you most probably have little to no flow.
Other check is performed with the burner off, and the pump on. Hold a lit torch against the pipe for 5 seconds. Wait 5 seconds, then carefully touch the pipe. If it's hot, there is no flow. If its cool, there is flow.
When using an amprobe to check motors, one has to be careful. A locked rotor on a 007 draws the same amperage as one that is running correctly...
ME
Re: What are my chances removing a nipple from a 7 year old gas water heater tank?
EBEBRATT-Ed said:As Larry said put a bolt in the nipple or thread a fitting on the top thread if you have enough room for the wrench. A hammer on the wrench is a good idea the "shock " usually breaks it loose.
The problem with putting something inside is that there is already the dielectric liner, I could try to drill it out but that would mean the plastic would be dropping inside the tank. Don't know if this is the kind that dissolves and gets into every aerator and such, had a dip tube that dissolved causing me to have to put a screen filter on the tank output.
If the plastic was the kind that dissolves, wouldn't it be doing that right now submerged in hot water?
ChrisJ
1
How to get the best efficiency out of my new boiler.
I have a new boiler installed recently and just changed the thermostat and I would like to find the best settings in my Hydrostat 3250 Plus. I always keep the thermostat at 63 degrees regardless of the outside temperature. The settings configured by the installer are High 175, low 140 and economy set to 5. ( he told me there was a range of 1-10 and he set it to 5) I later downloaded the manual and see that the setting range is 1-5. I installed a microcontroller to log the data from 4 temperature sensors to both Google sheets and a cell phone app.
The data for the plots below was captured every minute using (4) DS18B20
temperature sensors and one current probe around the Black wire going to the burner. If current flowing, is greater than 0.5 amp, then a digital output = 1, otherwise it is 0. The blue trace is the temperature of the sensor about 6 inches above the circulator. The orange trace is from the sensor on the hot water pipe about 6 feet high.
The third sensor was placed next to the thermostat in the hallway. The forth sensor was located outside of the house near the oil burner.
This is a 3 core boiler with one zone and no separate water heater.
The burner on is represented by the gray trace. There are 2000 readings taken over a period of 1.4 days.
The blue trace is the circulator sensor and the orange sensor is the hot water temperature sensor.
This is the circulator water temperature vs the Burner on / off.
Here is a zoom in of the first 250 readings showing the circulator water temperature vs burner on / off.
In this plot, the inside temperature sensor (Blue) was placed right next to the thermostat. The non-programmable thermostat was set to 63 degrees. The orange trace is the outside temperature which uses the scale on the right side and ranged between 35 and 45 degrees.
Here we have the outside temperature vs the Burner on / off.
This plot is the inside temperature vs the burner on / off.
Here are the statistics based on the 1.4 day test.
The data for the plots below was captured every minute using (4) DS18B20
temperature sensors and one current probe around the Black wire going to the burner. If current flowing, is greater than 0.5 amp, then a digital output = 1, otherwise it is 0. The blue trace is the temperature of the sensor about 6 inches above the circulator. The orange trace is from the sensor on the hot water pipe about 6 feet high.
The third sensor was placed next to the thermostat in the hallway. The forth sensor was located outside of the house near the oil burner.
This is a 3 core boiler with one zone and no separate water heater.
The burner on is represented by the gray trace. There are 2000 readings taken over a period of 1.4 days.
The blue trace is the circulator sensor and the orange sensor is the hot water temperature sensor.
This is the circulator water temperature vs the Burner on / off.
Here is a zoom in of the first 250 readings showing the circulator water temperature vs burner on / off.
In this plot, the inside temperature sensor (Blue) was placed right next to the thermostat. The non-programmable thermostat was set to 63 degrees. The orange trace is the outside temperature which uses the scale on the right side and ranged between 35 and 45 degrees.
Here we have the outside temperature vs the Burner on / off.
This plot is the inside temperature vs the burner on / off.
Here are the statistics based on the 1.4 day test.
docbar99
1
Re: Mystery odor, baseboard loop
Hi, Are there any vents on the baseboard in the living space? Can she describe more fully just what the odor is like? Can you take a sample of the water and have her smell it? Perhaps she has a particularly sensitive nose.
If it's not the water, what's at the baseboard, or what's happening in the space under the bb? Maybe a skunk is living in the crawlspace? Air sealing could help if infiltration is a real problem.
Now for the wild thoughts: Aliens, Bigfoot, Pigpen, and/or Capybara.
Yours, Larry
If it's not the water, what's at the baseboard, or what's happening in the space under the bb? Maybe a skunk is living in the crawlspace? Air sealing could help if infiltration is a real problem.
Now for the wild thoughts: Aliens, Bigfoot, Pigpen, and/or Capybara.
Yours, Larry
Re: Recip / Sawzalls
I like the 20 volt dewalt because of the different blade configurations. It's nice to be able to load sideways.
I also have an older Milwaukee Super Sawzall for my bigger screwups.
I also have an older Milwaukee Super Sawzall for my bigger screwups.
Zman
2
Re: Old Boiler Dating
I resent that remark @mattmia2, I already have a 62 year old girlfriend, I would never think of cheating on her. Except for maybe an Ideal Red Top... Red heads are the downfall of just about every IrishmenDating old boilers? I would definitely consider dating younger boilers. Sure, they won't last nearly as long. But maintenance should be much easier. Only the grey haired, mature gentlemen, have the necessary know how to maintain those old girls.I was waiting for @EdTheHeaterMan to make that joke.
Re: Heating device ID
I think the booties are more protection from what is on the subfloor.
mattmia2
3
Re: Old Boiler Dating
Dating old boilers? I would definitely consider dating younger boilers. Sure, they won't last nearly as long. But maintenance should be much easier. Only the grey haired, mature gentlemen, have the necessary know how to maintain those old girls.I was waiting for @EdTheHeaterMan to make that joke.
mattmia2
2
Re: Old Boiler Dating
Dating old boilers? I would definitely consider dating younger boilers. Sure, they won't last nearly as long. But maintenance should be much easier. Only the grey haired, mature gentlemen, have the necessary know how to maintain those old girls.
