What Is It Dept.

John S.

an old sidearm heater to preheat cold water for a direct hot water heater? I know the savings probably wouldn't be much.

Curious, I read the label on a hot water tank "do not connect this tank to any non-potable water heating source'. The concerns are obvious, however, with little knowledge on this subject, I wonder...

how are todays indirect heaters set up to protect against drinking boiler water? Also, and probably more likely, what kind of protection is in place so that a leak won't fill the entire heating system with potable before you know it? I'd hate to find out the hard way!

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mark_28

What Is It Dept.

The attached picture shows a device piped to the side of an 1886 Fitzgibbons boiler, interconnecting it with a large tank-within-a-tank that preheats domestic water and presumably adds to the primewater capacity of the boiler to buffer delayed condensate returns. The two pipes on the left run to the primewater part of the tank, the pipe on the right enters the boiler at normal water line and the one on the bottom goes to wet return. We are planning to replace this Dead Man art with a Weil McLain LGB-5 and a boiler feed system with a large holding tank. The end of main drops into wet return will be replaced with f&t traps piped to the receiver and we are expecting some repair of radiator traps to keep steam out of the dry returns. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

[Deleted User]

It's...

TOO BIG TO SEE!! IT's a MONSTER, and it's covered with asbestos! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES...

Just kidding. I have no idear what it is. Is it attached to the side of the boiler? If yes, it could be a spill trap.

ME

Dave Yates (PAH)

looks like

a side-arm heater that would have been used with a large steel storage tank mounted (in elevation) above its level and, most likely, in the horizontal position. They worked by gravity circulation, which was fairly slow & that's why the tanks were quite large. Back in the days when domestic hot water demands were much lower than those we see today.

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DanHolohan

That's what it is.

And that's what Excelso made.

This is the first product that the young Bell & Gossett company sold.

Larry Weingarten

So...

... if you're just going to toss it... I know a guy who would be pleased to pay shipping/handling to get it to California to add it to his water heating museum ;~)

Yours, Larry

mark_28

What Is It Dept.

Thanks for your input. Yes, the tank is large and horizontal. The device is likely to stay right where it is due to the asbestos issue. Fortunately, the old dungeon is cavernous in size and we can install a new system without disturbing the museum piece. May it rust in peace.

Mark B.

Steamhead (in transit)

Ahhh, another old Excelso

one of the most common side-arm heaters.

Mark, that boiler-feed tank and pump your're planning on is probably overkill. Remember water expands 1700 times when it is boiled. There should be plenty of water in that LGB to fill the system with steam.

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John S.

and...

from what I have read, originally made by IDEAL-ARCO.

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