Is there a Warmboard doctor in the house? (GrandPAH)

Unknown

Which team are you working with Dave? We did some work with UTexas on their decathlon system.

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_1

leak prospecting

I'm headed off to prospect for a leak in a warmboard system. Hardwood installers evidently punctured the system, which won't hold pressure. Ultrasonic detector in hand............



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[Deleted User]

Call Doc Doppler...

Check with your local leak detectives and see if someone has a Doppler leak detector. It can tell you how many feet away from each contact point the leak is located.

Pricey ($350.00 for 2 hours plus travel at $100.00/hour) but darned well worth it. 100% correct for us so far..

ME

hot_rod

A trick

Can you get below the board? I've found and fixed leaks in WB from the bottom up without disturbing any flooring.

The tricky part is the water follows the alumimun channels and makes it a bit tougher to find.

IF you can get below you may see the stain from the leak spot.

hot rod

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_1

no money!

Mark,

This is a Solar Decathlon team with no funds, so I'm donating my time & will be traveling to their university on Sat. Another State - another time! Time is not on their side.

I had them call their water co & no doppler is available.

HR,

So far, it's been air only.

Taking along an ultrasonic leak detector, but concerned with there being hardwood over the area & potential for that to deaden the ultrasonic noise to a point where the detector may not pick it up.

I can take a thermal imaging camera too, but if their exhibit is not yet ready for heated water, that won't help.

I could pump in a mix of nitrogen & freon to pick up the leak, but tain't exactly kosher & given that this is a "green" exhibit, that'd be downright obscene!


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Weezbo

Ultra sound is a good way to go.

low air pressure in loop by loop investigation in conjunction with helps too. maybe 6 psi..that way it will go to the first leak then after you fix that then .....instead of air coming out of everywhere it goes to the first leak and escapes .

*~/:)

thats my donation to the Good Work you are doing.

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_1

The plot thickens(G)

Seems I'm not the only Wallie involved with this team. Warmboard responded to my e-mail & that's how that came to light. So now Dr. Foley & I will be meeting at the college to double-team the team(G).

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mars_4

Just a thought

If you were to take some bottled nitrogen then cool it with dry ice and inject it into the system it would seem to me you should be able to find the leak with an infrared point and shoot thermomater. I can see the the leak showing up as a cold splotch on the floor surface. I could be wrong of course. please let us know what the trick is.

hot_rod

At least

it's a small square footage you have to test

hot rod

[Deleted User]

Good ol' Doc Foley...

Try this. Not sure if you can find one in the immediate vacinity, but if not, maybe these guys will "loan" you the use of theirs for "mention".

In the kindred spirit of hydronic brotherhood, I don't mind helping, but I still hope my team threepeats this year :-)

May the best and brightest team win.

Kudos to WarmBoard for their involvement again this round.

ME

http://www.rjmcompany.com/Water-Leak-Helium-Gas-detector.htm

[Deleted User]

Good idear Matt...

That is outside of the box thinking that would work. You are still just looking for temperature differential, just in the opposite direction we would normally look.

Liquid CO2 might work just as well, and is readily available.

Kudos.

ME

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_1

Yepper

PA's Penn State has an entry too. I spoke with them last week and invited them to join me at the Wizard Ranch BSA Jamboree next weekend where I'm setting up a solar display. I'll be one of 25-stations the anticipated 4,000 to 6,000 Scouts will be visiting throughout the day on Saturday of the weekend-long event. A might big thanks to Viessmann and Dave Fry of Bitzer for the products that'll be on display.

No losers in the Solar Decathlon - all winners(G). I signed up with ASHRAE (thanks to Gary Hayden) to be on the volunteer workforce at the SD in DC. I can't wait! Two years ogo, it was the SD that convinced me I wanted vacuum tubes for my home. This year, I'll finalize my PV choices while visiting.

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Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_1

Not them!

I'd love to know who helped each of the 20 teams competing as an advisor. Dan Foley, as it turned out, has been the advisor for the team we'll be visiting on Saturday. I'll let him make the call about IDing the team as he's done the advising for them.

Dan has been adamant about the team members doing the work themselves so that they can learn as much as possible. I had told them the same thing regarding locating the leak-spot and affecting any repairs (prior to knowing Dan was involved). So, we're both on the same page. I believe I recall Prof ME taking the same stance prior to the 05 event with the U of C.

Part of the learing curve shouldn't be dealing with floor-punctured tubing, but that does happen in the real world & learing how to deal with the physical damage and the folks who caused it can be a huge learning experience - as we all have come to learn(G).

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Unknown

absolutely on all counts; we just helped the UTexas team choose and use some controllers, basically.

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_2

What a day!

Arrived just after 9AM. Team Foley arrived soon after.

What a blast spending the first half of the day working with Dan & his gang and the University team. Upbeat in the face of challenges I've seen cripple lesser folk.

On the mend - leak-wise, that is. Overcoming adversity is the true mark of winning attitudes & the students I observed today all had glasses that were half-full.

They're already winners, IMHO.

Dan & Foley mech gang - it was GREAT to be with you all today - another highlight in GrandPAH's journey through life!

Look for the Foley Mech dudes and the University team working together to be on the discovery channel! Lots of filming today.

I came away pumped away about solar and how well the "next" generation will handle our transition from fossil fuels to solar & wind. What a great time to be alive! I can't wait for the SD in DC.

Dan Foley

UMD

Dave,

I enjoyed working with you yesterday morning. Bill and Papa enjoyed meeting you as well. Sorry we had to bolt at 1pm - we had two more calls to catch. Hope we cross paths again soon.

Looks like UMD has a winner!

-DF

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Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_2

How comes

you have a grin from ear to ear in every picture? You'd think you enjoy your work!

Wayco Wayne_2

Oh Snap!!!

I'm officially jealous. I went to the last Solar Decathalon and can't wait for the next. Working with the young folks and seeing the cutting edge energy strategies must of been the bees knees. (yikes, Showing my age using expressions like that) U of M is showing it's smarts getting guys like Dave, Dan Bill and Papa to help out. I expecting MD to make a better showing than last time when the ME advised Colorado team took home bragging rights. How soon will the competition be taking place?

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