Retrofit Boiler Controls

JoeMass

I am looking schools with steam (and some hot water) boilers. What are



some examples of good boiler control panels for schools (such as heat



timer) and what are the pros and cons?







Most heat timers that I see are bypassed. Most are controlled just by

outdoor air sensor. The schools have lots of overheating because of 30

year old univents all over with disabled controls or no controls. 







I understand that a complete overhaul of the system is needed - but that just is not possible.







What would you suggest as boiler controls and why? I am not a specialist - I am not familiar with all of the systems.

Al Letellier_21

boiler controls

In my book, Tekmar and Heattimer are the best out there. As to the condition of the system, if it isn't up to par and working as best it can based on how it was designed and installed (assuming that was done correctly) all the best controls in the world won't help. A quality control like Heattimer that is disconnected is usually the result of poor control selection or improper installation and set up.

I have walked away from more jobs than I have done like this because the owner wouldn't listen to me. When you walk into a situation like this, you are supposed to be the expert. You are supposed to know more than they do, that's why they hired you...so act like it. Make the recommendations you feel will make the system work by doing your home work and then slowly back away if they don't want to spend the money to do it right. In most cases, you can put a short to long term plan together and prioritize the upgrade. Even if it takes a couple or three years to get it done, its better than taking short cuts to satisfy an owner or property manager that is so budget driven he won't listen to you.

Both TEKMAR and Heattimer have excellent technical support and will work with you to design a system that will work properly and show good operational efficiency and cost savings that can pay for themselves in a year or two if done correctly. Good luck.

icesailor

Half Job:

Al said it well.

And beware of the ones that will only let you do half the job and do the rest later. They may be shopp0ing for the answer that they want to hear. Someone else may have been there  before and told them what they didn't want to hear and they let them do a little. Not a lot. Now, they want you to figure out how to make it better.

"There's never enough time to do it right but there's always time to do it over." 

You may be doing something over that someone else started.