steam issue

mastercraft

Had the privilege of working for Mr. Robt Fawcett for over 9 yrs. back in the 80's. 

He always said that most steam problems were not in the boiler room, "always look at the whole house", he would say.  

   Recently had a service call @ a home converted into a commercial business.  Steam boiler heated the 2nd & 3rd. floors of the home.  Roasting on the 2nd fl & freezing on the 3rd.  They called a technician in, (not me), and he assumed it was the venting.  He changed all the air vents on the radiatotrs and charged them a pretty penny.  This was no help, same issue, hot down, cold up.  I get the call w' a brief explanation on the history.  Well, I need to do my due diligence.  Does the boiler have enough oomph to handle the connected load.  I did the EDR.  Is the oil fired steamer at the proper firing rate?   Is the boiler piped correctly?    Hmmm, all looks good. 

        When the owners converted the home to a commercial office, they brought in a copier machine to end all copier machines.  It faxed, scanned, minced & I believe did julienne fries....   With my digital thermometer I checked temps. on the 2nd fl.  The copier was emanating approximately 101' F.  less than eight feet from the thermostat.    We moved the thermostat and the heat has never been better.   

Lessons I learned early on have sustained me, Thank you Mr Fawcett.  Your memory lives on in my business.  

BobC

Good teacher

For the last bit of my working life I worked for the post office as a technician (old job went to China) on the mail sorting equipment. The PO sends you to schools on the equipment where you spend 2-10 weeks learning how the machine works. then you go back to your plant and figure out how it REALLY works.



More than once the boss walks up and asks whats wrong with the machine AND why are up here when the problem is at the other end of the machine (150 ft long). I told him the symptom was down there but the problem that caused the symptom was up here; at that point he walks away mumbling to himself.



Mr Fawcett taught you a valuable lesson by teaching you to look at the whole system.



Bob