honeywell #1 control mercury pot

bo ramsour

Dan delivered an interesting article about mark honeywell's cast iron pot heater generator used in gravity heat.
I would like to have on of these old devices to put in our showroom for display. if any of your contractor come ever come across one ...
thank you
bo ramsour
federal heating supply
Denver colo

delta T

I am in Boulder, CO and one of my customers has one!

The only problem is that the system is still operating. It will be 100 years old next year. The only thing anyone has ever done is a a conversion burner to gas (guessing in the forties) and an asbestos blanket. Her heat bills are low enough that to put a newer system in would realistically only save her $200-$300 per year and it is hard to argue the payback. Also, the amount of maintenance that she has done over the course of the forty years that she has owned the house is re-packing one valve on a radiator, and having me check the system over. Damn thing was 81% efficient when I checked it out. Burner chamber was clean as whistle, I put a new thermocouple on just to be sure, though I doubt it really needed it. Hard to argue with that versus a new fancy system that requires yearly maintenance. I would love to know who put it in because they sure did a bang up job! Still has the original altitude and temperature gauge on it, and the gauge is still accurate. She adds a tiny bit of water each year to replace the evaporation from the open compression tank in the attic, but other than that it is maintenance free.

If it ever comes out I will let you know, but I wouldn't hold my breath!

Mark Eatherton

Bo, Contact Eric Leonard with Boiler Busters. I am sure they see them weekly, if not daily. And remember, they DO have (or at least most have) Mercury in them. Treat them with care unless you want a visit from the EPA. His office phone is 303-232-1607

ME