Steam replacement

Dave0176

1979 Weil McLain EG45 started to rot pretty bad in the back. The boiler was too large for the home, 273 sq ft of connected radiation vs 392 for the boiler, so in goes a EG35. Almost completed in one day just got run electric as the old boiler was power pile.

BobC

I don't see it could be done any better - great job.

Bob

wcs5050

One day by yourself, or with 2nd man?

Dave0176

wcs5050 said:

One day by yourself, or with 2nd man?

I'm not that strong lol. My brother and father help me on all boiler installs. It's a family thing.

Dave0176

To bad the new boilers can't be run on milivolt, a lot of customers love they have heat when the power is out, then I tell them it's not available anymore on new boilers.

ChrisJ

Dave0176 said:

To bad the new boilers can't be run on milivolt, a lot of customers love they have heat when the power is out, then I tell them it's not available anymore on new boilers.

True,
But what will the EI + damper save on gas over 10-30 years?

I still get a kick out of people that wrap extra insulation around an atmospheric tank water heater. Such a shame most of the heat is going right up that flue.

Dave0176

Job completed

hboogz

Dave - what an amazing job!! Since a pro indicated that this couldn't be done any better. I'd love to pick your brain on a few things.

hboogz

Dave - Where in an install do you install the backflow preventer? I assume that's a backflow preventer high up on the 1/2" copper water feed line?

And it's to prevent a flood of the water heater should the boiler get flooded? or wherever the water is being fed from I suppose?

Jamie Hall

hboogz said:

Dave - Where in an install do you install the backflow preventer? I assume that's a backflow preventer high up on the 1/2" copper water feed line?

And it's to prevent a flood of the water heater should the boiler get flooded? or wherever the water is being fed from I suppose?

The backflow preventer goes on the feed line from the domestic water to the boiler. Some codes require it. It's not a bad idea, anyway. It removes any possibility that some strange failure on the domestic side could suck water out of the boiler. Unlikely, I'll grant you, but not impossible.

JUGHNE

The backflow situation happens more often than realized. My boiler water level was dropped when the street main was shut down and a leak repaired. The 6" main was drained into the trench and created enough draw to pull water out of my service line. I have since added a backflow preventer and LWCO.

Also with this scenario, some electric waters installed on the first floor (typically mobile homes) may lose enough water to make the upper element dry fire. (for a short time)

Jamie Hall

JUGHNE said:

The backflow situation happens more often than realized. My boiler water level was dropped when the street main was shut down and a leak repaired. The 6" main was drained into the trench and created enough draw to pull water out of my service line. I have since added a backflow preventer and LWCO.

...

Indeed. That's what it's for. What get's interesting is when you have a vacuum on a water line -- pump failure, pipe failure, fire down the street... and people don't realise it, and the boiler water gets into the drinking water. Tastes wonderful, so I'm told...

JUGHNE

Or the garden hose left running in the RV sewage tank to rinse it out good.

KC_Jones

JUGHNE said:

Or the garden hose left running in the RV sewage tank to rinse it out good.

And now I am thinking about all the times as a kid I drank from the garden hose. lol

BobC

I suspect our immune systems are better off for all those things we did as kids. The old saying was we all eat our peck of dirt.

Some parents get a little silly with the whole disinfect everything routine, our bodies can't defend against something they have never seen.

Bob

Dave0176

It's not a code in NJ as I believe they only require a check valve in the fresh water feed. But a backflow preventer is not that much more money so it only makes sense.

Just pipe it before your boiler feed valve on the fresh water feed. Also if it hasn't been done I always pipe the feed water from the Hot water side, don't need to chance cold water shock.