2nd month of vacuum

Fizz

Per PMJ's reccommendation, have been running system(Richardson) in vacuum on 3cph thermostat setting. Heat is steady, soft and comfortable. Recently bought 2 MEPCO main quick vent vacuum vents which seem to be working fine. The vacuum isn't deep between cycles running at 2-4"Hg, but steam gets to rads much quicker. Even if not more economical, the quality of heat will be worth the expense if it's not exorbitant. Time will tell.

jumper

2-4" Hg may not sound like much but it amounts to at least ten percent less air in system. Should be more economic as well as more comfortable.

vaporvac

You could pick a day and just change the cycles and see how the gas consumption compares. I'm interested in this as my Honeywell 600series has only 1 and 3CPH. I'm currently using 1 and it stays in vacuum until the next cycle, but I've always just started thinking it's about time for them to cycle again. I generally get between 4-9" vacuum so you're doing pretty good. I have a lot of room to improve as there are know leaks and a couple of vents that shouldn't be there, What changes did you make?

Fizz

When I first moved in grandparents house, several rads had vents, so on getting involved with this site, I removed vents and replaced the traps on the 3 rads(rooms were add-ons so rads were not Richardsons which don't have traps). Then had re-pipe of wet ret drip to below boiler water line, and also had J-star come and re-pipe one of my rads to another supply line so some rads that weren't working well came on board. Other than those few repairs, and replacing a few valves, the system is as it was when we moved-in. Now the check-valves were removed and a Harford Loop installed, probably when switch from coal to oil took place. Other than switching-back to vacuum vents(2), one vents the original Richardson dry air returns, the other vents the add-on rads, no radical change. Will check running 1 cyc v 3 to see if there's a difference in useage. Glad to hear you're holding vacuum.

PMJ

Great to hear this. I am quite sure you will like the 3cph. You should also notice that boiling continues several minutes after the burner goes off - and starts virtually immediately upon new fire. And your vacuum which is slightly stronger in the dry return than the steam main continues to pull steam into the rads while the burner is off (instead of air from the rooms). No way is this less efficient though I agree with you that the improved steadiness and "softness" of the heat as you put it would be worth more. I have been running this way for nearly 10 years and will never go back.

I would be interested in approximate burner on and off times inside your 3cph on an average day.

Fizz

Thanks Pete. We are in for warm spell, but will monitor when I get chance.