Hydronic heating (gas boiler, radiators, diverter tee, old) general questions

topaz

I have an old American Standard 65625 BTU per hr "American Gas" boiler in a diverter tee hydronic heating system.

It has a Robertshaw control and two valves to allow water pressure regulation and bleeding off of overpressure into a bucket, plus a non-diaphragm expansion tank. I am looking for a reference I can use to properly maintain the system.

Thats really the main thing I need. Also I have some questions.

What should a hydronic gas burner flame be set at?
Should it be all blue, blue with just a tiny bit of yellow or higher? (Mostly blue, right?)

How hot should the water be leaving the boiler?

Should I install additional make up air to my basement area, via a vent and fan - perhaps with a powered register. The weather has been so unseasonably warm that I am worried the chimney may not be getting hot enough as the heater has been going on and off. Usually this time of year it stays on more.

But basically I just am looking for a source for the old documentation and maybe some tips on using it and maintaining it in the modern world.

SuperTech

Just because the system is old doesn't mean that the rules change. Appearance of the flame means nothing. Combustion needs to be checked by a qualified technician using digital equipment. There's no other way to ensure safe operation.

If you would like to know how a monoflo tee system is supposed to be piped correctly an excellent book to read is Classic Hydronics by Dan Holohan

topaz

Thank you!

HVACNUT

> @topaz said:
>
> It has a Robertshaw control and two valves to allow water pressure regulation and bleeding off of overpressure into a bucket, plus a non-diaphragm expansion tank. I am looking for a reference I can use to properly maintain the system.
>
> No comprende'.
Bleeding over pressure into a bucket?
Can you post some pics and show exactly what you mean?
It doesn't seem right.
Have you drained the expansion tank?
Are there air eliminators? A no no with an air control system.

topaz

By air eliminators do you mean the valves on the radiators to let the air at the top of the radiators out? Or something else?

The system has been quite reliable but I am kind of concerned because its so old.

We just got some new CO detectors (a Kidde-Nighthawk and a First Alert) and we're in the process of trying to ascertain if they work!

So far they seem fairly insensitive to things that should it seems trigger them. (Car exhaust outdoors, held over gas burning stove with vent hood blower off.. Is that normal?)

Edit: finally got them to trigger by putting them in a plastic bag with some smoke captured into it for a minute or so.

Now I am wondering, how close to the furnace and gas dryer should the CO detector in the basement be sited - should it be high on the wall, lower down or ???