Feedback on new boiler install

amitjm1980

I just had a cracked boiler replaced. I read a lot on this forum and I'm looking for feedback on the final installation. It takes about 18 minutes from a completely cold start for steam to reach the main vents. The timing on both returns is nearly identical. By that time all the radiators are warming up. All the vents have been replaced. Big mouth mains and Gortons on all the radiators. The system won't shut off on pressure and will run until the thermostat is satisfied. I can't even read any pressure on my 5 PSI gauge which I guess is a good thing. How does everything look? Did I miss anything? (Except for the fact that a vaporstat would be better than a pressuretrol, but everything is working so I may or may not address that in the future).

ethicalpaul

With your 0-5psi gauge reading zero all the time I would be you had a blocked pigtail, but I can see it's brand new so I have no idea what's going on there. I mean, low pressure is good, but I'd think you'd see SOME pressure sometime.

I would rotate your Big Mouth so that it's supply line is running back toward the main. Otherwise a little water can collect at the elbow. You might notice the horizontal is sloped down toward the vent. You want it to slope so the water goes down the return.

It looks good to me, I'll look forward to see what the others say. What was your radiated EDR and what is the net EDR of the boiler?

I like that Peerless, but I don't think I can pay the $$ premium over for example WM

Edit: It's a little weird to me that they put the skim valve at the end of the vertical rather than on the horizontal, but maybe they're going to pull all that off after they are done skimming.

Intplm.

Looks good.
The zero reading is fine on the gage as long as the system is heating and running, - 0 - psi is a good thing. You probably will not need a vaporstat.

Ironman

Overall, it looks good.

One thing: once a riser turns horizontal going towards the header, it should be pitched slightly downward towards the equalizer. The way it is now, you may get some water hammer.

nicholas bonham-carter

Are the pipe sizes right from the installation manual? Looks like nice work.
The only thing left is to put some insulation on the boiler piping, and I see you have the materials ready to go in picture #6.—NBC

amitjm1980

Thanks for the feedback everyone this is why I love this form. @ethicalpaul thanks for finding my mistake on the main valves, I fixed it and the condensate will now run down the way it's supposed to. That was an awesome catch because they were already filling with water! That's how they left the skim valve but I guess it's okay the way it is easy to put a bucket right underneath. I don't have the EDR numbers but my contractor who did the main boiler install measured all the radiators, and he came out with the same size boiler that it replaced. I also double checked the gauges again everything is clean and with everything disconnected there is steam that comes out of that port so I think I'm just lucky and it's running at a super low pressure.
@Ironman thanks for the tip on the piping I'm not getting any water hammering so that's good.
@nicholas bonham-carter the pipe sizes are correct per the manual. What you see is actually a bunch of paper towels. I'm debating whether to insulate. I know I'm getting a ton of heat loss but everything is working great even still, and I don't have any other heating in the basement so I need to weigh the cost of adding some versus insulating the pipes.

STEAM DOCTOR

Did the safeguard come with the boiler or did installer replace? I thought that Peerless came with cyclegard. Just curious.

ethicalpaul

Happy to help--I only know this from the great folks on this forum who told me the same thing when I installed my main vent

The pros here will tell you: if you need heat in the basement, then add it--don't use the mains as your radiators because it harms the performance of your system overall too much.

And it's good if they leave the skim stuff there for you...I was just wondering why they didn't put the valve on the horizontal to keep water from pooling in the vertical part.

amitjm1980

@STEAM DOCTOR the boiler it replaced wasn't very old so I had them put the new boiler in and keep all the old controls knowing I was going to replace them. I replaced the cyclegard with the safeguard myself and also replace the old water feeder with the metering one. They discounted the install since I didn't use new controls.

amitjm1980

I know it shouldn't bother me but I keep going back to the fact that maybe I should be seeing some pressure on the gauge. Did I install the pigtail correctly? I'm pretty sure I got the one for vertical use. And again I took everything apart and there's no gunk in the port, and I do see steam coming out of the port with everything off. It's really only bothering me because I like to know when something is wrong which is why I put that gauge in. I guess if the system is really operating at such a low pressure that the gauge won't register I can assume something is wrong or something happened if I start seeing pressure on the gauge.

nicholas bonham-carter

I was just joking about the insulation.—NBC

amitjm1980

@nicholas bonham-carter I should have known better. I guess I figured it does really look like thick wall fiberglass insulation from that angle. Although maybe a little too thick..

JUGHNE

Ironman, are you referring to that 45 ell on the boiler riser,
is that not good?

NBC, Scottie pipe insulation, asbestos free and no itching.

My grandparents built a house about 100 years ago, they insulated the walls with newspaper and copies of the "Nebraska Farmer" magazines. Really interesting reading when it was remodeled.

amitjm1980

If I wanted to purchase a vaporstat what model should I be looking at? 0-4 psi? This guy?

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Honeywell-L408J1017-Vaporstat-Controllers-0-psi-to-4-psi?gclid=CjwKCAiA7vTiBRAqEiwA4NTO63iy_2oz2QJb4IuwiLDIuO3ZKGlWUXbkqUgNJKdqWRBuGdR4DJbzohoCINMQAvD_BwE

clammy

Looks like your drop for your equalizer is not according to manafactures diagram I don’t interpret dropping below the return inlet and coming back up as to how you do tie a equalizer into the return of the boiler not kosher in my book .Also usually I install a tee on the return inlet so you can flush out the bottom of the boiler . I think I would take out tape measure and make sure that Hartford loop is at the right height . Also instead of using the small connection for your controls I usually install a1 1/4 x 3;4 tee on the skim tapping and pipe up a cross tee and some 3/4 x1/4 tee and mount the pressrrtrolland gauges up high never get clogged . Is any of your system piping insulate ? If not insulated this could be also be holding you back from making pressure . I think it would be wiser to feed water into your your wet returns instead of the boiler . Maybe you should take a look at the manafactures piping diagrams and see it not all up to snuf especially on that return side you want a tee w reducing bushing and drain valve at minimum other wise you will never be able to flush the bottom out if necessary ..cheaper to do it now instead of 10 years from now when it a job instead of just maintaince ,they ll sell u a new boiler what size 63 is that just did a 3 section w a single 3 inch riser anything above 3 I use both tappings not to pick I have also never mounted a water feeder below the water level in the boiler and is there a backflow preventer peace and good luck clammy

EBEBRATT-Ed

@amitjm1980

I would like to see brass pig tails and fittings on pressure controls and gages but
Black is ok if you make sure to check them yearly.

Nice looking job, No issues No nitpicking.

Most important:

No steam pressure on the gage is excellent

Do not waste money on a vaporstat. Waste of money for your job.

18 min from a dead cold start I would say is fine.


be happy you got a nice job, a contractor who can read
Excellent!!

KC_Jones

amitjm1980 said:

If I wanted to purchase a vaporstat what model should I be looking at? 0-4 psi? This guy?

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Honeywell-L408J1017-Vaporstat-Controllers-0-psi-to-4-psi?gclid=CjwKCAiA7vTiBRAqEiwA4NTO63iy_2oz2QJb4IuwiLDIuO3ZKGlWUXbkqUgNJKdqWRBuGdR4DJbzohoCINMQAvD_BwE

If you aren't building any pressure as indicated by the gauge, I am of the opinion a vaporstat is a waste, and this is coming from someone with 2 of them.

All you do is shift the scale lower and still not cut out on pressure, so why bother spending the money?

amitjm1980

@EBEBRATT-Ed @KC_Jones thanks for the feedback. I guess in my case there is really no way to ever test the pressuretrol until I have a problem?

ethicalpaul

you can turn your radiator vents upside down or close the valves to make the pressure build to test your pressuretrol and gauges

adasilva

My gauge doesn't show anything till the very end of the heating cycle either & even then it is about 1/4 lb of pressure. I wouldn't worry about it!

amitjm1980

My radiator valves are super old so I was hoping to not mess with them and replace them little by little. I guess for now I'll be happy everything seems to be working great.

ethicalpaul

You could also set back your thermostat a few degrees let your house cool, wrap your big radiators in blankets and sleeping bags then pit the thermostat back up