Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

steam boiler control

Does anybody know of a control that can operate a single steam boiler in a building with 12 apartments and has one thermostat. I am looking to modulate operation by the outdoor air temperature

Comments

  • RayWohlfarth
    RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,648
    @Tom_40 I like the Tekmar controls. they are easy to set up and reliable
    Ray Wohlfarth
    Boiler Lessons
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,696
    Cold you be a little more specific? Are you looking to control cycle timing? How long it is on vs. how long it is off? Presumably independent of the inside thermostat? And, presumably, without overriding the boiler's own pressure controls?
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Tom_40
    Tom_40 Member Posts: 9
    The inside thermostat will be abandoned. The boiler operation will be on a 1 hour cycle, with operation time calculated on outside air temperature. The colder is becomes, the longer the on time will be.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,358
    edited September 2019
    Tekmar 279. Make sure the "steam established" sensor gets put in the right place.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,282
    Shouldn't there still be a centrally located thermostat or sensor even with ODR on a steamer?
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,825
    The way the ecoSteam is set up, the thermostat does call for heat, but is essentially a high limit. I set my thermostat at 72, the ecoSteam at 70. The thermostat usually only stops it when it's above 35-40 or so.

    I don't know how any of the other systems work.

    Before the OP asks, ecoSteam never really made it to market, only a few of us have it and there wasn't enough interest to keep it going. For what I paid it's an awesome system, can't talk price, but it's a lot cheaper than some of the other similar products on the market.
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,358
    HVACNUT said:

    Shouldn't there still be a centrally located thermostat or sensor even with ODR on a steamer?

    Not necessarily. If you set the 279 up correctly, it can operate solely from outdoor temperature.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    HVACNUT
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,364
    Tekmar or Heat Timer. TekMar works well. Heat Timer is more $$$$$
  • Tom_40
    Tom_40 Member Posts: 9
    Ray, Thank you very much. The Tekmar 279 steam control fits my needs perfectly.
  • LarryL
    LarryL Member Posts: 2
    Steamhead said:

    Tekmar 279. Make sure the "steam established" sensor gets put in the right place.

    How updated are these products from Tekmar, Heat Timer, etc - more and more controllers are going connected and incorporating sensors. Post COVID, I'm seeing some controllers now offering on room head counts and air quality - should something like the 279 have this by now? What does the industry use to include features like this?
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,287
    I've been installing the tekmar 279 for many years and really like it for its simplicity and price. For better or worse, it's the same product now as it was since its inception following the 269 model.
    However, the Heat-Timer MPC is far more advanced and has far greater capabilities. It's also 3x the price and the accessories can easily bring the system to a 5-digit installation cost.
    I must admit though, I love it. I use the app. I watch the room temperatures, cycle length, sensor readings, etc, all with the app on my phone or on my laptop. I can force the system into winter/summer mode or bypass remotely. It's the best thing out there. But, again, you pay hard for it.
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
  • LarryL
    LarryL Member Posts: 2
    Thank you, John. That is really helpful. I will have a closer look at the MPC. Seems to be a case of striking that cost vs benefit balance we all seem to be dealing with more and more right now. I suspect users have been asking for these connected features more often than before after COVID despite the higher cost. Have to do some legwork on this.
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,364
    The problem I have with Heat Timer is yeah, they are good controls. You install one and 10 years later you can't get parts and they say it's obsolete. Nice but not wort the extra $$$$$$