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A comment from the other side of the pond

Comments

  • Hot_water_fan
    Hot_water_fan Member Posts: 2,015
    Caleffi's Idronics covers this so well, people need to read them!
    GGross
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    I like how he doesn't want to ditch gas necessarily, but takes a poke at oil saying "...smelly oil-fired boiler...".
    We barely have any WSHPs here.
    Nice that someone is talking about it. Not that that helps when you're up against the gov't.

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 8,608
    The Government wouldn't lie about this! I remember when Ron Regan said the 9 most feared words in the english language. "I'm from the Government and I'm here to help." But this should not turn into a political platform. Remember Tommy Smothers dissection of the word Politics to understand the true meaning of the word.

    "POLI" is from the Greek word meaning MANY. "TICS" are blood sucking parasites that thrive on humans of all demographics

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    MaxMercykcoppMad Dog_2
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,140
    I agree with not wanting a smelly oil fired boiler.


    BTW, @Jamie Hall I keep seeing things suggesting Nuclear power is making a strong comeback in the US. We can hope.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,830
    ChrisJ said:
    I agree with not wanting a smelly oil fired boiler. BTW, @Jamie Hall I keep seeing things suggesting Nuclear power is making a strong comeback in the US. We can hope.
    Locally they were set to order several of the small fast set up nukes, turns out, currently , that Russia is the only source for the fuel enriched at the level required for these reactors? According to the local paper 
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • JDHW
    JDHW Member Posts: 78
    Dear @Jamie Hall thankyou for rattling my cage one more time :-) British gas was at one time the company that came out of 1980's UK plan to nationalise all the utilities. At this time they were the nation gas transmission operator, local service/installation provider - basically a monopoly. After lots of corporate restucturing they are basically a service/installation company that still has a loyal following. It is nice to see that they are offering what looks like good advice.

    However, British gas is currently owned by Centrica ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrica ) and they have made a LOT of money with the increased cost of gas since the invasion of the Ukrane. British Gas are relying on people not getting alternative quotes for the work they bid on.

    When new technologies come along there is a cycle of:
    this is world changing to this is a disaster, then in the fullnes to time a realisation of the real merit of the technology is understood ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gartner_hype_cycle ). With heat pumps we have not hit the "Trough of Disillusionment" yet.

    For UK people there are lots of homes with poor insulation and heat pumps will be a costly learning exercise. British Gas not getting on the bandwagon is quite revealing!

    BW
    John
    GGross
  • Hot_water_fan
    Hot_water_fan Member Posts: 2,015
    edited May 2023
    I would wager a max of 1 GW of new US nuclear by 2030 (Vogtle excluded). Anyone want to take the over?
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,140
    edited May 2023
    hot_rod said:


    ChrisJ said:

    I agree with not wanting a smelly oil fired boiler.


    BTW, @Jamie Hall I keep seeing things suggesting Nuclear power is making a strong comeback in the US. We can hope.


    Locally they were set to order several of the small fast set up nukes, turns out, currently , that Russia is the only source for the fuel enriched at the level required for these reactors? According to the local paper 
    Well.
    I guess we better start working on that.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,072
    ChrisJ said:
    I agree with not wanting a smelly oil fired boiler. 
    If it's smelly, you're doing it wrong.
    SuperTech
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,140
    edited May 2023
    HVACNUT said:


    ChrisJ said:

    I agree with not wanting a smelly oil fired boiler. 


    If it's smelly, you're doing it wrong.
    Diesel it self is smelly.
    It stinks, period.

    Sorry but, I greatly prefer methane and butane.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,642
    edited May 2023
    Heat pumps in and of themselves arent that great. Tie them to a geothermal loop system and now youre cooking with gas! :)
    But like the article said, you need a very insulated house. Even with geothermal.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,150
    SlamDunk said:

    Heat pumps in and of themselves arent that great. Tie them to a geothermal loop system and now youre cooking with gas! :)
    But like the article said, you need a very insulated house. Even with geothermal.

    Chortle. When my daughter was studying in Edinburgh she had five apartments at various times over the years. The newest building was almost new -- built in 1880. The oldest (and by far the nicest) was in a building built around 1600. Typical of the city. None of them could have been insulated realistically.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • DJD775
    DJD775 Member Posts: 254
    ChrisJ said:

    HVACNUT said:


    ChrisJ said:

    I agree with not wanting a smelly oil fired boiler. 


    If it's smelly, you're doing it wrong.
    Diesel it self is smelly.
    It stinks, period.

    Sorry but, I greatly prefer methane and butane.
    I guess it's personal preference. I like the smell of diesel but dislike the smell of mercaptan. That said I would still choose natural gas over oil if I had the choice.
    ChrisJ
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,140
    DJD775 said:
    ChrisJ said:
    I agree with not wanting a smelly oil fired boiler. 
    If it's smelly, you're doing it wrong.
    Diesel it self is smelly. It stinks, period. Sorry but, I greatly prefer methane and butane.
    I guess it's personal preference. I like the smell of diesel but dislike the smell of mercaptan. That said I would still choose natural gas over oil if I had the choice.
    Oh I don't doubt it.  A very good friend of mine likes the smell of diesel. 


    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    DJD775
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,402
    The oil burner mechanics I know both have homes with oil burners but you cannot smell one iota of #2.  Its all about Meticulously maintaining the burner and boiler and not have a drop of oil around the boiler.  You could eat off their boilers.  Unfortunately, some aren't so caring AND alot of HO's try to save $$ buying C.O.D. oil and doing maintenance only as absolutely needed.  Mad Dog 🐕 
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,402
    When we did an oil burner or oil to gas conversion, Uncle Richard's crack boiler crew of Michael Pedicini (Taught by Jimmy The Gent Burke) and Jimmy, were absolutely FANATICAL that we didn't spill a DROP of oil.  They cared.  Mad Dog 🐕