Burnham boiler question
Comments
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Yes. I measured the od of the gas inlet pipe and the exposed thread and got 1.0468", so it's 3/4" npt.
Should I buy this 3/4 x 4 inch black steel pipe and a cap?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/STZ-3-4-in-x-4-in-Black-Steel-Nipple-300-34X4/100535031
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Another question is, (I have not blown water using a compressor), with the main water valve off and all faucets drained, every weekend when I visit, there will be abundant water from the faucets in the basement and on the first floor. So I drain these faucets every weekend, but there will be water available again from the faucets the following weekend. Why does it take those latent water a long time to arrive near the faucets?
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- Yes, add the drip leg and use proper pipe sealant on the male threads only. Don't paint the inside thread with any pipe sealant. It may get stuck inside the pipe and the gas may blow so fast that it will get pushed into the automatic gas valve as prevent it from closing completely. That is never a good thing.
- As far as getting additional water each week is concerned, the water inlet valve must not be closed completely. If the water inlet valve at the water meter is not 100% closed, then whatever percent is still open is how much water is getting into your home so it can freeze during the week when you are not there. You might want to get a professional to winterize your home professionally. That is often less expensive than replacing burst pipes after the fact.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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I thought the water was hiding somewhere.
The faucet on the second floor (top) remains having no water since I turned off the gate valve at the water meter. I checked the gate valve, it is already tightened by hand. If not, water should distribute to all floors, rather than just bsm and first floor.
Btw, I removed the lwco probe. After some scrubbing with scotch Brite, the probe shows the color of cooper. I'll take wire brush next time to clean the threads, also bring the pipe dope and Teflon for reinstall. The inside of the tapping shows lots of rust and corrosion, will take pictures of that too.
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Don't use Teflon Tape on the LWCO probe. It may act like insulation and your will not get a good electrical ground connection. Use only pipe sealant that is rated for water and high temperatures of steam or boiling water. Pro Dope Specifications This is one that will work for you, but if you have another brand, look at those specifications, It may be just fine.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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the manual says the vent damper has a spring loaded blade that only opens when tstat calls for heat (p27) and closes when the call is satisfied (to prevent exhaust backup? ). But this vent damper is not wired to the transformer. how can it open?
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@paulga asked: "But this vent damper is not wired to the transformer. how can it open?"
It can not open automatically. There must be a wiring harness connected from the damper to the boiler wiring system. Do not operate the boiler if that damper is closed. Either remove the damper or get the damper properly wired to the system.
My guess is that the vent damper stopped working properly at some time in the past. in order to get the boiler to operate, someone placed a jumper wire (NOT RECOMMENDED) to get the burner to operate without a working damper. But you could have figured that out on your own if you took time to think about it. It is like using logical thinking to come to a conclusion that will satisfy a query. For example:
- in the morning you find your mailbox empty.
- in the afternoon you find letters in your mail box.
- but you did not see the mail carrier anywhere near your home
- You then wonder "how did those letters get there?"
- you can make the conclusion that the mail carrier did in fact visit your mailbox at a time when you were not watching the mailbox.
Although there is no witness to the mail carrier ever being at your mailbox, you can use common sense and logic to answer that question of "how did those letters get there?"
Although the letters could have been delivered to your neighbor mistakenly and your neighbor may have placed them in your mail box, making it possible that the mail carrier never actually went to your mail box. You could come up with a dozen other ways that the letters could have been placed in the mail box. But I would be satisfied with the mail carrier explanation since this is not a life or death question that must be answered or there will be consequences.
Mr. Ed
By the way, You never actually answered my question about the color of your mail box from a week or so ago.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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I think you are saying the factory jumper plug on the vent damper receptable inside the junction box.
with the jumper, the gas valve does not need wait for the damper's cue to open.
I'm still confused because the damper blade should be normally shut. Is it likely jammed physically at the fully open position?
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Please don't be confused. I will make this as clear as I can.
REMOVE THE DAMPER
or
don't operate the gas valve
Operating the gas valve with that part in place plus the amount of knowledge you have exhibited about all things mechanical in your posts over the past month has led me to believe that you are not able to do anything but understand this.
REMOVE THE DAMPER
or
don't operate the gas valve
I hope I have made myself clear on this. There is a possibility of personal injury or death if you attempt to operate the gas valve with that part in place. Get a piece of galvanized pipe the diameter and length of the damper. Then…
REMOVE THE DAMPER
…then place the piece of galvanized round pipe in the place where the damper used to be. This is the only thing I am going to tell you to do in this case. If you want more information you will need to pay a professional that understands the importance of how vent dampers operate to do the work for you. They can also check the rest of the system at that time.
Have I told you to REMOVE THE DAMPER?
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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I overlooked the "remove the damper" part in your previous post.
the boiler has been working this way for at least a decade. The damper blade should be constantly open, correct? what I want to ask is how to peek into the inside to verify.
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From under the draft hood. Place your head on the floor and look up inside the draft hood. the bottom of the draft hood has not bottom.
But you could have figured that out on your own by using the mail man logic from my previous post. This is why I have a fear that you will kill yourself with the information I am offering. Your common sense seems to not kick in and you ask some questions that scare me. That is why I am reluctant to answer you with the simplest of answers.
But I might be over reacting. There are so few of those questions that I probably don't need to worry, but here are some examples of your questions that scare me:
- How to peek into the inside to verify?
- I'm still confused because the damper blade should be normally shut. Is it likely jammed physically at the fully open position?
- But this vent damper is not wired to the transformer. how can it open?
- Why does it take those latent water a long time to arrive near the faucets?
- Should I buy this 3/4 x 4 inch black steel pipe and a cap?
- Thanks. So the column btuh is for input btuh, then the column "rate" must be the output btuh
- I found this stuff on Amazon. Where do you add it?
- I followed the supply main but didn't see any air vents or plugged T like said in the book. Could those vents be located in those sections above the ceiling or behind the drywall? "in an old house who knows"
- I was asking weather the joints of the pipes with elbows, and the pipes with the T (in that U shape assembly) are lead hubbed or tapped threaded.
- the manual says the min safe water level is the uppermost top of the boiler, that is illustrated in dashed line in the plot. does this say the min safe level is also the max water level of the boiler, because the boiler is "full of water" at this level?
- then that yellow handle is never supposed to be turned on. why did they plumb it that way in the beginning?
Just to name a few. Oops. that is more than just a few. I'm scared again!
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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Thanks. I'm more hands on and careful than my questions may sound. I will take a look next time. I'm only there every weekend.
could you highlight the sections of the piping that need insulation in the photo below? The riser, header, further riser and main, equalizer?
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Every pipe that carries steam. The near boiler piping above the water line, the risers, the mains, the takeoffs, the branch run outs, the pipes between the first floor and the second floor that go the the second floor radiators, and the dry returns if you have any of them.
This may reduce the amount of heat in the basement but the mains will get hot faster and the radiators will get hot sooner.
Don't need insulation on the gas pipes or the water pipes that go to the hot and cold water faucets. But you can insulate the hot and cold water pipes if the cold water pipes sweat or you want to save on hot water shower use. You just don’t need to insulate them for heating purposes.
Here is an example of a nicely completed insulation job on a steam boiler
Looks like just about every pipe is insulated in this photo.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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Thanks, this looks authentic work
around unions are PVC union covers, not fiberglass tube, correct?
I was planning to use ceramic wrap for those transitioning
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Insulation is insulation. What you cover it with is a personal choice.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
0
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