Keeping in the good graces of the Dead Men

Terry H.

Dan, Homeowner wants a new boiler for better effeciency. I'll quote it but how much can I really hope to save them? After materials cost, installation cost, and then the electricity used to run the boiler and pumps, will it pay off? Eventually I guess if the new boiler doesn't need any out of warranty repairs.

This would be an easy decision if the system wasn't running perfectly, plus it looks like a museum piece.

Just thought I'd send a picture of a little of our history enjoy.

Terry H.

Jim Walls_2

Honeywell Heat Generator

Terry, (you may already know this) just thought I would Fyi in case the homeowner does have you replace the boiler.
The device to the right of the boiler, just below the gauge, is a Honeywell Heat Generator. The belled area at the bottom is full of Mercury, so take caution when removing & disposing. You can check out this device on this site by going to Heating Q&A, click on Gravity Hot Water Heating & scrolling almost all the way to the bottom. Dan, as always does an excellent of describing it's function in this type of system & it's history.
You can also see one, by going to HVACTV archives,it was a topic for one of the episodes where they made a trip to Dan's Heating Museum.
Good Luck,,,,,,,,,,,,,& Thanks for posting that picture

Terry H.

I rembered

reading about that device somewhere in one of Dan's books so I had to go back and look it up. It's in the gravity hot water section of How Come?, (An excellent book for just this sort of thing, I must add) way to go Dan.

Terry H.

DanHolohan

That sure is

in a museum piece. Thanks for sharing, Terry.

[Deleted User]

you may find the mercury in the pipes also

this has happened to me...i asked an old timer at the plumbers meeting why this happened, and he said someone down the line, during the life of the system, drained the system, then did a ''quick fill'' and literally blew the mercury through the sytem. he said its common to find this..my advice is to have a shop vac you intend to dispose of handy, just in case..and be careful.

[Deleted User]

ABSOLUTELY NO SHOP VACS!!!

The use of a shop vac in an attempt to pick up Mercury is a definite NO NO. It causes the mercury to vaporize, causing it to go into the air in suspension, causing ALL kinds of respiratory/liver problems.

If it gets spilled onto the floor, simply use playing cards or some such simple device to pick it up and place it in a non glass bottle. Some HVAC supply companies have a local depository to recycle the mercury.

By all means, do NOT attempt to vacuum it up.

For more information, go to

http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3585_4127_4175-11751--,00.html#ASSEMBLE

ME

Unknown

Removing Mercury must follow

Mercury abatement procedures. I did a full study on this for a court case involving just what Mark Etherton warned about.

There was a mercury spill from an old gas regulator and the service tech used his Cadillac vacuum to clean it up. The mercury was vaporized into the air. The homeowners children just happened to be playing in the family room in the basement when this occured. They developed problems later and traces of mercury were found in there system. A very expensive law suit was the result.

There are special vacuums available for cleaning up mercury spills. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CLEAN IT UP ANY OTHER WAY.

All of the major retail control outlets, F.W. Webb, R.E. Michel etc are part of the mercury abatement program. They will take any mercury control and dispose of it for you.
By the way do not get OSHA in your shop or trucks and let them find old mercury thermostats thrown in the trash.Big fine!!!

The web site www.nema.org/government/environment/trcwholesalers.xls lists all the wholesalers who are participating in the program which is operated by Thermostat Recycling Corperation.

If you want information call Ric Erdheim at 703-841-3249 or e-mail ric_erdheim@nema.org