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Dangerous invention

Unknown
Unknown
in THE MAIN WALL
Today we replaced a boiler with that same setup . First time I've ever seen it . The new owner did not want it reconnected for the same reason that scared the devil out of your customer .

Comments

  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244
    Dangerous Invention

    I ran accross quite the invention yesterday. H/O shows me a circ. set up with a toggle switch isolated from the boiler circuit. He says the previous H/O says the circ. has to be swithed on whenever the fireplace is being used because it is set up to bring the boiler temp up without using much fuel. The new H/O says the first time him and his wife get ready to enjoy the fireplace he switches the circ. on and gets the fireplace going. He says him and the Misses are laid back enjoying themselves and BANG the PRV lets go and gets the misses airborne to her feet and he thinks the boiler blew up. The old H/O ran a loop under the log grate
    and the fireplace heat actually brought the boiler above 30PSI. I wouldn't even have repeated this if I hadn't seen it for myself. Yes, the Loop has been cut out on the wifes request!!! :) ........ROOKIE
  • Uni R
    Uni R Member Posts: 663
    Curious...

    Rookie, I'm curious as to whether or not the system cicrculator was on as well?
  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244


    Two other zones, I would imagine they could have been on until the burner shut down on high limit......ROOKIE
  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244


    Hey Ron, pretty weird Huh? Even though you saw a different one I feel better, makes me feel like at least someone else saw it too!! ........Dan
  • Plumdog_2
    Plumdog_2 Member Posts: 870
    Expansion of fluid

    is an unforgiving thing. My buddy the carpenter almost killed hisself when he invented a thing like that. When he regained composure, he was able to stomp out the fire which was all over the living room floor from the exploding coils he so cleverly installed in his fireplace.
  • Floyd_16
    Floyd_16 Member Posts: 13
    It will work if done right....

    have to make sure that there is proper circulation going on.... and of course the proper room for expansion.... grew up in a home that have a similar setup with no problems for many years....even had a battery run circ. to take over if the electric went out and the fire was hot.. gave us a toasty warm house even if the power was out for some time... just pop the battery in the car and charge it up when it ran down.....

    however I will say that it is probably not advisable for just anyone...

    Floyd
  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244


    Hey Floyd, was it a gravity system? maybe with a couple of good size loops moving the water the fireplace wouldn't be able to bring the boiler temp up enough to pop the 30psi PRV.

    ROOKIE
  • Floyd_16
    Floyd_16 Member Posts: 13
    No, but it

    was a big old farm house with tons of baseboard.
    Constant circulation and a GOOD flue damper was the key parts I do think...

    Floyd

    Oh yeah,......and maybe a bit of common sense......most people haven't a clue what that is anymore.....
  • Tony_23
    Tony_23 Member Posts: 1,033
    I've seen lots of them

    Constant, adequate circulation is the key. A dump zone or a single zone system is best.

    In the early 80's (or late 70's ?) we had a guy in the area who made wood fired boilers. Closed system, indoor installations ! Of course, no ASME or H stamps. Never heard of one actually blowing up, just relief valves popping constantly until the operator got used to the feed rate required for the given ODT. Basically a wet base design of 1/4 or 3/8 plate steel. The last one I saw operating was about 3 years ago and was over 20 years old then.

    The best fireplace design I've seen (felt) was a massive stone edifice that has PB buried throughout running off the gas boiler :)
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