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Thatcher steam replacement (clammy)

bob young
bob young Member Posts: 2,177
nice neat pipefitting, the mark of a real pro.

Comments

  • clammy
    clammy Member Posts: 3,103
    Thatcher steam replacement (clammy)

    This was one of my partners jobs he set it up and ordered all the materal, won one small battle over a existing bull head T and won but lost on adding main vents so i didn't ask about rad vents either so i made due with what was there .I truely loved the burner being mounted in the sight door great for the oil company the boiler was diffently coal and converted in the 40'S or 50's some real old wire plus there was edivence of the original pedistil oil burner and some one added the beckett who knows when they left the old stack relay and used it though .We also changed the hot water heater i just helped with the disammbley of the old boiler and did the the boiler header,returns and the supply conections and carryed out plenty of junk we did a 12 hour day and had the boiler steaming we will return tommorow and carry out the section and do a final cleaning and a good skimming peace and good luck clammy
    R.A. Calmbacher L.L.C. HVAC
    NJ Master HVAC Lic.
    Mahwah, NJ
    Specializing in steam and hydronic heating
  • Al Gregory
    Al Gregory Member Posts: 260


    Back in the 70's and early 80's it was common to have one or two doors a day to cut and mount a burner to. Still see some now. The boiler usually had a rotary or verta flame when the burner went in the door. It was easier and cheaper than building a firbox. Most of the customers had service contracts and got it done for free back then.
  • clammy
    clammy Member Posts: 3,103
    70's and 80's

    Al even though alot of guys where doing it ,it still doesn't make it right i have in the past cleaned those filled chambers and closed the slight door and installed a quickie chamber and relocated the gun where it belongs and had custermers loved me why because there oil computstion went from a 550 tank in 3 weeks to a 550 tank lasting them 6 to 8 weeks and stack temp dropped from 800 to about 450 .In ever case i also changed the smoke pipe because it was like tin foil from such a hi temp ,i would also brick some of the flue passes .It was the constance exposure to stuff like that that got me sick of the oil end of the bussiness at last in the area i live in .Every time i see one of them set that way i ask hows your oil bills and the HO say that's why your here converting me to gas .Sorry for the rant but i hate lazy and only like things done correctly when i was young my dad used to say if you don't do it right do not do it and if your are not going to finish it don't do it it's a simple rule that wasdrilled in my skull peace and good luck clammy
    R.A. Calmbacher L.L.C. HVAC
    NJ Master HVAC Lic.
    Mahwah, NJ
    Specializing in steam and hydronic heating
  • Leo
    Leo Member Posts: 770
    Then you get the owner

    I'll start by saying I am biased for oil. But too often I have seen people judge oil by the junk you just removed and switch to gas. Had they listened and swapped to a newer oil unit their bills would have gone down. In an area I once worked in they got sucked in by the "free" gas boiler to change over. An oil company that keeps junk running by choice is stupid. If you want a loyal oil customer you have to help them save so they know you are out for their best interest which in the long run benefits you too.

    Leo
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,232
    nice size header..

    well the snow is on the way South ... so you got it in in time to spare :)
  • clammy
    clammy Member Posts: 3,103
    Leo on the mark

    Leo you are totally correct in the fact that some oil co keep the junk running and that most of the time there bills would be less with a new oil boiler compared to the gas .I know this to be true that's why i really never state that a gas boiler espically steam will cost less as for the fuel side because it probalby will not ,but the case here was a old boiler and old tank and the gas was right there as for saving i think this time the gas will be cheaper then what they where paying in oil for the old boiler espically where the gun was mounted .They may have been able to get a few more years out of her but upon popping her apart most of the push nipples where pretty rotted and where pretty much completly clogged it would not have been to long for her anyway.But i am in agreement about oil boiler in general do cost less to run fuel cost wise unless you start to compare against modulating boiler then it's dne peace and good luck clammy
    R.A. Calmbacher L.L.C. HVAC
    NJ Master HVAC Lic.
    Mahwah, NJ
    Specializing in steam and hydronic heating
  • clammy

    As always, great job. Removal of the bull head tee looked fun. I would however HOPE you wore a mask for this job.

    The only critique I have would be attaching the high voltage Bx to the gas line. AAH!


    Hope you have a good season!


    Robert O'Connor/NJ
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,453


    Clammy, Nice job as usual!

    I don't agree with you not liking "firing through the door".

    It will actually increase your efficiency IF the installer knows what he is doing (your cutting down on the heat loss through the chamber walls with some restrictions.

    1 The burner has to burn clean without a refractory chamber. If it will not then don't try it.

    The fire can't impinge on any metal or you will get soot.

    You can frequently reduce the size nozzle

    Many of the new boilers don't need refractory chamber--this is simply the same practice applied to older boilers.

    That being said, firing through the door is not for evry job. Your fuel savings probably has more to do with your baffeling (which is a great trick with old boilers) Why should the stack temp change with the same size fire?? Because you have cut the heat loss through the chamber when fttdoor--then reduce the nozzle size. IMHO

    ED
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