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Latest Intrepid/EZ-Gas Steamer

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Steamhead
Steamhead Member Posts: 16,886
The old one was a Slant/Fin Galaxy with a rating of 325 square feet. Can't find the Before pics, but it was piped in with 2-inch (rather than 2-1/2") copper and wired with Romex, and it didn't even have a boiler drain installed. The house has 382.5 square feet of radiation, and the Galaxy heated the house real slowly. But it wasn't rotted out (yet)- just way undersized.



The new Intrepid is a 4-section, chosen because the owner wants to add some radiators where none exist. It's down-fired a bit, but still can build about a pound of pressure when all the rads are fully heated. We've decided to include the acoustic cover on all our EZ-Gas installations- it really muffles the roar.



We replaced an underground return on this job, and found the old one was in bad shape. We also rerouted a radiator runout that had been added to serve a first-floor bathroom, but was run past the boiler to the main on the other side. That rad took forever to heat when it heated at all, even with a wide-open Heat-Timer vent on it. You can see the tee we added for it in the top right of the first pic- now it heats properly with a Hoffman #40 vent.



Gordon has named our 4-foot pipe wrench "Skuld".



The chimney needed attention on this job- "All About Chimneys" handled that for us.
All Steamed Up, Inc.
Towson, MD, USA
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Consulting

Comments

  • Kevin_in_Denver_2
    Kevin_in_Denver_2 Member Posts: 588
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    Dead Men Live On

    I love the natty apron and the old-timey facial hair!

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  • Skuld.....

    Is that from getting in the skull with it too many times.  We regularly call ours the "Headache Makers".  Just replaced the jaws on mine....gets real interesting when it slips on a 6 inch CI fitting!

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  • rcrit
    rcrit Member Posts: 74
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    Before pictures

    Here are a couple of before pictures.

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  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,886
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    Thanks, Rob!

    nm
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 857
    edited November 2011
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    Sight Glass Fittings

    As always, two of my pet peeves on sight glass fittings are the "brass" slip washers and the "drain valve".



    If you take the "brass" slip washers out and put a magnet to them, they stick.  I called  Combraco about this and the poor guy who answered the phone got an ear-full from me when he insisted that they were all indeed pure brass. 



    I insisted he get a magnet and test them himself.  To his credit, he did.



    "Hey, you're right, they're not brass!"  "How did THAT happen, I wonder?" 



    Yeah, I wonder.  China?



    "So.... what difference does this all make?" you ask, reasonably.



    None, I answer, none at all....No, 'tis nothing, 'tis something...unless there is a leak, then the "brass" rusts and binds to the brass nut and wipes it out, too.



    And not to mention the deception and petty chicanery when you go and buy a hundred of these washers from the local supply house and the written description on the package says "brass" bold as.  Funny brass.  Funny magnetic brass.



    The counterman shrugs.  "Dude, that's what I got.  You want it or not?"



    Not.



    All Steamed Up, Inc custom ordered a thousand of pure brass sight glass washers because we've got OCD.



    And then there is the sick joke of a drain valve on these sight glass fittings...but that's for another day.  Skuld protect us.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
  • Dave in QCA
    Dave in QCA Member Posts: 1,786
    edited November 2011
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    Fantastic!

    Nothing better than a good professional install.   Equal or better to the manufacturers minimum piping requirements.  
    Dave in Quad Cities, America
    Weil-McLain 680 with Riello 2-stage burner, December 2012. Firing rate=375MBH Low, 690MBH Hi.
    System = Early Dunham 2-pipe Vacuo-Vapor (inlet and outlet both at bottom of radiators) Traps are Dunham #2 rebuilt w. Barnes-Jones Cage Units, Dunham-Bush 1E, Mepco 1E, and Armstrong TS-2. All valves haveTunstall orifices sized at 8 oz.
    Current connected load EDR= 1,259 sq ft, Original system EDR = 2,100 sq ft Vaporstat, 13 oz cutout, 4 oz cutin - Temp. control Tekmar 279.
    http://grandviewdavenport.com
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 857
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    Many Thanks

    for your words of praise, sir!
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
  • TomM
    TomM Posts: 233
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    nice job guys

    Hey, are they offering the Intrepid in Direct Vent yet for steam?  I see they have it for hot water.  Why not steam?



    Thanks-

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  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,886
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    Not sure

    but you could use a power-venter if needed. That said, both direct-vent and power-vent add complications that you don't have with a chimney. 
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • USA498
    USA498 Member Posts: 45
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    Sight glass

    Steamhead, what is the hose doing from the bottom of the sight glass ? Are you skimming from that point rather than the skim port?
  • TomM
    TomM Posts: 233
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    just called

    no, i have a power venter because of caved in chimney.  I was looking to get rid of the power venter somehow with direct vent.

    -

    I called slant-fin to see if their Intrepid Direct Vent was approved for steam (its currently approved for hot water), and they said 'No'.  The tech guy could not tell me why though.  Something along the lines of 'its too hot and doesn't work well'.

    -TomM



    -

    Sorry to steal the thread.  Carry on..........

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  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,886
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    That's

    to blow down the sight glass, to keep it clean without taking it apart. The hose goes onto a small ball valve. 
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,767
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    I like

    the sight glass blowdown idea!



    As always you two do great work.
    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
  • David Sutton_6
    David Sutton_6 Member Posts: 1,079
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    Frank and Gordo ,

    Your work still brings a smile to my face !!  great job guys !! as always :-)



    David

    aka DrPepper
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 857
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    That is a Very Gracious Way

    of saying I needed a shave and a haircut! ;-)



    The use of an apron is very deliberate, for just the very reason you like.



    It also keeps the clothes from waring out prematurely.



    Thank you for your kind words
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
This discussion has been closed.