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HVAC errors in books, TV, and movies

I recently reread The Shining, which is far scarier than the film. The boiler in the Overlook Hotel plays a big role in the story in that (spoiler alert!), it blows up the building at the end of the tale. It's a steam boiler heating radiators and operating at 300 psi. And that makes me nuts. Are there no technical editors to help Mr. King?
Another novel, this one by Lee Child, had Jack Reacher syphoning gasoline out of a tank that was several hundred feet below his vacuum pump. Grrrr.
Got any other examples of HVAC stumbling that you've spotted in books, TV, or films? Love to hear them.
Another novel, this one by Lee Child, had Jack Reacher syphoning gasoline out of a tank that was several hundred feet below his vacuum pump. Grrrr.
Got any other examples of HVAC stumbling that you've spotted in books, TV, or films? Love to hear them.
Retired and loving it.
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Comments
But back then they used mercury and asbestos, so what's a little CO added into the mix anyway!
And it bangs like a steam boiler??? Coal does not go boom and furnaces don't have steam hammering noises.
There is a better chance of putting your eye out with a BB Gun, then there is of getting that heater working that way.
It is interesting though... every dumb thing that happened over my entire life happened to that kid in less than a month.
Retired HVAC Contractor from So. Jersey Shore.
Cleaned & services first oil heating system at age 16
Specialized in Oil Heat and Hydronics where the competition did Gas Warm Air
If you make an expensive repair and the same problem happens, What will you check next?
You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
I have NO experience with this stuff, but enjoy reading this forum. The family is somewhat concerned that I now point out problems like this.
Even better, all underground facilities have big ventilation fans that are 5’ or larger diameter propeller fans. This actually could be partly true in some tunnels of very large parking structures.
It's part boiler, part gravity octopus furnace, and I think there's actually a radiator lying on its side in it when the grill opens! I looked for a video of that sequence and found something hilarious: a Google commercial with that scene in it:
Boiler Lessons
Click here to take Ray's class.
Click here to buy Ray's books.
I get the eye roll.
Boiler Lessons
Click here to take Ray's class.
Click here to buy Ray's books.
he has released 3 episodes at the moment and has quite a few more on the way. I would recommend you all check it out, its just too funny.
here is the pilot episode.
Rick
First of all the mechanical room of the evil villain's lair (a house on an island) is the size of the Titanic's engine room, black pipe is effortlessly ripped from walls and used as weapons, giant boilers doors are opened willy-nilly in an attempt to force the other guy inside Hansel and Gretel style, the bad guy is briefly electrocuted by what looks like a small high voltage substation (with no lasting effects) and finally, what looks like 4" or so black pipe is pulled off of the wall (nothing comes out of it) and is then hurled through the air, impales the bad guy, and pierces some sort of steam vessel which harmlessly vents off instead of rupturing catastrophically
One day the good guy will run into a balancing damper and that will be the end.
Albert Einstein
Clip from "the community"
I love paninis, they are outta this world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_sprinkler_system#Deluge_systems
I once worked at a place where one morning after a very cold night it was raining in the enclosed loading docks. The building had a wet system. Someone should have either spec'd a dry system, or turned up the stat in the loading dock. Very expensive lesson.
Once inside they reach up under the dash and pull out the "extra" 2 feet of wire (only the switch and start circuit have that extra length of wire BTW)....cut them apart....strip ends...maybe tie 2 together, ( could be one of the wires they just cut in two)....then flash a couple more together and the car starts. They put in in gear and drive away.
But cars have had steering wheel/shift lever locks since maybe the 70's.....all these cars are newer. Some even look new enough for fob keys....how did the wheel get unlocked?