Howdy Steve! Long time lurker here... I've been watching your videos for a long time. Last year we had to replace our boiler and the knowledge I gained from your videos helped me to evaluate bids and keep from getting ripped off. I ended up spotting some installation problems with our new hydronic system and made them come back and do it right due to the knowledge that I gained from you. (They did not hook up our indirect on the priority circuit and the pipe routing was preventing removing the lid from the boiler for the maintenance guy to clean the heat exchanger ). Many thanks! I now have a very safe and reliable system with a tiger loop and a mixing valve so that I can have 120-degree DHW while keeping my indirect tank at 140 to prevent the growth of legionnaires as well as higher efficiency.
Hey Steve. If i am doing a relief and ex-tank, i just drain the boiler thru the relief valve. Slap a bucket under the dip tube and open the relief. Drains it down right to the relief. No spills that way. No knit picking, just giving my own tech tip. Love your videos
Your name and reputation are everything, the tank was clearly leaking and in need of replacement even before you checked the pressure, i would have done exactly the same.
Hi Steve, your videos on hydronic heating are great. Very informative and I have learned a lot about hydronic heating. I am going to replace a 40 year old boiler in my daughter's home with a Rinnai Combi Condensing boiler. I am struggling with circulator selection. The existing piping is split into 2 heating zones with one circulator and no zone controls. I want to take advantage of the 2 zone piping layout. I am undecided on using a zone valve system or a zone pumping system. Can you provide any pros or cons regarding the use of zone valves versus zone pumping? The condensing boiler is 90k BTU. One zone feeds 4 radiators and the other zone feeds 6 radiators. The supply and return piping is 1" and the branch piping is a mainly 1/2" with some 3/4" piping. All piping feeding the radiators is 1/2". I calculated the total flow is 9 GPM, 3.6 GPM for the 4 radiator zone and 5.4 GPM for the 6 radiator zone. I calculated Head Loss a few different ways based on information I found online. One method I found online to calculate Head Loss was a Taco worksheet used to size circulators. Based on the worksheet the 4 radiator zone Head Loss is 6.5 feet of head and the 6 radiator zone is 15.6 feet of head. The other method I used was the formula: Total pipe length x 1.5 x .04. The results of this method is 5.0 for the 4 radiator zone and 13.2 for the 6 radiator zone. I am confused on whether this method is accurate because the zones consist of 1", 3/4", and 1/2" piping. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for all your informative videos!
I agree, Steve. If Murphy`s law is still in force, that old tank with the rust hole would have failed in the middle of an ice storm on a Sunday. You did the homeowner a favor and saved yourself from a hassle too!
No you are right on about replacing the tank with a rust hole, even the cheapest customer is not going to be happy if that tank pops... will cost more later...
Steve! Can you please upload a video of a Hydronic Air handler? Water heater sends hot to my air handler. I need more of a breakdown on its operation in heating please brotha!!
Hey Steve - I've been watching your videos and how you seem to always have everything on your truck that you need. One question: If you're more or less on your own, how to you manage your supply of parts; purchase additional parts; know what needs to be purchased, etc? I ask as you -nearly always- seem to have what you need.... ?
After years of doing this or any work you get to know the supplies that are high need. Remember too that these videos are edited. So you don't know when he may have had to go to the closest supply house for a part unless he tells you. Another point to remember is that many boiler and other parts are many times interchangeable and it's not necessary to carry a large stock of every kind.
Glad i found your channel. Been trying to figure out a few problems with my furnace and plumbing. Great insight. You in the southeastern Mass area? Thought i watched one of your vids and looked like you were driving down rt.6?
As the system runs things (water) expand and contract. This causes pressures to raise and fall. The expansion tank is designed with a rubber bladder inside. One side is empty, but has a charge of air pressure added. The other side of the bladder is directly connected to the water in the system. This allows the expansion and contraction to have a 'shock absorber' in the system. When the tank fails, the expansion of the fluids is no longer absorbed by the expansion tank. Then you'll have a bit of a spike of pressure and it's enough to trip the relief valve. Note about the valve: Once that valve trips? It really needs to be replaced. Any gunk that sits in the line can block the valve open slightly and then you'll be going through a lot of water and lost efficiency. Or at least that's my basic understanding.
Old style expansion tanks that sit up in the floor joist are better, just have to drain them instead of replace. Somebody is always trying to reinvent the wheel. LoL!
I dropped 'Mikey Pipes' (I call 'em "Mickey Mouse Pipes") after his running his mouth against other plumbers. He even "liked" my comment (probably already removed it LOL) after I called 'em out on his baloney. Far to arrogant and annoying IMO of course.
Hi Steve hope your good. Can you tell us how heat pumps work and if any good. As our English government want us to get them by hiking up gas prices 3 times. Scandalous
I was just asking Steve his opinion from his experience, not asking him to Google it for me. I can do that myself. Just wanted a working mans honest opinion.
"hiking up gas prices 3 times" -- My guess is it will be more than a three time increase in prices, the gas companies in the UK saved money about ten years ago by almost eliminating the country's underground stockpile of gas, now the country has to buy at the spot market gas price, and is at the whim of Russian sellers. It's the only country withOUT a significant gas reserve in Europe. Politicians no matter which party.
Hmm. Your words: “Can you tell us how heat pumps work” is not asking for his opinion. And plenty of websites will give you better/thorough feedback and stats on the good vs the bad. Steve’s replies here are 10 words or less.
Tank replacement yes! Especially when there's a hole in it!! Good video thank you sir
Howdy Steve! Long time lurker here... I've been watching your videos for a long time. Last year we had to replace our boiler and the knowledge I gained from your videos helped me to evaluate bids and keep from getting ripped off. I ended up spotting some installation problems with our new hydronic system and made them come back and do it right due to the knowledge that I gained from you. (They did not hook up our indirect on the priority circuit and the pipe routing was preventing removing the lid from the boiler for the maintenance guy to clean the heat exchanger ). Many thanks! I now have a very safe and reliable system with a tiger loop and a mixing valve so that I can have 120-degree DHW while keeping my indirect tank at 140 to prevent the growth of legionnaires as well as higher efficiency.
Hey Steve. If i am doing a relief and ex-tank, i just drain the boiler thru the relief valve. Slap a bucket under the dip tube and open the relief. Drains it down right to the relief. No spills that way. No knit picking, just giving my own tech tip. Love your videos
Your name and reputation are everything, the tank was clearly leaking and in need of replacement even before you checked the pressure, i would have done exactly the same.
Fuuny note... Anytime my grandfather or dad had the same comment WOW! You bring back memories Tom. Thank you😊😊🇺🇲🇺🇲
Hi Steve, your videos on hydronic heating are great. Very informative and I have learned a lot about hydronic heating. I am going to replace a 40 year old boiler in my daughter's home with a Rinnai Combi Condensing boiler. I am struggling with circulator selection. The existing piping is split into 2 heating zones with one circulator and no zone controls. I want to take advantage of the 2 zone piping layout. I am undecided on using a zone valve system or a zone pumping system. Can you provide any pros or cons regarding the use of zone valves versus zone pumping? The condensing boiler is 90k BTU. One zone feeds 4 radiators and the other zone feeds 6 radiators. The supply and return piping is 1" and the branch piping is a mainly 1/2" with some 3/4" piping. All piping feeding the radiators is 1/2". I calculated the total flow is 9 GPM, 3.6 GPM for the 4 radiator zone and 5.4 GPM for the 6 radiator zone. I calculated Head Loss a few different ways based on information I found online. One method I found online to calculate Head Loss was a Taco worksheet used to size circulators. Based on the worksheet the 4 radiator zone Head Loss is 6.5 feet of head and the 6 radiator zone is 15.6 feet of head. The other method I used was the formula: Total pipe length x 1.5 x .04. The results of this method is 5.0 for the 4 radiator zone and 13.2 for the 6 radiator zone. I am confused on whether this method is accurate because the zones consist of 1", 3/4", and 1/2" piping. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for all your informative videos!
I agree, Steve. If Murphy`s law is still in force, that old tank with the rust hole would have failed in the middle of an ice storm on a Sunday. You did the homeowner a favor and saved yourself from a hassle too!
Those Dunkirks are great boilers.
Thanks for the upload Steve. Hope you're enjoying your Fall like Sunday. Maybe a colder shot of air next week. Hope you are staying healthy
Evening Steven!
hello
Good job Steve.
Nice tune up!
Hey Steve What pressure should the expansion tank have?
No you are right on about replacing the tank with a rust hole, even the cheapest customer is not going to be happy if that tank pops... will cost more later...
Steve! Can you please upload a video of a Hydronic Air handler? Water heater sends hot to my air handler. I need more of a breakdown on its operation in heating please brotha!!
Thing is how you just going to ad air when it had a hole in it visible at that I think you did a good job 👍
I think that the hole was above the rubber bladder which keeps water away ?
Well Steve did say that. But if it has a rusty pin hole anywhere it's time to go
Hey Steve - I've been watching your videos and how you seem to always have everything on your truck that you need. One question: If you're more or less on your own, how to you manage your supply of parts; purchase additional parts; know what needs to be purchased, etc? I ask as you -nearly always- seem to have what you need.... ?
After years of doing this or any work you get to know the supplies that are high need. Remember too that these videos are edited. So you don't know when he may have had to go to the closest supply house for a part unless he tells you. Another point to remember is that many boiler and other parts are many times interchangeable and it's not necessary to carry a large stock of every kind.
And like all of us he's at the supply house often I'm sure.
I have a boiler them tanks rust with in or the rubber bladder inside the tank breaks down over time with the heat. better to replace.
To me, seeing that rust hole, replacing the tank is a no brainer.
Why was the PSI so high 20+ after the job?
Yep, better safe than sorry
I wouldn't take a chance either on a tank that looks like it's leaking.
Steve...... I think your van needs shocks !!
When will it be sweater weather for Miss Molly?
Glad i found your channel. Been trying to figure out a few problems with my furnace and plumbing. Great insight. You in the southeastern Mass area? Thought i watched one of your vids and looked like you were driving down rt.6?
I always use to renew the tanks to. Complete waste of time putting air in them. As Steve says your back in a week anyway
Steve can you explain why when the tank goes bad it opens the pressure relief valve ?
As the system runs things (water) expand and contract. This causes pressures to raise and fall. The expansion tank is designed with a rubber bladder inside. One side is empty, but has a charge of air pressure added. The other side of the bladder is directly connected to the water in the system. This allows the expansion and contraction to have a 'shock absorber' in the system.
When the tank fails, the expansion of the fluids is no longer absorbed by the expansion tank. Then you'll have a bit of a spike of pressure and it's enough to trip the relief valve. Note about the valve: Once that valve trips? It really needs to be replaced. Any gunk that sits in the line can block the valve open slightly and then you'll be going through a lot of water and lost efficiency.
Or at least that's my basic understanding.
Would someone please tell me the brand if the dark red-ish sealing compound already on the joints of the gas flue pipe? Thanks. 12:58
Typically on flues it's just high temperature silicone which is that colour.
@@TaylorJS--- thanks
Old style expansion tanks that sit up in the floor joist are better, just have to drain them instead of replace. Somebody is always trying to reinvent the wheel. LoL!
Ya I like them also but could ya tell me how it get the air out of the tank down into the system and to go to the ferrest radiator away ,wtf
Never seen an expansion tank rust through like that.
"That's just how I roll!" - Steve L 😁
Afternoon Steve and “Miss Molly”!
i hear from mikey pipes if you put air in the junk tank it pushes out the water makes the tank lighter for when you take it off
a lot of extra work .. my way is faster . and i am not a pussy
@@stevenlavimoniere bahahahah
I dropped 'Mikey Pipes' (I call 'em "Mickey Mouse Pipes") after his running his mouth against other plumbers. He even "liked" my comment (probably already removed it LOL) after I called 'em out on his baloney.
Far to arrogant and annoying IMO of course.
Hello Steve
Must have some hard water
'I don't play the free game'.
Me neither.
Boiler heating systems seem like a lot more work than a good Furnace
Miss Molly is not Camara Shy Mama😂😂😂
A temporary fix is never good! REPLACE the TanK!!
Hey Steve and Miss Molly! Workin’ again y’all. 👍👍. She’s a leaker mama!
🆗👍👍👍🇸🇮
Hi Steve hope your good. Can you tell us how heat pumps work and if any good. As our English government want us to get them by hiking up gas prices 3 times. Scandalous
You’re asking Steve to Google basic stuff for you and tell you what he finds. I think he’s got other priorities.
I was just asking Steve his opinion from his experience, not asking him to Google it for me. I can do that myself. Just wanted a working mans honest opinion.
"hiking up gas prices 3 times" -- My guess is it will be more than a three time increase in prices, the gas companies in the UK saved money about ten years ago by almost eliminating the country's underground stockpile of gas, now the country has to buy at the spot market gas price, and is at the whim of Russian sellers. It's the only country withOUT a significant gas reserve in Europe. Politicians no matter which party.
Hmm. Your words: “Can you tell us how heat pumps work” is not asking for his opinion. And plenty of websites will give you better/thorough feedback and stats on the good vs the bad. Steve’s replies here are 10 words or less.
You should buy expansion tanks by the truckload Steve! 😂
i buy 6 at a time
@@stevenlavimoniere you sure go thru them quick!
Sup My Brother ?? Making Those Presidents..
She's a crusty one Mr. Grinch!!
People are funny. Guys will nurse along a $50 tank but complain when you try to repair an air conditioner instead of replacing it. Silly.
🏈 🍺🍺🥃🥃🍿🎯😎👍🏻