Plumber69
In the Trades
Terry?,
You guy's do furnace,/boiler service
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DIYorBust
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These boiler installations look very professional. I have a steam boiler out here on long island. The guys did a pretty nice job setting it up. But I go to drain the boiler, and the drain valve opening is blocked by it's own valve handle. You can open the valve half way and drain it down, but it still drives me nuts.
A picture is worth more then 1,000 words
Normally on a steam boiler blow down I like to install a nipple and a gate valve and then another nipple and a ball valve and nipple sticking out of it
Reason being open the gate valve fully then open the ball valve as the water flushes out close the gate valve first then the ball valve so it wont hydro shock the boiler
If you decide to just use a ball valve open quickly and close it slowly
Normally on a steam boiler blow down I like to install a nipple and a gate valve and then another nipple and a ball valve and nipple sticking out of it
Reason being open the gate valve fully then open the ball valve as the water flushes out close the gate valve first then the ball valve so it wont hydro shock the boiler
If you decide to just use a ball valve open quickly and close it slowly
DIYorBust
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Fitter30
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Weil McClain? 8 or 9 sections piping and covering looks good
I think it was n HB Smith 8 section
The installer had the right idea Ball valve then a slow closing valve (hose cock )
If you remove the hose cock and put in a 3/4 IPS x 3/4 Hose adapter this will make it a lot easier for the blow down BUT remember open fast close slowly
The price below seems very high for this adapter
I do not like using a globe type of valve on a boiler drain as it does not allow full flow and offers to much restriction getting the muck out
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/seaf...pdBOad8Iz76o90vice2ZZseOu7H6cgMRoCc9EQAvD_BwE
The installer had the right idea Ball valve then a slow closing valve (hose cock )
If you remove the hose cock and put in a 3/4 IPS x 3/4 Hose adapter this will make it a lot easier for the blow down BUT remember open fast close slowly
The price below seems very high for this adapter
I do not like using a globe type of valve on a boiler drain as it does not allow full flow and offers to much restriction getting the muck out
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/seaf...pdBOad8Iz76o90vice2ZZseOu7H6cgMRoCc9EQAvD_BwE
Also you may want to buy a a hose bib cap plastic or brass (plastic wont get to hot) and place it on the adapter when not in use so no one can accidentally brush against the ball valve handle
There is AF Supply and Blackman and a host of others on The Isle of long
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Bluefin...pRr9sHP9aKl7w2KWlcOM4u6F_5HAtDMxoCTnIQAvD_BwE
There is AF Supply and Blackman and a host of others on The Isle of long
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Bluefin...pRr9sHP9aKl7w2KWlcOM4u6F_5HAtDMxoCTnIQAvD_BwE
DIYorBust
Active Member
Good call, I can probably figure something out. Here's a bigger photo of the setup, it's a weil mclain sgo-6. No complaints on the performance. I did have them change the md low water cutoff to a probe type after it clogged up. Pretty happy with that so far. It has a hot water zone in the bottom
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Shame they installed the boiler without a house keeping pad .
Concrete base for the boiler to sit on is just common decency, also if your spending a few thousand for a boiler to be installed paying $3- $5.00 more for a brass siphon tube should not break the bank
Do you think the installer was so close to going over budget he could not have been a little professional and also used a siphon tube (pig tail) to protect the gauge from live steam causing it to fail?
Possibly because I do low pressure boiler inspections besides installations I am too critical of the installers that have to cut corners every place they think no one will notice
Check out the steam boiler we installed and then look back as the one THEY put in
In NYC to pipe in a boiler one needs to either have a master plumbers license or a class A oil burners license
I went to the Hicksville post office to inspect both of their boilers .
From what I remember it was a huge installation and I really did not look forward to driving out there to do my external inspection
I had no choice but to fail one of the 2 boilers and had to reschedule an inspection BUT I told them when I come back and the one I did pass for the external inspection now I would want to do the internal inspection and have them remove the hand hole covers
The steam boiler we installed we did the same quality of work for a one family home in the Bronx as perfection is not an accident
Concrete base for the boiler to sit on is just common decency, also if your spending a few thousand for a boiler to be installed paying $3- $5.00 more for a brass siphon tube should not break the bank
Do you think the installer was so close to going over budget he could not have been a little professional and also used a siphon tube (pig tail) to protect the gauge from live steam causing it to fail?
Possibly because I do low pressure boiler inspections besides installations I am too critical of the installers that have to cut corners every place they think no one will notice
Check out the steam boiler we installed and then look back as the one THEY put in
In NYC to pipe in a boiler one needs to either have a master plumbers license or a class A oil burners license
I went to the Hicksville post office to inspect both of their boilers .
From what I remember it was a huge installation and I really did not look forward to driving out there to do my external inspection
I had no choice but to fail one of the 2 boilers and had to reschedule an inspection BUT I told them when I come back and the one I did pass for the external inspection now I would want to do the internal inspection and have them remove the hand hole covers
The steam boiler we installed we did the same quality of work for a one family home in the Bronx as perfection is not an accident
Christ the King Church flooded basement . Notice how close the waste water is to the burners
This was during the winter TWO in the morning
Why did this happen ?
Because the idiots who placed the boilers in a pit neglected to install a duplex pump NOT EVEN ONE PUMP But they did come in as the lowest bidder and that is all that counts
After this we did install a duplex sewer ejectors one had battery back up with alarms
This was during the winter TWO in the morning
Why did this happen ?
Because the idiots who placed the boilers in a pit neglected to install a duplex pump NOT EVEN ONE PUMP But they did come in as the lowest bidder and that is all that counts
After this we did install a duplex sewer ejectors one had battery back up with alarms
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DIYorBust
Active Member
Thanks Sylvan, that's a great catch! When I had the guys redo the boiler, they replaced the pressuretrol, and put that on a syphon tube, but not the gauge! Better that they the other way around. I bet you though if I tell them, they'll fix it, and maybe I can pair that up with the drain adjustment. I'm thinking a straight through gate valve with a hose adapter might do the trick for me based on your comments. At the end of the day though, we have a contract where they will have to replace that gauge if it fails, so they may just decide to wait and see.
As for the pad, we do have a gravity floor drain close by, and the grade of the floor is appropriate for it to work. I do prefer to drain the boiler by a hose because I don't want the plumbing to receive boiler mud, but in an emergency it's there and I doubt we'd end up with a flood like your picture. However it's good to hear these comments, when it comes time to replace I'll know what to look for.
I did have a close call when the float in the mcdonell douglas failed. It failed in the low position and water filled the steam pipes while we were away. Luckily nothing leaked.
I'm generally pretty happy with the boiler company. They are properly licensed for plumbing and oil burners. I'm way out in suffolk, not near the city. The installation was done before I owned the home, but by the same company I use.
One thing I'm hoping to do is get a cold climate heat pump installed to take some of the load off the boiler, and save me a bit on fuel oil which seems more expensive than running a heatpump by my calculations.
As for the pad, we do have a gravity floor drain close by, and the grade of the floor is appropriate for it to work. I do prefer to drain the boiler by a hose because I don't want the plumbing to receive boiler mud, but in an emergency it's there and I doubt we'd end up with a flood like your picture. However it's good to hear these comments, when it comes time to replace I'll know what to look for.
I did have a close call when the float in the mcdonell douglas failed. It failed in the low position and water filled the steam pipes while we were away. Luckily nothing leaked.
I'm generally pretty happy with the boiler company. They are properly licensed for plumbing and oil burners. I'm way out in suffolk, not near the city. The installation was done before I owned the home, but by the same company I use.
One thing I'm hoping to do is get a cold climate heat pump installed to take some of the load off the boiler, and save me a bit on fuel oil which seems more expensive than running a heatpump by my calculations.
DIYorBust
Active Member
I like the wiring, this is usually a challenge since most plumbers don't like to work on the electric, and the electricians don't like working on boilers.
The electricians we hire we told them "neatness counts" as I know I am only as good as my last job
If I do the right job for someone they will tell three people
Do a sloppy job , over priced they will tell everyone
When people have oil and are thinking about going to natural gas... I tell them the following which I once wrote for as local news paper pro and con Oil Verses Gas
I do not install or service oil equipment
Oil
You pay for before you use it , Oil has a heating value for #2 138,000 - 140,000 BTU per gallon
In case of a leak you are facing a hefty fine for toxic material clean up (hazmat)
Normally oil companies lose money on their service contract and a good oil company has 24 -7 service
Much more service is required on a oil burner. filters, nozzles , removing soot from the tubes , cast iron section and the fire box does not last as long because the higher heat generated
With oil you can shop around for the best price and have it locked in
Most oil companies are family owned so they give better service
Getting a delivery on a heavy snow week maybe a problem
You have storage tanks that are a liability and above ground take up space
GAS
You pay for as you use it, in case of a leak it can explode,
If you have no heat and you call your utility they will say "call a plumber" as legally they were not supposed to do service work as it is considered unfair utility competition
Also is you call for a gas leak the utility will red tag the equipment and say call a plumber, sometimes they even shut the gas supply as they do in NYC
Natural gas has a heating value of 900 - 1,200 BTU s per cubic foot so it takes a lot longer to get the heat up
Your locked in to one company supplying natural gas and if you decide to try to get another company your bill will increase as the new supplier will have to pay usage fee to the original company who owns the gas piping
Several of my accounts have duel fuel oil - gas and on really cold days they will get a fine if they use gas in case they run out of oil.
Ever wonder why Utilities such as Con Ed wanted to use coal with air scrubbers and then went to oil BUT never considered gas for "Big Allis"
If I do the right job for someone they will tell three people
Do a sloppy job , over priced they will tell everyone
When people have oil and are thinking about going to natural gas... I tell them the following which I once wrote for as local news paper pro and con Oil Verses Gas
I do not install or service oil equipment
Oil
You pay for before you use it , Oil has a heating value for #2 138,000 - 140,000 BTU per gallon
In case of a leak you are facing a hefty fine for toxic material clean up (hazmat)
Normally oil companies lose money on their service contract and a good oil company has 24 -7 service
Much more service is required on a oil burner. filters, nozzles , removing soot from the tubes , cast iron section and the fire box does not last as long because the higher heat generated
With oil you can shop around for the best price and have it locked in
Most oil companies are family owned so they give better service
Getting a delivery on a heavy snow week maybe a problem
You have storage tanks that are a liability and above ground take up space
GAS
You pay for as you use it, in case of a leak it can explode,
If you have no heat and you call your utility they will say "call a plumber" as legally they were not supposed to do service work as it is considered unfair utility competition
Also is you call for a gas leak the utility will red tag the equipment and say call a plumber, sometimes they even shut the gas supply as they do in NYC
Natural gas has a heating value of 900 - 1,200 BTU s per cubic foot so it takes a lot longer to get the heat up
Your locked in to one company supplying natural gas and if you decide to try to get another company your bill will increase as the new supplier will have to pay usage fee to the original company who owns the gas piping
Several of my accounts have duel fuel oil - gas and on really cold days they will get a fine if they use gas in case they run out of oil.
Ever wonder why Utilities such as Con Ed wanted to use coal with air scrubbers and then went to oil BUT never considered gas for "Big Allis"
