Coalpail.com Forum

ps. Just recieved the new pex via ups. so I will be working on hooking that up temporarily till spring.

Great! Was the cause of the failure determined??

GaryFerg wrote:yeah I already have a strap on aquastat wired but have only had it running one zone. Activating the whole house would be a better dump of the heat. Another question I just got a heater for the shed one of those radiators with the fan. Do I have to wire a circulator or can I just use induction and a thermostatically controlled fan to regulate it?

I like individual circulators with closely spaced tees, but there are plenty of thermosiphon systems out there. Just be sure to use your monotee in the right place and direction. I don't use them, so maybe someone else can offer more help there?

Lightning wrote:Great! Was the cause of the failure determined??

well I know it overfired probably lost the water and who knows why the pipe collapsed. I just have to have more fail safes in place. This time I have o2 barrier pipe so I can hook it directly with the other bolier. We are in the midst of a big snow storm so I think I will not be able to work outside on it today but I can hook up that heater inside.

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:

GaryFerg wrote:yeah I already have a strap on aquastat wired but have only had it running one zone. Activating the whole house would be a better dump of the heat. Another question I just got a heater for the shed one of those radiators with the fan. Do I have to wire a circulator or can I just use induction and a thermostatically controlled fan to regulate it?

I like individual circulators with closely spaced tees, but there are plenty of thermosiphon systems out there. Just be sure to use your monotee in the right place and direction. I don't use them, so maybe someone else can offer more help there?

monotee ?

this is the place I got the pipe and other stuff from seems like they are cheaper then everyone else
http://www.badgerinsulatedpipe.com

GaryFerg wrote:
monotee ?

Actually, I meant to say monoflow tee. Used on the return line of a heating loop to create a small decrease in pressure to pull water through the floop, causing it to circulate. There are some important considerations such as direction, loop size, position, pipe sizes for the zone and main loop, etc. That would be best answered by someone using them, so you get accurate info

The modine will go very close to the boiler, to the left and above it so I was hoping to eliminate a circulator and controller from the mix. If it will circulate by its self then all I have to do is control the fan via thermostat.

After reading this thread I have a question. I don't want to hijack the thread, but I keep reading about using a black steel pipe in this application. Is there some reason why galvanized pipe would not be better since it's moving water? Is there no problem with rust in this situation? I've never been around one of these boiler systems so I just want to learn. Jerry

jubileejerry wrote:After reading this thread I have a question. I don't want to hijack the thread, but I keep reading about using a black steel pipe in this application. Is there some reason why galvanized pipe would not be better since it's moving water? Is there no problem with rust in this situation? I've never been around one of these boiler systems so I just want to learn. Jerry

When used in a closed system the heated water loses the air entrained within it and no longer rusts the pipe.

jubileejerry,try the galvanized in your hot water system & report back,i was a lemming when I set up our system & only used black pipe & pex with brass fittings,as I believed the plumber who told me not to use galvanized. As a lemming I followed his advice rather than to get the first hand experience of what could happen by using the galvanized.

windyhill4.2 wrote:jubileejerry,try the galvanized in your hot water system & report back,i was a lemming when I set up our system & only used black pipe & pex with brass fittings,as I believed the plumber who told me not to use galvanized. As a lemming I followed his advice rather than to get the first hand experience of what could happen by using the galvanized.

I don't have a hot water system yet. I have a woodburning stove right now and a propane-powered central air/heating system. I was just wanting to know because I have always been told to use galvanized pipe with water, but I wasn't aware of the absence of air benefit. I have always used black pipe for other purposes though, like in a hydraulic system where only oil is involved, because I was taught the galvanizing can flake off and damage delicate components of the system. Jerry

franco b wrote:
When used in a closed system the heated water loses the air entrained within it and no longer rusts the pipe.

JubileeJerry, As Franco said, the O2 in the system gets used up, eliminating the rusting issues. If you notice in this thread we have recommended oxygen barrier pex, which is critical in preventing more O2 from entering the system.

It all helps protect your cast iron boilers, too.

It's also a key reason why it is important to keep your boiler operating within proper range, avoiding to safety valve pop off and refilling via auto fill valve. Fresh water adds more O2 each time that will need to work its way out of the system.

I try to avoid galvanized as much as possible. Maybe because the stuff I've seen was usually when removing old troubled lines, I may be pitched against it

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:As Franco said, the O2 in the system gets used up, eliminating the rusting issues.

Wow.. That's interesting.. I always thought that the oxygen that is bonded with hydrogen in H2O reacts with metals to form rust. I didn't know it was because of free O2 dissolved in the water instead. Huh... Learned something new everyday..

my oil boiler uses black pipe, copper and its a monoflow system from 1961 with cast iron baseboard and never had had an issue, but when expanding the system some years ago I discovered those stupid lil' monoflow "T's" are VERY EXPENSIVE (i think I paid in the neighborhood of $50 EACH ), I don't think they use these things much anymore which may add to why they cost so much to obtain now? what was the biggest problem was trying to split this system into more than one zone (It took 3 different plumbers to finally get it right).