January 2012 ESPCO Newsletter

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous new year!

A PET PEEVE COMES TO RESOLUTION

I have always preached in my “Hydronic Heating System Troubleshooting” class about the need to replace Honeywell intermittent pilot modules, (better known as “spark ignition” and / or “IID” modules), in direct vent appliances with a module that has the same, or similar,  “pre-purge” timing. Direct vented appliances are equipped with an ignition module that allows the exhaust fan to run for a given amount of time, (anywhere from 30 – 90 seconds), allowing the fan to “prove” operation via a diaphragm switch which senses the pressure created by the fan, closing it’s contacts and allowing for the ignition sequence to start. I have seen more times then I can remember where a standard “universal” module without a pre-purge cycle was used as a replacement on a direct vented unit allowing the ignition module to begin the ignition process immediately, (as soon as TT was closed by a call for heat).

My concern has always been that in this scenario the boiler could be allowed to fire without a functional exhaust fan, possibly…not probably, but possibly…with tragic results. A lot would have to go wrong for the boiler to cause a potential risk…a “perfect storm” if you will…but we all know perfect storms do happen from time to time and that is why this has always bothered me.

The fan prove switch should sense a failure in the fan and not allow voltage to the ignition module thus stopping the ignition process before it starts…that is the way it is supposed to work. The concern is, what if the fan prove switch fails and or has been jumped out by someone who didn’t know any better and simply was trying to get the boiler to fire? In this scenario the boiler could fire without a functional exhaust fan.

In my service business I always equipped each truck with at least one Honeywell S8610U universal replacement module and one Honeywell S8670D module that has a 30 second pre-purge. The two would cover virtually any scenario I could encounter with a conventional flue appliance that was spark ignited and direct vented units as well.

I did the same in my parts business for the Celtic wall hung boiler, (www.CelticParts.com). The Celtic was available in both an electronic ignited, conventional flue model, (model EI), and a direct vent model, (model FF).

Here’s the resolution; I ordered new inventory a week or two ago from the good people at Honeywell for my parts business. I intended to order the S8670D which has the pre-purge feature but I inadvertently ordered the S8610U which doesn’t. I received the order and immediately noticed my mistake and was about to make arrangements to return the incorrect items when I took a closer look at the box of the S8610U and noticed it said, “field-selectable pre-purge and ignition timings”. WOW! Sure enough, the new Honeywell S8610U universal ignition control can be manipulated by the service technician to accommodate any of the following appliance requirements:

• NO pre-purge with 90 second trial for ignition, (default)
• 30 second pre-purge with 90 second trial for ignition
• NO pre-purge with 15 second trial for ignition
• 30 second pre-purge with 15 second trial for ignition

The S8610U now has two tiny, (and I mean TINY), dip switches located on the row of terminal connections that allow for the changes to be made in the field. How cool is this! The instruction manual that comes with the S8610U lists all the Honeywell, (as well as Johnson Controls, Robertshaw, Canstat, Fenwal and HSC), modules that it will replace and the required adjustments that need to be made. Honeywell states that the S8610U will replace “over 400 Honeywell and competitive controls”. The S8610U is now truly a universal replacement module!

I order these modules about once a year so I’m not sure when exactly Honeywell made this change so for some of you this may be old news but I am thrilled by this great improvement!

WHERE IS GERRY GOING TO BE IN 2012?

Keep an eye on the “training events” section of the website, as I will be adding new training dates as they are confirmed. I have posted some geothermal training dates which will take place in Jackson, MI at the Heat Controller corporate headquarters.
I will be posting three Mini-Split training dates for this month with my friends at Johnstone Supply in Florida. The dates are as follows:

SUBJECT: Mini-Split Training
SPONSORS: Heat Controller / Comfort-Aire and Johnstone Supply
DATE: Tuesday, January 17, 2012
TIME: 3:30 – 5:30PM
LOCATION: Johnstone Supply
5620 NW 12th Ave.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
CONTACT INFO: 954-318-7678
Brian.nichols@johnstonesupply.com

SUBJECT: Mini-Split Training
SPONSORS: Heat Controller / Comfort-Aire and Johnstone Supply
DATE: Wednesday, January 18, 2012
TIME: 3:30 – 5:30PM
LOCATION: Johnstone Supply
790 International Pkwy.
Sunrise, FL
CONTACT INFO: 954-284-3903
Brian.nichols@johnstonesupply.com

SUBJECT: Mini-Split Training
SPONSORS: Heat Controller / Comfort-Aire and Johnstone Supply
DATE: Thursday, January 19, 2012
TIME: 3:30 – 5:30PM
LOCATION: Johnstone Supply
1143 Gateway Blvd.
Boynton, FL
CONTACT INFO: 561-572-2507
Brian.nichols@johnstonesupply.com


I also have four dates in April, 2012 for Mini-Split, Through-The-Wall, (TTW), and Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners, (PTAC), training with the good people of
2J Supply in Ohio. I don’t have all the details confirmed just yet but here is what I have so far:

SUBJECT: Mini-Split, TTW & PTAC Training
SPONSORS: Heat Controller / Comfort-Aire and 2J Supply
DATE: Tuesday, April 3, 2012
TIME: TBA
LOCATION: 2J Supply
1019 Goodale Blvd.
Columbus, OH 43212
CONTACT INFO: TBA
http://www.2-jsupply.com/

SUBJECT: Mini-Split, TTW & PTAC Training
SPONSORS: Heat Controller / Comfort-Aire and 2J Supply
DATE: Wednesday, April 4, 2012
TIME: TBA
LOCATION: 2J Supply
872 Valley St.
Dayton, OH. 45404
CONTACT INFO: TBA
http://www.2-jsupply.com/

SUBJECT: Mini-Split, TTW & PTAC Training
SPONSORS: Heat Controller / Comfort-Aire and 2J Supply
DATE: Thursday, April 5, 2012
TIME: TBA
LOCATION: 2J Supply
311 N. Central Ave
Lima, OH 45801
CONTACT INFO: TBA
http://www.2-jsupply.com/

SUBJECT: Mini-Split, TTW & PTAC Training
SPONSORS: Heat Controller / Comfort-Aire and 2J Supply
DATE: Tuesday, April 10, 2012
TIME: TBA
LOCATION: 2J Supply
14 Sunnybrook Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45237
CONTACT INFO: TBA
http://www.2-jsupply.com/

SUBJECT: Mini-Split, TTW & PTAC Training
SPONSORS: Heat Controller / Comfort-Aire and 2J Supply
DATE: Wednesday, April 11, 2012
TIME: TBA
LOCATION: 2J Supply
3663 US Highway 23
Piketon, OH 45661
CONTACT INFO: TBA
http://www.2-jsupply.com/

SOLAR AND THE NY JETS & GIANTS

The MetLife Stadium will be fitted with 1500 PV solar panels creating and upper “ring” encircling the top of the stadium. I love that the panels are manufactured in Poughkeepsie, NY…keeping the project “local”.  You can read all about this unique project in Solar Thermal Magazine here.

MY GOOD FRIEND, DAN HOLOHAN

Dan has done it again! He has written yet another book for us “wetheads” His latest installment is titled “Classic Hydronics: How To Get The Most From Those Older Hot-Water Heating Systems”. Dan describes the book as follows:
“Most of the buildings you go into are older than you are, right?
Yeah, me too. America is a heating museum. And most of the heating systems in those older buildings have gone through lots of changes over the years, some of them painful changes. Many of these systems went in before we knew as much as we know today about hot-water heating.

So let’s talk about how Classic Hydronic systems work, where they came from, how they’ve changed over the years, and what we can do right now to get the most of out them without spending a fortune. Oh, and I promise you a few great stories along the way because that’s just the way I am, and I know you love a good story.
My goal with this 8-1/2″ X 11″, 154-page, spiral-bound book is to make you “see” inside those older systems, and to be able to do stuff that others say can’t be done. If I can do that (and I think I can), you will be nodding your head and smiling at your newfound knowledge, and I will be in a state of bliss.”
You can order Dan’s new book here.

GEOTHERMAL

To grout or not to grout? When I was at the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association, (IGSHPA), in Stillwater, OK this past August for “Train the Trainer” certification I presented my thesis on vertical ground heat exchanger, (GHEX), borehole grouting. My research came upon a school of thought that feels grouting is unnecessary as the borehole will collapse on it’s own creating a seal around the GHEX. I actually found followers of this school writing on blogs beneath YouTube videos of grouting procedures.

I won’t argue that borehole collapse might take place…the problem is that it might take place and even if it does, it may not be completely collapsed.

The most important technical reason for grouting around the vertical GHEX is to provide the proper heat transfer between the GHEX and the ground. If grout is not placed completely along the entire length of the GHEX then the heat transfer will be reduced and full performance of the GHEX will not be available.  Proper grouting is environmentally important when fractured bedrock or artesian formations are penetrated by the GHEX borehole.
Grouting;