Some heating system pictures

Here is the control panel, 90% wired, with a the temporary power via an extension cord.

Here is the wiring diagram. Why such a complicated diagram for a single family house? Why not? Even though there are simple single-box controls for this, billn is cheap and likes to develop his own system.

Here is the beginnings of the kitchen radiant zone pump and piping. Senior holds the work while billn applies the torque on the fastener.

Here senior adjusts the position of the globe valve (important to create some pressure drop across the P-S zone that feeds the kitchen radiant).

Here is the return manifold, with the not-spooky anti-ghost flow loops bending down and to the left.

We love 1/2" barrier PEX.

Shirlsd visit, Local Park Story trail

Recently friend-of-the-blog Shirlsd visited us in Vermont. This was her first trip on the right coast and we were surely glad to have her visit. Unfortunately the weather was not perfect for her trip and the leaf colors were less than perfect (one week later, splendid).

Here are senior and junior outside a cider mill (in VT language cider mill = tourist trap).

Here are junior and senior whale watching. Or more accurately, statues of whale tales next to the highway.

Here are senior, Shirlsd and junior at the same statue. The weather looks like Kansas right before a tornado.

Here is the view from the top of a tower in a local park where senior, junior and friends A and C did a "story walk" where a single page of a book hangs in a tree (the idea is you walk, read/rest and walk more). That odd looking mountain in the background is Camel's Hump.

Here are Senior and C at the base of the tower.

Pumpkin Picking with local Friends

Recently our kids, Jenm went to pick pumpkins with C and A (son and daughter of K, all friends from the town we used to live in). Here are some pictures of that trip. Pumpkin hats made by Jenm.

Here are Senior, C and Junior.

Here K helps the children load the wagon.

A semi-artistic shot of Junior Senior.

Senior's birthday

Last weekend was Senior's birthday weekend (five years old, how time flies). We took a trip to the Bronx Zoo, staying at Aunt E and Uncle L's house in Southwest CT. We went to the zoo with some old LI friends, here you see senior's painted face and friend T.

Here is a cut cake set Aunt E. put together for senior.

Here is a goat at the children's zoo who was a little eager to eat.

Here senior lays claim to her llama.
Senior in the prairie dog simulator, in the children's zoon.

Junior in front of an eagle statue.

Junior (ballerina), T (Alice in Wonderland) and senior (veterinarian).

Some of senior's favorite animals.

Heat! Limited, temporary, incomplete, HEAT

Tonight we have heat. The wiring is 80% right, only the thermostat wiring is hanging out of the control panel and the main 120 Volt power is an extension cord. But the other 80 or 90 wires are all terminated, and right on.

The boiler is not working in sealed combustion mode, that comes later.

The single expansion tank is inadequate, billn must add another.

The kitchen radiant zone is 0% complete, that comes later.

The domestic hot water is 0% complete, that comes next.

The boiler needs to be vacuumed and tuned, but we are running zero smoke, 80.5% efficient right now, so that is good.

There are no baseboards in the dining room, that comes soon.

There are a lot of undone parts, but the boiler is firing, the zone valves are operable and the heat is flowing to the house. No pictures today, maybe later. Standing here in the kitchen posting this note, billn can hear the boiler cylcing on and off. That is a nice sound.

Update: Four zones high and tight

Now we have four zones pressurized and air relieved.

Tomorrow, clean up in the boiler room and start electrical work.

Three zones high and tight

Today billn took the children and jenm's parents to the farmer's market. Jenm worked for pay at her weekend job. Billn also tied in three zones (old piping from each baseboard comes into the basement to connect to the new zone PEX). This job took all day. However, it is done, so billn is happy. No leaks in any piping.

Also, billn fixed the faulty valve identified yesterday. The air separator definitely drips, this is a problem. Billn does not want to buy a new one (they are $80), but billn may not have a choice.

Finally, billn identified another potential faulty valve. We'll keep our eyes on that.

Tonight billn will do the fourth zone and tomorrow start electrical work.

Heat is in the future, domestic hot water a little after that, then kitchen tile, then the kitchen radiant heat after that, then complete the electrical work in toy and guest rooms, then .... then ... then .... then ....

High and tight

Last night billn pressurized the manifolds, expansion tank piping, boiler and water heater. To borrow a phrase from a pair of west coast fitters we know, we are high and tight. Good news, no leaks in any billn piping. Bad news, we have one defective valve and the air separator we reused from the original house seems to be plugged, so it drips. We will replace the valve, but the air separator we might leave.

The wiring diagram is 1/2 done, hopefully that will be done tonight and tomorrow we work on installing conduit and wire.