#surge protection

Tech Tips:

How do HVAC surge protectors work? What sorts of electrical events do they protect HVAC systems from? Does every HVAC system need one? What is undervoltage protection? In this article, we will cover the basics of surge protection and help you determine the best use cases for the various options available in residential applications. […]

Deploying Surge Protection & Voltage Monitoring w/ DITEK

Bryan discusses surge protection devices (SPDs) with Mike from DITEK, focusing on practical applications for HVAC contractors and how to provide value to clients. Mike emphasizes that surge protection is essential for modern HVAC systems, particularly given that they are typically the most expensive appliance in a home and increasingly rely on sophisticated electronic […]

Surge Protection Basics w/ DITEK

In this enlightening episode, we sit down with Mike, a 20-year veteran from DITEK, a leading American manufacturer of surge protection devices based in Largo, Florida. The conversation begins with a brief discussion about recent hurricane impacts in the Tampa Bay area, where DITEK maintains its 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. Mike shares how the company, […]

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HVAC School – For Techs, By Techs

Real training for HVAC ( Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) Technicians. Including recorded tech training, interviews, diagnostics and general conversations about the trade.

In today’s podcast, Bryan talks with legendary Hydronics author and trainer Dan Holohan about the history of steam heating and some practical applications of old ideas. Recently, Dan has been working on more novels, having published two of them over the past few months.

Steam heating is a “lost art” nowadays; it has become increasingly uncommon and has been disappearing since the Vietnam War. Many people who understood steam heating either retired or died after the Vietnam War. Many elements of steam heating are difficult to understand or surprising. (For example, steam pressure has a surprising relationship with velocity: low-pressure steam moves through piping much more quickly than high-pressure steam.) So, Dan Holohan is on a mission to revive that knowledge and teach the newer generations about the lost art.

There are many older steam heating systems still operating today, especially in the older large buildings in New York. Dan learned a lot about steam heating when working on these old systems and optimizing them. Most of the time, he optimized those systems by removing unnecessary accessories, not by adding components like steam traps.

Many old boilers used coal as a heat source. Nowadays, many old boilers have been fitted with conversion oil burners with thermostats, but they are still piped for coal. Some systems now have multiple risers or massive vents on the main riser to prevent the thermostats from getting too hot too early and satisfying the thermostat too early. We call that master venting, which reduces pressure and allows steam to move very quickly and efficiently.

Dan also discusses:

The 2-PSI standard
Transportation metaphors for BTUs in steam
Harmful renovations for old boilers
Replacement vs. restoration mindsets
Gaps in steam boiler education
Monopolizing the market if you HAVE the education
Boiler piping and venting
Two-pipe vs one-pipe steam

Find out more about Dan and hydronic heating at HeatingHelp.com.

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