installed and fitted the Alta boiler. He liked that it came with a pro- press compatible primary/secondary header allowing for quick and easy piping. This installation consisted of a single-zone low-temperature radiant floor heat embedded in a concrete slab. There were no high temperature zones simplifying the piping and control. The supply and return piping from the radiant manifolds were piped directly into the primary-secondary header with the integral control relay operating the system pump. No mixing valve or additional mixing controls were necessary. I have learned over the years that simple equals good and reliable. The sealed- combustion boiler was vented with 2-inch schedule 80 CPVC through the side wall with a concentric vent kit. Brian really liked the ease of installation. We were able to set, pipe, vent and wire the boiler in one day," he said. The start-up was done the next morning as he was waiting on the gas line connection from the plumber. Start-up was a snap," Brian added. A combustion test with an analyzer confirmed the burner was operating cleanly and within manufacturer specifications. This boiler is well designed and a joy to install" Brian explained. "I look forward to using the Alta on our future projects." The installation manual is clear and concise allowing for a smooth installation and start-up. Brian had one question regarding the setpoint adjustment. A five-minute call to tech support clarified this setting and the start-up was complete. The system has been operational since late October without any issues. My trip to Lancaster was a day well spent. I got a chance to meet some great people and see an impressive facility. I was amazed at the new products and the investment U.S. Boiler is making in boiler technology and manufacturing. U.S. Boiler is an outstanding industry partner. I see more Alta boilers in our future as well as our first SteamMax installation. l Dan Foley is president and owner of Foley Mechanical, Inc. based in Lorton, Virginia (www.foleymechanical. com). FMI specializes in radiant, hydronic and steam systems as well as mechanical systems for large custom homes. He can be reached at 703-339- 8030 or at foleymechanical@msn.com
HYDRONICS
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phc January 2022 www.phcppros.com
Burnham SteamMax
As I was touring the test lab at U.S. Boiler in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I saw many different boilers being run through their paces. One boiler in particular caught my eye. I could see it was a steam boiler with the familiar Burnham Sherpa Blue jacket, but this one had a different look. I had installed most, if not all, of Burnham's steam boilers, both residential and commercial. The multiple risers on this particular boiler caught my eye. What is this?" I asked Mike Hook, U.S. Boiler's marketing manager, who was giving me a tour of the facility. This one is new," he said with a smile on his face. "You will like it!" U.S. Boiler did a total redesign on this residential and light commercial, atmospheric draft, gas-fired steam boiler. It was designed for optimum efficiency and longevity with a 10-year waterside corrosion warranty on residential installations. It comes in multiple sizes ranging from 75 MBH input to 550 MBH input. Changes and upgrades include wider boiler sections with a larger steam chest. This allows for an increased steam disengaging area resulting in drier steam. There are no heat transfer pins above the water line and no crown sheet fins to allow for greater corrosion resistance. This heat exchanger was designed for longevity. Stainless steel in-shot burners along with more heat transfer pins below the water line push the combustion efficiency to 82 percent AFUE. Piping kits are available for sizes 250MBH and down. I am a big fan of the steam boiler piping kits. It streamlines and simplifies the installation process. It makes for uniform installations that comply with the manufacturer's specifications. It also avoids having to buy out the entire supply house stock of black fittings and nipples to install one boiler. In addition, the pre-cut nipples speed up the installation eliminating the need to cut and thread black pipe. The best upgrades are the repositioning of steam risers to the inner cast- iron sections and the addition of intermediate risers on the larger sizes. This allows for optimum steam disengagement at the water line. It also allows for smoother steam flow and a stable water line. The fact that U.S. Boiler would do a total redesign on this boiler incorporating multiple innovations shows their commitment to their steam line as well as hydronics in general. I look forward to trying out the SteamMax on my future steam projects. At press time, my U.S. Boiler rep was bringing the SteamMax into local distribution in my market, the Washington, D.C. metro area. I will report back in a future story.
The new Burnham SteamMax in the U.S. Boiler test lab, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Photo: Dan Foley
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