Ask Caleffi – Details, episodes & analysis

What happens in the field when you need to loosen a union to service a valve?  Do you always need to replace the sealing elements?  How can the Posi-Stop™ embedded O-ring union system help?  Which products are shipping now with Posi-Stop?

 
Former service plumber and current Caleffi tech. support ace Matt DeLuca joins the guys today to talk about Posi-Stop as a first-time guest on the podcast.  There are many tips and tricks that plumbers use in the field to get fittings to seal.  No need for creativity or guesswork with Posi-Stop.  An EPDM O-ring seal compresses to a controlled value by way of a positive metal-to-metal stop. 

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In this episode, Greg and Dan talk to "the man, the myth, the legend" of zone valves, Mike Schreiner, Caleffi CTO.   Mike has been working with zone valves for his entire career and is pleased to share his wealth of knowledge to help our Ask Caleffi audience learn:

What's important when considering a zone valve?  How do you properly size?  What is the flow coefficient (a.k.a. Cv or differential pressure) and why is it important?  BTW:  there is a BIG difference between close-off pressure and system pressure!  Zone valves and actuators... say what?  In which application is a 2-way valve best used?  A 3-way?  How are end switches applied?  What's the difference between a micro-switch and a Reed switch?  Normally Opened.  Normally closed.  Why Z-one? (one valve for ALL!)  Valve versatility with union connections.  How about relay boards?  (you CAN'T wire a zone valve wrong with a relay board!)

All this and MORE when you Get in the Zone with Mike!

DHW recirculation systems can cause a lot of headaches, if not operating properly.  Quick troubleshooting is essential, especially in the multi-family sector.  How do you know what needs to be fixed?  What questions do you need to ask occupants and building managers?  Are all shower valves the same? Do you need x-ray vision?  

In this two-part episode, the guys interview Mark Eatheton.  Mark is a licensed Master Plumber in Colorado and an ICC licensed Master Mechanical Contractor.  He has worked on a variety of troublesome, multi-family DHW recirculation projects over the years and offers his advice to avoid pulling your hair out.  Mark and the team at Advanced Hydronics have worked with Energy Outreach Colorado to reduce energy usage and water waste in many projects across the state.  Starting with occupant surveys, they determine what bothers the residents.  After that, Mark describes the symptoms to look for throughout the building.  To finish, he describes the best path forward with specific control components.  

Thanks for joining us today.

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An expansion tank is a very simple hydronic system component, yet it can cause complex troubleshooting woes.  Improper charge expectations, waterlogging and sizing can all play a role.  How can you determine if the expansion tank is the culprit for nuisance relief valve discharges? 

In this episode, Cody Mack tells you how to whisper to an expansion tank in this service-focused conversation between three former field techs.  Should you trust a factory precharge?  How do you avoid "bear-hugging" an expansion tank to relieve an over-pressurization?  The guys cover the ways to put your best foot forward with a new expansion tank, relating to proper acceptance volumes and when multiple non-ASME vessels may be an option.  They also point out a few tips and tricks they have picked up to determine if the existing expansion tank needs some help.  Caleffi components like air separators and steady boiler fill valves are part of the equation, too.    

Thanks for joining us today.

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There are a lot of boxes to check to install and maintain an ideal DHW system.  Don't worry!  The guys can walk you through it.  How do you verify a DHW system has been balanced properly?  Which circulators pair best with thermal balancing valves?  How do you find out if you are meeting your minimum flow rate for a point of distribution mixing valve?

In this Episode, Greg breaks down the components needed to operate the perfect DHW system.  Pipe size, recirculation pumps, balancing valves, point of use and point of distribution mixing valves all play a role.  Dan will tell you where to find the proper piping diagram for various systems.  Dual tank, parallel mixing valve installs, the guys have seen it all.  They also share stories, straight from the phone lines, where they had to put on their detective hats to help figure out how to modernize a 70-year-old system and also work through a tricky dual-temperature recirculation piping project.      

Pioneering high-performance magnetic separation, Caleffi North America has recently introduced DIRTMAG PRO.  Do you know what's new about this device?  Why is it essential to remove BOTH ferrous and non-ferrous debris from your hydronic system?

Greg and Dan discuss the technology behind this device, where it's located in a system and what's the difference between a DISCAL air and dirt separator and DIRTMAG PRO.   Need help sizing the PRO?  We're are here to help you at techsupport.us@caleffi.com.

Thanks for tuning in.

Heating season is here!  Don't panic.  Dan and Greg shine a light on the components that keep your boiler running well.  A clean and check should include more than a speedy look at the heat exchanger.  How important is communication with the homeowner?  How do you set expectations for future repairs?  What components can be cleaned or repaired easily?  Who do I call for help?  The guys answer these questions and more. 

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John 'Siggy' Seigenthaler guest stars on an episode dedicated to all things heat exchange.  How do you know which type of heat exchanger is best for your application?  How do you keep them clean and operating efficiently?  What is a convection coefficient?  Why is turbulence important?  Siggy answers these questions and more for hydronic and domestic hot water system.

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Our Ask Caleffi team phones a friend to talk about PEX connections and manifolds.  Where do you locate a manifold?  Which fitting systems work with which types of PEX?  What is the difference between plumbing PEX and heating PEX?  

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Our Ask Caleffi team encourages you to think outside of the box on that next service call.  They share tips that work at getting YOU to the root of a service problem without wasting time and money.  They share their favorite technique:  "Phone a Friend" and why it's so important.  You'd be surprised at how much WE learn from YOU while walking through a service concern.  

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