HS Tarm OT50 Piping Identification Question

[bahassler]

Hello All,

Can anyone identify the three brass water connections shown near the bottom of the boiler in this photo? I'm thinking they're to be used for some external water heating connection, like solar. The Tarm manual doesn't mention these fittings at all. I don't understand why they would be somewhat jumpered together either.

Thank you,
Bruce

 

[bahassler]

Craig - I'll bet you know what they're for. Are they tapped into the boiler water or the DHW coil?

 

[webbie]

That is what they call a Jerry-Rig or Jury -rig or rube goldberg, etc. etc.

ALL tappings on an OT on the front and rear are into the water jacket.

Those, if I remember correctly, are for the optional electric elements, which no one ever bought. So they would usually simply be sealed.

The feed and return are on the rear of the boiler, and the drain too (I think) - lower.

DHW is off the top of a dome under the left side of the boiler top jacket.

 

[webbie]

BTW, this is a relatively early OT model, which can be ID by the clean out door which is latched at the bottom - newer ones opened from the side. My guess is 1979

 

[Dave T]

Hi everyone this is my first chance to get in on the talks but you will see more of me,Craig is on the money thoes tappings are for electric heat and mine has them capped off,my Tarm is 1978 and looks exactaly like this one,i just retapped to it due to my owb going down but I only run oil due to chimney problems. Last night temps dropped to 8 degrees and the old HS had no problems keeping it warm in the house last night was it's first night back in the loop.BTW BAHASSLER I have some of the original paperwork for this unit let me know if I can help...
Also I wanted to give the people here a lot of credit for knowing their stuff and furthermore for sharing their knowledge THANKS

 

[bahassler]

Thanks Guys.

Mine is a 1977 vintage and I wish I had those electric elements now. Electricity is the cheapest form of energy right now in my area (6 cents/KWHr) . . . at least until the rate caps come off in 2011. Also, I think it would be more convenient during the change of seasons when you just need to take a little chill out of the air at night and the very early morning. I'm even thinking of attaching a small but efficient electric water heater into the boiler and setting it to 145 degrees. Sometimes my wood fire only brings the boiler temp to 145 and it's sufficient to send heat to the baseboard radiators.

I want to post another, more close-up picture of the pipes because if it's tapped into the water jacket I can't understand what's holding back the water. The pipes that were sweated into the top and bottom outlets have just been sawed off.

TacoSteelerMan: Thanks for the offer of the paperwork. I received the manual from 1-800-STAYWARM for $20. Does your doc describe the electric element option or the optional coal grates and how to arrange them? Mine doesn't mention either.

Thanks,
Bruce

 

[webbie]

Note - there are standard tapped electric elements that can fit into there!

They have to be controlled, of course, but I think you can insert two - 4500 watts each as I remember as long as they are wired up, controlled, etc. by a pro and enough supply of elec. is there.

The "kit" from Tarm involved a sequencer which allowed the elements to come on one at a time, which is needed for large arrays.

 

[Eric Johnson]

My old Royall 6150 had big plugs screwed into pipes welded below the firebox for electric elements to do just what you guys are talking about. Seemed like an impractical idea to me, but electricity has always been dirt cheap in Wisconsin (where Royalls are made), and the boiler probably dated from the late '70s.

 

[webbie]

There are some good possible uses - let's say you go away for long periods in the shoulder season and don't want to deal with oil (which can be less reliable) - even one element putting out 15,000 BTU can easily keep most well insulated houses from freezing.

Used to be that electric was less than 5 cents a KWH in some areas of NY State and PA.

That said, we sold almost ZERO of the electric kits.....zero.

 

[heaterman]

We do annual service on an old girl just like that and in fact updated it two years ago with a Riello F3 burner. The combustion test done during setup of the new burner ran close to 85% IIRC. The original unit was a Carlin. Owner says it was installed in 79. He uses it with oil because of questionable chimney integrity. I dread the day when that beast has to come out of the basement.

 

[Dave T]

Thats what mine has on it a Carlin 100CRD I have paper work of the original installation manual tells all the tapping sizes and where they go and how it is hooked up where system components belong...Bahassler some of my manuals speak of the option one mention is on Technical Datas says capacity with 3 elect. heaters (KW) OT35 21, OT40 21 OT60 27.. The other time it's mentioned is El Resistances Type OT is prepared for mounting 3 el-resistances EL is here meant as a security for future.At presant it is too expensive to use electricty.El-diagram attained by HS KEDELFABIK-TARM ...Thats all I've got on it but Craig is able to get you more valuable info GOOD LUCK