I've had a Triangle Tube Prestige Excellence 110 combi (small internal DHW tank) running since March, 2009. The small DHW tank works fine for our empty-nest. I've been trying to eliminate a banging (water hammer?) in one of my three space heating zones pumped by the 110's internal pump. I'm not convinced it's water hammer - it may be due to poor installation of this zone's piping .... a lot of it is buried between a very old basement ceiling and a "newer" ceiling installed in the '70s. The noise only happens when this one zone is "on" and the 110 control switches to DHW heating priority - 20-to-30 seconds after either a shower or the wash machine starts. I hear the banging noise almost simultaneously with the internal valve stopping the space heating flow and opening the flow to the DHW tank. If two or more zones are "on", then it doesn't do it. I've talked with my installer (a very competent guy) and he had me verify that the expansion tank was plumbed in the right location (it was) and he had me check the expansion tank's air pressure (it was OK). So lately I've been tightening up the few locations where the piping in the noisy zone is exposed, but the noise is still there. In a Nov 12, 2010 posting (partial below) a forum member said there was a "special pressure relief tube that needs to be plumbed in". I'm wondering if this might be something that was missed in my installation. Can the member (or other readers) give me some detail on what that might be? Thanks in advance for any help you can give me. ============================================ Member jgalak wrote ..."No experience with the Excellence (just the Solo 110), but based on what the factory training taught about the Excellence, there are 2 issues you need to be aware of: 1) The DHW tank in the Excellence is very small. ..... 2) If you are zoning with circulators, there are no special issues. However, because of the way an internal valve works, if you zone with valves, there is a special pressure relief tube that needs to be plumbed in. If this is your situation, let me know, I'll post more details. Not sure if this issue is in the Excellence manual, but it's something they emphasized at the training (for good cause)."

Hi, I am living in my first home with an Oil Burner Boiler and just had a couple questions. 1. What's normal usage for these? i have a pretty small house that is being heated. About 900 Square Feet is being heated. I have a 200 gallon tank, and it lasted about 2.5 months. I keep the thermostat set at 60F, which is quite cold. I live in Lancaster, PA. - I was expecting to get a little more out of a tank at the temp with a house as small as mine. There was some air in the system which I bled out the other night through the boiler in the basement, and through the radiators in the attic. Does this sound like normal usage? 2. The first floor is heated via baseboards, and the attic 2 small radiators. I am hoping to update them before next winter. Can anyone recommend some brands to look at for baseboards and radiators? Also, other than space and preference, are there any advantages of baseboards vs radiators? Thanks for any info in advance. Just making sure everything is operating correctly and efficiently since I'm not very familiar with this type of heat.