PM Engineer articles from January 2008

PM Engineer archives from January 2008

Codes are meant to protect consumers, not trade.(PME Letters)
January 1, 2008... Julius Ballanco's claim in his column in the November 2007 issue of PM Engineer that he sees "codes and standards used to restrict trade" could not be further from the truth when it comes to the decision of the Michigan Construction Code...

2008 AHR Expo hopes to turn New York into Big "green" Apple.(PME News)
January 1, 2008... Being held for the 60th time, the AHR Expo will take place at New York's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Jan. 22-24, 2008, and it promises to have a strong emphasis on "green" building. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] More than 1,800...

ARI and GAMA members approve historic merger.(PME News)(Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute )(Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The members of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) and the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) have approved the merger of the associations as proposed by their respective boards in mid-November. The members' votes...

Grundfos group acquires Peerless Pump Co.(PME News)
January 1, 2008... Effective Dec. 1 2007, the Grundfos Group, with headquarters in Denmark, has acquired Peerless Pump Co., a US-based (Indianapolis, IN, and five other North American facilities) manufacturer of pumps and fire protection systems. With more than...

Mini changes, major lessons.(Codes)(Personal account)
January 1, 2008... In my previous column, I looked at the various proposals made by the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) and Metal Building Manufacturers Association to change the International Plumbing Code. This month, I focus on proposed changes...

Bookmark this page: more RFIs from engineers and other informedreaders.(Fire Protection)
January 1, 2008... Q. Regarding Chapter 11 in NFPA 13. Assuming we don't have 50 residual psi available at 850 gpm, if we have an 8,000-sq.ft. building, and a wet system protects half of it and a dry system the other half, can we pipe-schedule these systems? Or...

Selecting valves: to solve unusual design problems: here are some tips and formulas to help overcome unforeseen roadblocks--such as pressure loss or recovery, cavitation, and whether or not a valve is fire-safe.(Cover story)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Criteria for valve selection is normally concerned with the service intended, pressure rating, cost, space considerations and maintenance convenience. However, such criteria can change for different conditions and...

Web-enabled controls for small buildings: why it is time to get on the communications bus.
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you, as the owner of a luxury home, had a choice between having a hot tub in that home, or the ability to monitor the home's temperature and security via the Internet, which would you choose? About 60% of the...

Ferguson's associates give slogan real meaning.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... "Nobody expects more from us than we do" is the Ferguson mantra. It runs deep in the souls of Ferguson associates who live by it and serve by it--from making certain that Ferguson's customers have their needs met, to real involvement with the...

New "green" hotel employs a Taco LoadMatch[R] system.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... A new privately owned "loft style" hotel that opened recently in Greensboro, NC, has been designed and built with energy efficiency and guest comfort in mind. Significantly, the project is going for LEED Platinum certification and includes a...

PowerStation[TM]: the 'all in one' water tempering and recirculation solution for commercial and institutional facilities.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... PowerStation is a fully assembled and tested water tempering and recirculation station designed to save significant time, money and callbacks during installation and set-up. The contractor-friendly PowerStation features proper recirculation...

Efficient solutions that work on and on.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... When the St. Joseph, MO-based herbicide producer Albaugh, Inc. was challenged to find a pump system, Steve Boguske, representative for Grundfos' distributor Lee Mathews, didn't hesitate to propose the versatile Grundfos CR range. The multistage...

FlexHead fire sprinkler connections bolster LEED qualification efforts environmentally responsible design, manufacture and operation comply with six LEED and USGBC objectives.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Green Solutions Using FlexHead's flexible sprinkler connections can provide Green benefits to building owners and may help them achieve LEED Certification. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating...

DWV market relies on the compliance of Matco-Norca No Hub products to ASTM standards.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Plumbing engineers need to be assured that all applicable standards and codes have been adhered to in the products they specify, especially when it comes to products serving the DWV (drain, waste and venting) market. The high level of product...

Rheem eclipse nonmetallic commercial water heater helps busy fast-food restaurant stay in hot water.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Replacing "like-for-like" is standard operating procedure in the world of commercial water heaters. If a piece of equipment has met the demand for hot water until the "twilight" of its career, why monkey around with something different? Source...

The Bryan deaerator: a heritage of quality and dependability.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... In 1872, Nathaniel Jones of Buffalo, NY, patented his invention of the boiler feedwater heater. His invention included a series of alternating pans, troughs and radiators arranged within a case. The water cascaded downward through the unit,...

Stiebel Eltron products have found enthusiastic acceptance.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Stiebel Eltron On-Demand Tankless Electric Water Heaters The Stiebel Eltron company has been in existence for more than 80 years and is currently the largest manufacturer of tankless electric water heaters in the world. Over the last 60...

Two-inch Wirsbo AQUAPEX[R] line offers affordable alternative for commercial plumbing systems.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Two-inch-diameter Wirsbo[TM] AQUAPEX[R] tubing and fittings from Uponor, Inc., give commercial specifiers and installers a fast, easy and affordable plumbing system alternative to copper and CPVC. Coupled with Uponor's 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" sizes,...

Rainwater harvesting products--A LEED certification project.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Problem The Claude Moore Educational Complex renovation job was the first building in Roanoke, VA, to be registered with the U.S. Green Building Council for LEED certification. The Henry Street building that once was the Lincoln Theater...

Reliable's new residential sprinklers: RFC49 and F1 RES 76.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... The Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co. is introducing two new additions to their full residential sprinkler product line: the RFC49 and F1 RES 76. RFC49 The RFC49 concealed residential fire sprinkler is a residential automatic sprinkler...

The Pro380 series: Liberty Pumps' new sewage package.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Short, fat and squatty are a few words that have been used to describe the new Pro380 sewage package from Liberty Pumps. Pro380 is the first "shallow" sewage system to feature QuickTree[TM] technology. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "The...

Continuous improvement and customer focus are keys to industry leadership for Cambridge-Lee.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Cambridge-Lee Industries, a leading manufacturer of high-quality copper tubing, has a proud history of continuous improvements and a focus on customer service that define the company's leadership position in the plumbing tube industry. ...

Innovative engineer designs two synagogue hydronic systems with new ASSE-1069 mixing valve.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Kal Rotenberg of Iceman Mechanical isn't afraid of innovation. A recent magazine profile described the hydronics engineer as a man who is passionate about his work, concerned with helping others and driven to use new products and technologies...

New technology enhances Lochinvar[R] Power-Fin[R].(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... In 1986, the introduction of the innovative Power-Fin boiler and water heater line helped establish Lochinvar Corp. as the leader in advanced hydronic and water heating technology. More than 20 years later, Lochinvar continues to raise the bar...

New and improved safety mixing valves.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Since 1874, Watts Regulator Co. has set the standard for the latest valve technology. Whether it is our pressure-reducing valves to regulate steam or water, relief valves to ensure safe operation of water heaters or boilers, or backflow...

The name Webstone stands for innovation ... not imitation.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Webstone has been providing exceptional quality and service to the wholesale distributor for more than 50 years. Innovation is the core of Webstone's continued success. Creating products and programs that simplify life for the wholesaler,...

Elkay[R] delivers fresh water solutions for your cooler applications.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... With Americans spending $10.9 billion on an estimated 28 billion single-serving (1 liter or less) plastic water bottles last year, mounting cost and waste concerns continue to saturate the bottled water industry, igniting a strong consumer...

Plastic Trends celebrates 40 years of manufacturing quality PVC fittings.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... This year, Plastic Trends has reached a milestone: 40 years of manufacturing quality PVC fittings. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For four decades, quality, innovation and service have been the benchmarks for Plastic Trends' success. As a...

Viega connects high quality products with design support on radiant heat installation.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... J.O. Mory Inc., a heating, electrical, and plumbing installation company, has been a visionary in the industry for 115 years. The company, which operates five branch offices and employs nearly 200 employees, was hired to finish the office...

Woodford Manufacturing: high-quality, American-Made.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... For 79 years, the Woodford Manufacturing Co. has been supplying the plumbing industry with the highest-quality American-made products. Our wide range of well-built wall faucets and hydrants are not the only reason to do business with Woodford....

Innovation ... quality ... service: the Zoeller Company story.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... Innovation... quality... service. Since 1939, Zoeller Co. has fully utilized these attributes to build its popular line of sump/dewatering, effluent, sewage, and grinder pumps. Add hazardous environment pumps, preassembled package...

Wilkins 300 Series backflow preventers make maintenance simple and cost-effective.(2008 Manufacturer Spotlight)
January 1, 2008... The Wilkins 300 Series backflow preventers feature remarkable new designs that make repair and maintenance simple and cost-effective. The valves use composite materials that resist corrosion and have a short lay length to fit in to smaller...

Solid-surface lavatory systems.(PME Products)
January 1, 2008... Sloan Valve Co. announces its new 7000 Series SloanStone solid-surface lavatory systems. These new models feature reliable and durable hardwire electronics, and the sensor faucets' optional 0.5-gpm aerators offer water conservation. In...

Industrial hose Reels.(PME Products)
January 1, 2008... Two series of heavy-duty industrial hose reels (I-Reels) are now offered by T&S Brass. The Hand-Crank Air Reels feature a brass NPT swivel inlet that allows the hose to enter from outside the hose drum, preventing the restriction caused by...

Catalog features laboratory products.(PME Products)
January 1, 2008... Chicago Faucets recently introduced a new catalog that features the company's extensive line of laboratory products. Products presented include: fittings, turrets, flanges, valves and components for laboratory applications. The company's line...

High-efficiency boilers.(PME Products)
January 1, 2008... Bryan Steam's HE-AB Series of forced-draft, gas-fired "Flexible Water Tube" water boilers feature a guaranteed efficiency of 85%. The high-combustion efficiency results from a uniquely designed integrated, extended surface heat extractor and is...

Commercial water heaters.(PME Products)
January 1, 2008... A. O. Smith introduces the Cyclone Xi, a part of the Cyclone XHE product family of technologically advanced commercial water heaters. The innovative design takes the units' performance to a higher level with up to 96% thermal efficiency. The...

CTS CPVC plumbing pipe with FlowGuard Gold[R].(PME Products)
January 1, 2008... Harvel Plastics, Inc. has added FlowGuard Gold to its CTS CPVC plumbing pipe product line. The piping is available in 1/2" through 2" diameters and excels in hot and cold water applications. In comparison to copper plumbing pipe, Harvel's...

Threaded rod anchoring systems.(PME Products)
January 1, 2008... ITW Buildex's Truss-T Hanger system of overhead attachment is meant for hanging electrical, fire suppression, plumbing and HVAC fixtures in open web bar joist truss systems. Available in 3/8-16 and 1/2-13 models, Truss-T Hangers are inserted in...

Check Valves.(PME Products)
January 1, 2008... Lasso Technik's Stop-Silent Check Valve Series features a unique cone design that assures tight shutoff to prevent backflow of liquid or gaseous media. This design also eliminates water hammer and associated problems of noise and wear. Offered...