Control Trends by Stromquist

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The ASCO relay control panels are designed to operate ASCO 120 volt and DC solenoid valves controlling gas flow to school kitchens, domestic cooking classes, metal shops, and laboratories. Many situations now call for a way to lock out gas supplies during closed hours.

Operating the key switch on the 108D10C (DC panel) or the 108D90C (120 AC panel), the control station energizes the relay to open a normally closed ASCO gas solenoid which turns on the gas flow.

Other Features:

*If the control voltage is lost completely or is reduced to approximately 50% of normal value, the relay de-energizes the normally closed valve to shut off gas flow.

*The gas valve will not re-open at restoration of power until an authorized person operates the key switch on the control station. The gas may also be shut off by depressing the normally closed pushbutton switch located on the control station.

*Shallow NEMA 1 flush-mounted enclosure.

*Clearly marked terminals and installation drawing on inside panel cover.

*Optional auxiliary pushbuttons 173A19 and 173A20 may be located at various accessible locations throughout the building.

*Explosion proof gas valves from ½” to 2” available.

If you are a Stromquist customer located in Georgia or Florida  and you need help sizing or ordering an ASCO Gas Control Panel you can contact Stromquist and Company at  www.stromquist.com or call us at               1-800-241-9471         1-800-241-9471. All others can order this product from one of our affiliates at CGNA.

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You can’t get heat and your troubleshooting skills (hopefully learned at a Stromquist & Company training class) have lead you to the conclusion that your gas valve will have to be replaced. Being the great technician that you are, you write down all the information and part numbers of the furnace or heater you are working on and head off to see Bob, Jerry, or Mark at the Stromquist counter to get a new valve.

After driving across town you are less than happy when you are told that the replacement gas valve cannot be determined by the furnace or heater number. Although there are hundreds of gas heater and furnace manufacturers, there are only three major controls companies that make gas valves for these companies: Honeywell, White Rodgers, and Robertshaw. What makes it tricky is that these three companies will make and sell these valves as OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts for all these different heater companies and will put different part numbers on them. In some cases, the valves even function differently.

Why would a manufacturer want a different part number? For one thing it makes it very difficult for you to get a replacement valve at your local distributor. Think about it, these companies are in business to make money and if you have to come back to them for your replacement parts, they are able to sell more products. The problem with this is that very few of them have local inventory, and since they are manufacturers instead of wholesalers, quick shipping is usually not one of their skill sets. So you have to wait, which is usually not an option when your heat is not working. In a few cases the valve is built differently and you have no choice but to go back to the manufacturer, which usually results in you paying higher prices and dealing with longer lead times.

The good news is that with the right information, your local distributors like Stromquist & Company can provide you with the right gas valve at the right price. To make sure you get the right valve, either take the bad valve out and bring it into your local distributor or use your camera and take pictures of the valve, making sure to get the part numbers in the picture. Make sure to watch Mark’s video, Replacing Gas Valves On Furnances and Hot Water Heaters.

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There are hundreds of furnace and heater manufacturers out there, yet there are only three main companies that make the gas valves for all these heaters. The companies that make the gas valves usually put a different part number on the valves for each of these heater companies. This makes finding the right replacement valve tricky.
Although you can go back to the manufacturer to buy replacement parts using the part number of the heater, you usually wind up paying a lot more for the valve and will have a hard time getting the valve shipped quickly.
The best choice is going to a local wholesaler like Stromquist & Company, or another company within CGNA ( Controls Group North America).
When you go to the local wholesaler don’t make the same mistake most people do. Most people take the part number off of the furnace, but we need the number off of the gas valve itself. In this video, Mark from Stromquist & Company will show you where it is.

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Matt from Stromquist & Company walks our viewers through the proper way to pipe a gas pressure regulator. Watch Matt’s instructive video and save time and money on your gas pressure regulator installation.

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Stromquist & Company handles many brands of gas pressure regulators, including Maxitrol, Pietro Fiorentini, American Meter, Actaris, and Sensus. All regulators have one thing in common:  if you do not install and pipe them correctly, they will not work properly.

Proper installation includes the following:

1) Check to see how your gas regulator can be mounted. Some regulators, like the Pietro Fiorentini, can be mounted in any position (including upside – down).  Others must be mounted per factory instructions to function properly.

2) Use a drip leg immediately in front of the regulator. Any dirt or debris that flows through your pipe should fall into the drip leg so it doesn’t damage the regulator.

3) On start-up use the air pressure used to pressure check for leaks as a dirt blow through the drip leg before introducing natural gas to the regulator. Even brand new pipes and fittings can contain dirt and debris so it is very important to blow the piping in front of the regulator and the drip leg clean before starting up your regulator.

4) Make sure you add a strainer that has a cleanable screen and a blow down plug. Use  line pressure or compressed air as a means of removing dirt and debris via the blow down plug.  Make this part of your preventive maintenance program and you will prolong the life of your regulator.

The enemy of all gas pressure regulators is dirt, foreign matter, welding heads, construction debris, and moisture.

Anything in the piping that can get between the soft seat and orifice area of the regulator can and usually will cause the regulator to over pressure on the down stream side and not regulate.  If debris gets embedded in the soft seat, it will have to be disassembled and cleaned (by a factory trained professional) before the regulator can be recommissioned.

For information on sizing gas pressure regulators check out the video “In and out, in and out, cap size“

If you are a Stromquist customer or are in GA or FL, call your Stromquist rep for help with your combustion and flow needs. All others, please refer to one of our affiliates at the Controls Group North America site to find a distributor in your area.

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Ordering gas regulators can be a little confusing at times so Stromquist created this video to help get you through the basics.

If you are a Stromquist customer or are in GA or FL, call your Stromquist rep for help with your gas regulator needs. If you are out of the states of FL or GA, please call Bill Jones at 1-800-241-9471, extension 1419  to find a distributor in your area.

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What’s the big deal about vent free gas regulators? What’s the hubbub concerning CSA-Certifications? Why is Stromquist, in the words of Eric Stromquist, “pumped” about Pietro Fiorentini gas regulators?

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We are really pumped about Pietro Fiorentini gas regulators. Stromquist & Company has the rights to market this unique CSA certified gas pressure regulator in North America. Our customers that have used this regulator rave about it’s performance and the money they have saved because of not having to run a vent line and because of the higher capacities.

For more information check out the PF ( Pietro Fiorentini) videos on Stromquist TV.

If you are not a Stromquist & Company customer, wholesaler, distributor, OEM, or located in Georgia or Florida, please contact Bill or Richard ( 800.241.9471) to find out where you can order this product.

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I was talking to a client today on the phone and he said “My PF (Pietro Fioentini) gas regulator is CREEPING!”. No this has nothing to do with the Halloween concept of CREEPY.

In this instance creep is when the boiler shut down, the gas pressure from the inlet side of the regulator continued to bleed (creep) past to the outlet side of the regulator and the lock up feature of the gas regulator was being bypassed increasing the down stream pressure in the gas line.

The lockup feature of this regulator when working correctly will close off the regulator if the set outlet pressure (as determined by the outlet spring) is surpassed.

To keep this from happening and to avoid product returns first try these two in the field fixes.

#1. When installing a new regulator especially new piped installations the use of an inlet strainer or a gas filter will trap any GARBAGE in the line that may cause the seat of the regulator to get hung up not allowing the regulator to close off correctly.  Look through the inlet side of the regulator for any trash in the regulator and clean it out.

#2. Open the cap to the outlet adjusting spring and re-seat the spring. If the spring is not seated properly the regulator lock up feature will not work properly.

Easy fixes to a REAL problem. Call your Stromquist Representative for ALL your gas regulator needs.

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