Hydrolevel’s VXT electronic water feeder I really like this feeder for steam heating because it has features you don’t find in most electric or mechanical feeders. This one keeps track of how many gallons of water enter a boiler. If the building owner keeps a notepad near the feeder, and takes a look at the readout on the VXT once a week, he’ll be able to tell if the boiler is suddenly taking on too much water, which would indicate a leak in the system (probably from a buried pipe). Nice cheap life insurance for the system! This unit also has the ability to feed past the minimum waterline to the operating water level. That’s a nice feature. And it will wait before feeding, should the low-water cutoff shut off the burner. This gives the condensate a chance to work its way back to the boiler and helps prevent overfilling. Smart stuff. See it at
www.hydrolevel.com/pages/new.html
Raytek MiniTemp Infrared Thermometer with Laser Point This is one of the coolest tools I’ve seen. Point and shoot and you’ve got the temperature of just about anything you can lay a laser on. This handheld unit measures temperature in both Fahrenheit and Centigrade, and from 0°F to 525°F (-18°C – 275°C), and it’s accurate within two degrees over most of its range. It’s a fine tool for checking thermostatic radiator traps, tap-water temperature, motor bearings, pipes that are up high, and you name it. I often take The Lovely Marianne’s temperature from the other side of the living room, much to her dismay. But that’s just me. You’ll find it at
www.raytek-northamerica.com/index2.html.
Taco’s WAGS valve There’s this classic episode of The Sopranos where Tony gets a call from Carmella, who tells him that there’s water in the basement. In the next scene, Tony is up to his waist in water, and I pity the poor plumber that installed that water heater. He really should have used a WAGS valve. This self-contained unit pipes into the water supply line, down low in the drip pan. Should the water heater spring a leak (and think about how often that happens), the WAGS (an acronym for Water and Gas Safety) will positively, and instantly, shut off the water and cut the power to the gas valve. Does it add to the installation price of a typical water heater? You bet it does. Does it provide unparalleled peace of mind for the customer? Yep! And I think that when contractors tell their customers about this product, and the safety it provides, it will be an easy sale. You have to tell the people, though. Check it out at www.wagsvalve.com.
