Is Steam Coming Out Feeder Pump Vent Normal?

Mark_61

I just had my 90 year old boiler replaced with a new one and I question if everything was really installed correctly. The contractor installed a feeder pump system with the boiler and said that after measuring all the radiators in the house and plugging the numbers into the computer and talking with some engineers, that he determined that a feeder pump was absolutely necessary for my house. The feeder pump condensate return tank has a vent pipe on top with a lower pipe (just above the top of the tank)and a higher pipe (several feet above the tank). I have noticed a moderate amount of steam coming from both vent pipes, which is causing some minimal condensation on the ceiling above and making the room above smell musty. Is this normal? If not any ideas what could be wrong? I am stressing out wondering if this new system was really properly installed. Also the pump seems very loud (sounds like a disposal with something caught in it). Any help would be great.

JohnNY

Normal

> I just had my 90 year old boiler replaced with a

> new one and I question if everything was really

> installed correctly. The contractor installed a

> feeder pump system with the boiler and said that

> after measuring all the radiators in the house

> and plugging the numbers into the computer and

> talking with some engineers, that he determined

> that a feeder pump was absolutely necessary for

> my house. The feeder pump condensate return tank

> has a vent pipe on top with a lower pipe (just

> above the top of the tank)and a higher pipe

> (several feet above the tank). I have noticed a

> moderate amount of steam coming from both vent

> pipes, which is causing some minimal condensation

> on the ceiling above and making the room above

> smell musty. Is this normal? If not any ideas

> what could be wrong? I am stressing out

> wondering if this new system was really properly

> installed. Also the pump seems very loud (sounds

> like a disposal with something caught in it).

> Any help would be great.





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JohnNY

Normal?

No, not normal. Is there a trap upstream of the receiver? If so, it may be failing.

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Robert O'Connor_12

Mark

Is this a two pipe system or one? Assuming its a two pipe there may be some bad traps that need replacing. I found in most residential applications a feed unit is simply overkill unless the system has unusually long runs. The only way to determine this is to measure the condensate that returns given a specified period of time. Most boiler manufacturers include a chart to aid in sizing (if necessary) but most of the time a good cleaning is all thats needed to get the water to return quicker hence negating the need for the unit. Don't let the contractor sell you a trap on the inlet of the unit either. The trap & feed unit manufacturers don't recommend it. By extending the end of the pipe (vent) to the floor "may" reduce some of this steam but you gotta address where it comes from first.

Robert O'Connor/NJ

JohnNY

Yeah, and....

The condensate return pump is necessary only in the absence of enough height in the main piping (B dimension) to keep the condensate from backing up into the steam-carrying pipes.

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JohnNY

Mark_61

steam traps

I only have steam traps on about 1/3 of my radiators (the ones that seem to be in the rooms on the end of the system and the hardest to heat. Do I just need to check those steam traps, or is there a chance that I would need to put traps on some of the other radiators?

JohnNY

Oh, boy.

You need a professional to look at it, Mark.
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