Broomell System I think

Steamhead (in transit)

It looks like that system started life as a Broomell, but was modified later. The cast-iron boxes are probably an air eliminator trap (the one with the vent on it) and a Return Trap. These are standard features of later Vapor systems. The clicking sound is probably the Return Trap sending water back to the boiler.

That air vent is probably the only vent on your system, and looks like it's way too small. This may be part of the reason some radiators don't heat well.

The sheet-metal box is an indirect radiator, which was originally fed by outside air. You don't want it to draw air from the boiler room and send it up into the house, if this is what it does have a return duct installed from upstairs.

<A HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=367&Step=30">To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"</A>

Kristen

Broomell System I think

Hi, homeowner here.

I am new to this stuff, thanks for putting such a wealth of information in one place so I can get familiar with my heating system!

I'm pretty sure that my sytem is a Broomel Vapor steam heating system. The radiator valves and return elbows look exactly like the one's in the pictures in the patent books. They say Vapor on one side and pat 1907 on the other. This helped me figure out how to use them!

QUESTION #1:
The question is that I don't have one of those Broomell recievers in my basement. I have to medium size cast iren boxes about 2/3 up in the middle of the boiler room. It is above my boiler, both piped independently. I have no condensing coil above my boiler. Is this still a Broomell Vapor Steam heating system?

QUESTION #2: 5 of my 18 radiators do not heat. It sounds like steam is entering the radiator when I move the handle, sometimes I hear condensation inside, but the supply pipe nor the radiator ever gets even warm. Actually, the supply pipe on one of my radiators gets slightly warm, but it never makes it even to the valve. I'm not sure if the p trap is dirty or there is a missing vent on a main, or if it has something to do with the missing pieces in the boiler room...like I said, I'm new to this.

Any direction you can give me would be great, or even a referral to someone in Chicago that's familiar with these things as well!

Thanks!

Steamhead (in transit)

It sounds like a Broomell

why don't you take some pics and post them here to be sure? Include a few radiators, those "medium size cast iron boxes about 2/3 up in the middle of the boiler room" and anything else that looks interesting.

The cold radiators should be easily fixed, once we know for sure what you have.

As to Northern Illinois steam guys, you have Glenn Harrison and Dave "Boilerpro" Bunnell, and possibly others. Try the Find a Professional page of this site.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Brad White

If Steamhead says it

it is so.

Kristen

Pics

Thanks for responding!

Here's some pics...

Kristen

Here's some pics

Thanks for responding! Here's some pics, let me know what you think. btw, the dirty basement in no way is a reflection of my housekeeping abilities. Thanks...

008 -- The first is of the two cast iron boxes. The cylindrical one keeps clicking.

012 -- The second is what I think is a vent on top of the square box.

011 -- Next is the full view. Pretty, huh?

018 -- In back of the boiler, some mechanical something that doesn't seem to be working.

031 -- Wooden handle on a radiator. Sorry for the blurry picture, the radiators are all inside radiator covers and I haven't figured out how to remove them yet. It's like they're soldered inside these metal boxes.

0042 -- And, the piece de resistance, the Vapor insignia!

Of course, there's more pictures where these came from! So much more to see! There's a strange sheet metal vent above the boiler that leads to a sheet metal box in the corner where there is another wooden handle Vapor insignia. On the other side of the wall from this box leads to an open register in the front parlor on the first floor. Maybe that's how it sucks the air out of the pipes instead of through the chimney?

Anyhoo, I leave it to the experts!

Let me know what you think!

gerry gill

Whats the information

written on the sides of the cast iron ''boxes''?

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Kristen

re: What's the Information

Written on the Cast Iron Boxes ...

There's nothing on the square one.

The round one is hard to read, it looks like it says IJ101. Here's a pic.

Thanks!

Kristen

re: Wow...

Fabulous! So all of my assumptions about how this puppy works is out the window, huh?

Since Broomell sucked the air out of the system by venting at the boiler, and subsequent vapor air systems vent at the trv, I should be looking for a condensator pump for one, and shouldn't a vent be at both ends of the main?

I wonder how the vacuum is created without the draft from the chimney pulling the air out from the air condenser.

Too much to think about, the only one of the two contractor recommendations I can find is Dan Bunnel. He is 85 miles from me, can't believe he would drive all the way into the city for lil' ol' me.

There aren't ANY contractors listed on this site in the city as a matter of fact. Does that mean there aren't any?

I'm a little nervous because the first contractor I had out tried to sell me a new hot water boiler for my hot water heating system. I almost bought it. What a mess I'd be in if I'd not done further investigations! Whew....

Thanks for all your help! Any further advice is greatly appreciated, welcome AND encouraged!

Thanks!

BRIANJ

Re: Radiators not heating

If after you have done the modifcations suggested including calling a pro and those radiators still don't heat you may want to take one of the valves apart to be sure the quintuple disk is not stuck. Minerals and gunk can freeze the disk and the stem can round out the square hole of the disk. You can have new disks fabricated and they would work just fine.

Steamhead (in transit)

You don't need a pump

I've run into systems of this type that work fine without the chimney connection. The key is installing proper air venting.

Give Dave Bunnell a call. I KNOW he'd love to work on a Broomell..... he needs a break from all those Molines ;-)

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"