One pipe steam problems

thfurnitureguy_4

try this site http://www.colonialsupply.com/resources/radiator.htm

Mike O'Rourke

one pipe steam problems

I am having problems with the one pipe steam heating system in my house, which is an 1880 victorian. I bought Dan's three pack of books on steam heat and have educated myself enough to change the radiator vents, check the pitch of the radiators and replace the two old hoffman #4's on the mains (on the end of the returns) with Gorton D's. After doing this the system is still very noisy with clanging and banging pipes, the water level in the sight glass jumps and fluctuates about 4", and there is occasional hissing and spitting at the radiator vents. The boiler is about a fifteen year old HB Smith, 8 series. There are two main supply lines and the near boiler piping supplies each main seperately. The boiler is rated for square footage of L 409 and H 472. I have nine radiators and they are

1. 2 column, 7 section, 32" x 1

2. 3 column, 12 section, 18" x 2

3. 3 column, 8 section, 36" x 1

4. 3 column, 9 section, 36" x 1

5. 3 tube, 8 section, 36" x 1

6. 3 tube, 10 section, 36" x 1

7. 3 column, 5 section, 36" x 1

8. 6 tube, 20 section, 18" x 1

I've attached a couple of pictures to show the boiler and the near boiler piping. Is the near boiler piping causing my problems? Is the boiler sized correctly? Should the returns feed the boiler at both ends or should there be something like a Hartford loop? Thanks for you help.
Mike

Al Letellier_9

sizing and piping

Not enough info on size of radiators to be sure of your sizing, but the piping......my oh my oh my!!!
some people simply can't or won't read the instructions !!!!
You need some serious re-work of that near boiler piping. the surging is because there is no equalizer. There is no header and copper returns????
Please call a pro to straighten this out before you lose the boiler.
On the rads, we need #tubes or columns, the height and width of end section and the total number of sections in order to calculate EDR

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ed wallace

sizing and piping

you need a serious make over on the near boiler piping job was done by a knucklehead

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Mike O'Rourke

need a pro

It sounds like I need a pro. I looked in the find a pro section and didn't see anyone in the southern RI area. Any suggestions? Also, the radiator list in the original e-mail gives the number of columns or tubes and height. Is that all that's needed to come up with EDR?
Thanks.

steve_122

how about the water in the boiler if its dirty and you dont blow down boiler and use alittle chemical in it, the water line will surge.