Add more radiation or not?

Daniel_3

So after installing the 7 section Independance my connected load stands at 473 in my 2600 sqft. home. The house does get cold in the winter in certain areas on the west side of the house and in the mudroom. Being that the 7 section handles 574 steam sqft. it wouldn't be an issue to add more radiation in these areas, right?

In terms of steam heating the boiler produces a fixed amount of steam based on it's size and water content so adding more radiation would just make the most out of the boiler's I=B=R? Would you guys differ in your feeling about this? I figure why not make the home nice and warm . . I'm certainly not frying in the colder months when the stat is set mostly at 68 degrees. I assume it would probably spend a bit more gas since the added radiation would distribute the steam differently since another two or three rads were added with their piping. I'm looking for comfort here. Thanks for all your support and replies guys.

Take care this Labor day w/e. I left some final pictures of the boiler install for critique.

Glenn Sossin_2

other problems?

I don't see an issue adding more radiation. Your boiler can has the excess capacity. I think it would be a good idea to make your home more comfortable. However, I think you have an issue with how you piped this based on your pictures.

I'm not a steam guy. It's certainly a neat job, however, this does not look kosher to me.

To the best of my limited knowledge, the supply risers are suppose to come up a few inches,turn at 90 degrees into a common pipe with a tee to form the start of your supply header and your equalization line with the Hartford loop. These pictures show the risers looping back down 180 degrees, then forming your supply header.


I'm sure steamhead, Frankie, or Weezbo will have a few comments. Listen to whatever they tell you. Steam heating is a very different entity from hydronic heating. I'm curious to see what their comments are and what would happen if you ran this system like this.

It looks like your Hartford loop tee is a little below the water line also.

I will sit on the sidelines and wait .. I'm sure there will be lots of comments.

Glenn

Jim Bennett

Classic....

drop header! Nice and neat, Well thought out, and no pipe dope fingerprints!

I like it!

Jim

Aidan (UK)

piped correctly?

Jim

I take it this piped correctly? Never heard of this before. What's the purpose/advantage of dropping the header like that?

bob young

dry ,perfect steam

Bruce Stevens

To help

drop the water out of the steam as it goes into the header and gives you more height at times with needed and makes connections easier and allows more movement for the piping.

Unknown

this is one of the

This is one of the better steam boiler piped I've seen. I would check out the steam mains venting as well the radiators ventings. Also, how's the windows and the insualtions? I would put the money into that instead of radiators as way back then its ususally oversized for the orginal boiler.

Daniel_5

At the end of each of the two mains after the last riser connection I installed two gorton #1's and a vari-valve heat timer on the longer one to balance. I posted pictures a little while ago after doing the main vents. All the piping is close to perfect in the whole house after ripping out some feeds and replacing them with the proper size based on the needs according to the humber of sections of all the radiators. This boiler install was the last step of this two year long learning process. All the heights are better than minimum. I will just need to insulate the near boiler piping. More than half of the windows in my house have been replaced with harvey classics. Almost all the walls are insulated so there is not much left to do which , imho, will not impact adding more radiation, namely two more radiators not exceeding the boiler's steam output. I'll pass through this season and see how it goes. Certainly after a few fire ups this steam get's produced fast! The last boiler would make steam in all the lines in about 45 minutes while the new one does it in 10! This suplies 15 radiators, tow 30+ ft. mains, and the normal piping not able to be measured mostly 1 1/4.

Daniel_5

The heights of the loop, equalizer, and header are all according to burnham specs as noted in the manual. They just changed the diagram actually not too long ago. On page 18 see the "alternate piping method". The only thing I didn't do was use a gate valve on the Hartford which shouldn't cause any problems but if it does I'll find out sooner or later.

Daniel_5

Right,

I really didn't need a drop header here because of the height of the ceiling, but hey, why not?

ttekushan_3

Wonderful

I think everything you've done is perfect. Your approach is logical and detailed. Congrats. Go ahead and add radiation; I'd keep it a bit below matching the total edr capacity of the boiler so you still have that speedy-heating headroom.

Careful addition of radiation in this situation will add enough efficiency to the system (since the boiler has one firing level) that you get some of that extra space heating for free. Nice situation, IMO.

-Terry