My first steamer install with a drop header

bob young

> That's 2" on the equalizer which is just dry <BR>
> fitted for further installation and copper 1 1/2 <BR>
> after the bell reducer. I will be bringing it out <BR>
> and lower towards 28 5/8" off the floor where it <BR>
> will continue with copper. The supplies come off <BR>
> a crooked tapping from the sections. The tappings <BR>
> were crooked hence the risers, nothing I can do <BR>
> about that. <BR>
<BR>
if you had a 65-R ridgid stock & die you could have cut crooked threads & straightened the uprights 'till they were plumb. not important , steam don't care.

Daniel_3

Steamer

We're almost finished but I decided to post some pictures since this is a very slow install. Please don't mind the messy blu-block and teflon since I'm just an amateur. My friend will be sweating the lower returns and Hartford next week. I'm going by the manual every step and all the heights are better than minimum. I probably didn't need the drop header after being forced to lower the boiler but hey, why not? Most of the pipe I cut and threaded except for the 3" and rather than spent a lot more money for a custom nipple and send the equalizer way to the left I decided to elbow over the leftmost supply. This orientation was the only way I could gather would work as the boiler sits. Not too bad imho and it's been quite an experience learning so much from you guys and being able to lay my hand in a small part on the steam fitting trade. Thanks!

JB_8

thanks


Thank you.

Brad White

Risers

Not to pick on an ambitious first effort, but are the risers plumb and parallel? Not just a visual thing but I am thinking that if they are as far off as they look there will be stresses on the boiler castings.

I would also suggest carrying the equalizer down further in steel. Is it a full inch and a half? It looks, unreferenced, like 1.25" steel. Make it a full 1.5 and carry it down in steel closer to the water line. Save copper for below the waterline, that is OK if not steel.

Good for you for taking this on though!

Anyway, my $0.02- Others will stop by I am sure.

Unknown

Whoops double post,,Sorry!

Unknown

Well,,you already have Brads take,

a great-guy, just a different perfection level, I personally think you have done well! A HO`s installation without owning the tools(to make a living), and direction from this site is what we`re all here for!

Dave

Bruce Stevens

Risers

I bet that riser is pitched as the casting was drilled and tapped I have had some water boilers that looked worse than that, so I would make a swing joint coming out of the boiler so I could make it at least look straight, not sure if I would do it on a steam boiler piping though. Nice looking job just the same. As Brad hinted I usually go down to the equalizer tee before going to copper

Steamhead (in transit)

That might be

an optical illusion. I sometimes find that in my own pics, where something I know for a fact is straight looks way off.

Regarding the equalizer: From the pics I can't tell for sure what size it is, but it should be 1-1/2" minimum and preferably larger on most boilers of this size range. Also, the equalizer should be black steel and full size all the way down to the Hartford Loop connection, since theoretically steam could reach down that far.

Otherwise it looks good.

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bob young

LOOKIN' GOOD BRO.

jrc2905

I do not try to do steam because I do not know a lot about it, but having a drop header makes perfect sense to me. It does not waste the energy in any superheated steam. I do appreciate anyone who is trying to learn. I was wondering why you have no automatic vent damper in your stack pipe.

jrc2905

Opps now I see a box on the stack pipe leaving the boiler I would have too assume that is the damper. This may be why I do not do steam.

Daniel_3

That's 2" on the equalizer which is just dry fitted for further installation and copper 1 1/2 after the bell reducer. I will be bringing it out and lower towards 28 5/8" off the floor where it will continue with copper. The supplies come off a crooked tapping from the sections. The tappings were crooked hence the risers, nothing I can do about that.

Daniel_3

The vent damper is resting on my basement stairs actually

Daniel_3

I concur sir. It was already planned. I just put the fittings on for looks, they are not made up yet.

Daniel_3

I never thought removing a small 1" plug would give me so much trouble for the skim tapping. I cam home from 16 hours of work at the hospital and decided to have a go at it around 12am, oops.

Daniel_3

This is why you guys are the pros, what a wealth of knowledge!