Oversized steamer & wrong piping questions (GrandPAH)

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_1

The piping screamed out BOO as I rounded the corner! A 399,000 BTU commercial boiler in a residence with both of its side-outlets not only reduced in size, but run horizontally to the rear - at a slight downward pitch - before turning vertical. What Dimension A?!?

She'd cracked & the original installers returned to repeat the offense by inserting new sections for more abuse.

There's a host of other sins like the pressure setting and conjoined flues without any increase in flue pipe sizing on the exhaust road to the chimney and steam leaks and gas leaks etc......

My connected load survey revealed that even with a fat pick up factor, the beast is oversized by about 100K BTUs.

Aside from repiping the oversized boiler and possibly derating it (Utica will need to tell me how low we can go without doing damage), I also recommended they might want to consider installing a properly sized boiler.

The homeowners are a bit shell-shocked at the projected costs - for repiping/repairs or new boiler. Can't say as I blame them as the existing boiler isn't very old. I clocked the meter & she's slightly underfiring. My gut feeling is the piping contributed greatly to the premature sections failure.

Here's the million dollar question: how much of a decrease in fuel consumption can be predicted by removing an oversized steam boiler and installing one that matches the connected load + pick up factor??? Dropping from a 399K short-cycling improperly piped boiler to a 299K properly piped boiler.

And, this is just one of many we're currently working to rescue from those who aren't able to open the manufacturer's installation lit & follow a simple line drawing! Just finished one in a hotel that was killed by lousy piping & that one was just a baby in boiler years (4).

Paging Dr. Brad White..........



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Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_2

some pics

A few pics to help paint the picture.

gerry gill

e-gads

Think they used enough couplings on those, those, uh,risers? you'll save fuel with a proper size for sure..how much?

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Steamhead (in transit)

That lousy excuse for a header

is probably what caused the cracking. The way it's in there it can hardly take up any expansion. A drop header with its double swing joints is a MUST!

I know for a fact repiping that boiler will make it more efficient. Not sure by how much though. Properly sized main vents will help too- without even seeing them I know they aren't properly sized. If they can't follow a piping diagram they sure can't do main vents right.....

What type of system is it? One-pipe? Vapor?

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Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_2

It was,

and this will rip your heart out, a Broomell vapor system. Their original base of operation was here in York. Much has been done to this venerable old system & none of it for the better.

Steamhead (in transit)

Oh boy

I bet Mr. Broomell is spinning in his grave.

We've found that on Vapor, we can size the boiler very close to the EDR and it will still act a bit oversized. The reason is that the steam is generally in a very uncompressed state on Vapor.

Broomell systems originally didn't have steam main vents, you will probably find yourself drilling and tapping to install them. We both know it's worth the effort.

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