Loop Seals

Steamhead (in transit)

you can run both drips forming each loop seal into the basement and tie them in there. As long as all the tie-ins are under water you should be fine.

This would also be a good opportunity to flush out those returns.

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masterplumb

Loop seals (help!)

I have a customer whose boiler was replaced before they bought the house. This is a 2 pipe system. There are 3 radiators that are not getting hot. They are all at the end of the supply, 2 on the right side supply and one on the left side supply. All steam traps in the house(6)have been replaced. Steam is coming up the return, which I believe is through the loop seals(Lost Art of Steam Heating pg. 235 figure 10). I believe the newer boilers water line is much lower then the previous boiler which I never saw, but when I measure the water line compared to these loop seals(1 on each end of the supply) its a few inches lower. My question is can these loop seals be eliminated or do I have to somehow raise the boiler via 8" blocks etc.? Are these seals really necessary? Im open to any ideas to eliminate the steam shooting up the returns and equalizing the pressure. These 3 rads are the only ones affected. Thanks in advance for your help. Chris

Steamhead (in transit)

Lower the bottoms of the loop seals

as far as you can. This should solve the problem.

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masterplumb

Thank you for the reply Steamhead. The loop seals are near the floor in the garage. The basement(where water line is) is down 4 steps from the garage in the basement. Must I tie it in immediately down or can I offset this loop seal and tie-in in the basement?

masterplumb

Thank you for your help Steamhead, I will tie them in where I can. Chris

masterplumb

One more question

How do I know if this was a vapor system? It currently has a pressuretrol. If it has a differential loop does that mean it was designed for vapor? Chris

Steamhead (in transit)

That's

a Hoffman "Controlled Heat" Vapor system. The Differential Loop is there to maintain a certain pressure differential between steam and return lines. Someone used that Pressuretrol because it was cheap- switch to a Vaporstat that cannot be set higher than 1 pound.

Also, the only air vent in that system is the one on top of the Differential Loop. What vent is on it now?

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masterplumb

Steam vent

That is correct, there is only one vent at the differential loop, I didnt install it, it is a hoffman 75H. Is that the correct vent? If I swap it with a vapor-trol, would I still need to lower the tie-ins for the drip? I figure I still do, but just thought if the pressure is low (ounces) maybe it wouldnt "stray" up the return.

Steamhead (in transit)

Replace that vent

with a Gorton #2. That's the biggest vent made today, and will help the air escape at ounce pressures.

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