Heat w/o pressure

markZ

Thanks Steamhead, current guage goes up to 30psi. No issue forming a T after the pig tail (right?) Any idea where I can pick up a 30 ounce guage. Would really like to know almost exactly what's going on inside that big red/black box in the basement. Thanks!

Mark Z

markZ

Heat w/o pressure

Calling all steam system experts and I know there many who live on this Web site. Recently expanded one-pipe steam system w/ 30' extended main lodged in an unheated crawl space. The main is insulated w/ 2" fiber and the risers w/ 1" before the risers disappear into the R30 floor insulation. My boiler guy also upgraded my old Kohler boiler w/ a larger firebox to accomodate a 1.25gph burn rate. Here is the issue. The boiler cycles on w/ steam actually leaving boiler in ~2min. and after 20-30mins every rad in the house is pistol hot (total ~400sqEDR) but the pressure guage never budges not does the boiler shut itself off via the pressuretrol after the Rads become hot. Pressuretrol is set at .5-1psi cut-in w/ a differential set at ~1.5psi. What I'm thinking is that w/ a cold start I may be loosing alot of potential pressure build up due the system trying to bring the cold 2" main and 1.25" risers up to temp, but that the steam moving fairly quickly at that psi has already entered the Rads bringing them up to temp. Should I try to strategicaly control the system via the T-stat and the closest Rad to the T-stat that will effect it or is there something completely different going on that I'm missing. Toatlly baffled. Help.

Mark Z

don_192

And

the problem is?

J.C.A._3

Sounds like....

It's running the way the Dead Men intended. Are you afraid that you're not feeding the oil company enough dough to survive? (I wouldn't!)

As long as the radiators are heating, and the cycles are long and "not so often", it sounds like the ultimate steam system. JMHO. Chris

P.S., YOU WIN !

markZ

Heat w/o pressure

Don and JCA, thanks so much for the replies. Made me feel like I did something right and gave me a good couple of laughs too. One additional question: once I have that one Rad closest to the T-stat just right and the place all seems to warm up at the same time, shouln't there be some residual pressure in the system to maintain a slightly 'pressurized' heat-load within the Rads for sometime or is it as long as the Rads got hot they will radiate the heat for a decent duration? Oh, and the system cycled for 35-40min beofre all Rads were pistol hot. Not as baffled as I was before. Thanks!

Mark Z.

Steamhead (in transit)

If you really want to see

the very low pressures you're running, install a low-pressure gauge that reads up to 30 ounces or so. Don't remove the gauge you now have, it's required by Code. Instead, put in a 1/4" brass tee for the new gauge.

These gauges work very nicely with Vaporstats.

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Steamhead (in transit)

Try

the Gauge Store:

www.gaugestore.com

Several people here have ordered from them and are happy with their service.

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