Hot Water Conversion to Webster Type R Vapor

Steamhead (in transit)

was likely one of the last Vapor installations in the Baltimore area. We found a date code of June 3, 1941 on a trap element we replaced. We rebuilt four traps- two convector traps and new thermostatic elements on two F&T units. The latter were stuck shut, which killed their main-vent functionality.

Photo 1 is a shot of the dining room convector. This is "Webster System Radiation" with integral 02H-type traps. You can see where the floor was patched over the riser holes for the original hot-water radiator. Photo 6 shows the convector opened up.

Photo 3 shows some of the old gravity hot-water piping being used for Vapor. Two pipes come thru the wall on the right, both are 2-inch and pitched upward. The one closest to the camera is the dry return, and the one used for steam is dripped by the 00026T F&T trap. The returns on this system are non-pressurized, everything goes thru the Return Trap.

Photo 4 shows the Vent Trap and Return Trap. These are standard Webster and are still working perfectly. At the top you can see one of two zone valves which are stuck open and no longer wired up.

Photo 5 shows the hacked-in boiler.

Photo 7 is the front of the house. It's an early-20th-century Foursquare. One set of steam and return mains is in the enclosed crawlspace under the front porch. Who would have expected to find this equipment here? We think it must have been owned by a heating contractor in 1941, who liked Webster equipment.

This is the second hot-water-to-Vapor conversion we've encountered in Baltimore.

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Ross_7

Vent trap

Frank,
On the vent trap, do you often remove the bushing from the top, and install a main vent, in its place? I think that the last one I worked on I installed a Hoffman #75, after changing the dry return traps. Just curious. TIA. Looks like a fun project! Wish I was there.
Ross

Steamhead (in transit)

Usually we do

and on that particular Webster unit we would install a Gorton #2. Didn't get that far this time, but I know it will need to be flushed and skimmed in a month or two now that the steam is circulating better. So we'll be back.

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