steam traps & system

Dave_145

I heat my home with 16 cast iron radiators each with a 1/2 inch MILVACO diaphram steam trap. The two pipe system was installed by dead men in about 1925. I have looked at several traps and the surfaces of their valves and valve seats are slightly corroded. Is there a trick to refinishing them or will I be better to buy new traps. What kind should I look at.

The system has a large cast iron vessel about 12 inches tall and 9 inches acsoss (octagonal) connected from the bottem by a tee in to the condensate return pipe. There is a sight gage on the side that appears to have its lower limit the same distance from ground as the top limt on the boiler sight gage. There are two pipes at the top. One goes to the steam header above the boiler. The other rises vertically and then turns hrizontally into a 1/2 inch MILVACO steam trap inlet port. The trap dischares downward into the condensate return pipe. Did those dead guys know what they were doing?

Surely that thing is installed incorrectly?
What is that big thing? What good is it doing me?
My heating gas bill runs $600 per month...surely its the fault of the cast iron thing

Timco

There are endless 'vessels' and 'cast iron things' in steam systems. Typically a replacement cap & cage is available for traps, but many times it is cheaper to replace with something modern. The name indicates it may be a vacuum type system, and would need the right traps. Pictures of the traps & boiler would really help.

Tim

Steamhead (in transit)

MILVACO

stood for MILwaukee VAlve COmpany. They are still in business today, not sure if they still make steam equipment. Your system is a pretty standard Vapor system.

The large cast-iron vessel is a Boiler Return Trap, which is essentially a steam-powered pump. Its job was to return the water to the boiler if its pressure got too high, and it worked with those two check valves in the return pipe near the tee that goes up to the Return Trap. If you have a copy of Dan's book "The Lost Art of Steam Heating", this setup is covered in chapter 15, though the one pictured is a Dunham.

Vapor was the Cadillac of heating in its day, and is still one of the best systems out there. You can still get parts for those traps. When everything's running properly, you'll enjoy years of quiet, efficient comfort from this grand old system.

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