Vapor Steam mystery component

dj_7

A contractor removed this device from a vapor steam system because it was making water marks on the ceiling. It appears to be a main vent of some kind. There are three 1/2" copper tube risers about 20" high in a triangular pattern with a union system connection at the bottom of the device. The contractor installed a #75 Hoffman in place of the device and the boiler has been flooding ever since. System operating pressure is about 1.5-oz. I have a digital photo attached if anyone would like to take a stab at identifying this critter.

Steamhead (in transit)

That looks like

a main vent from a Mouat Vapor system.

I hope Gerry Gill chimes in here, he'd know for sure.

"Steamhead"

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DanHolohan

Right!

And I knew I had seen it somewhere.

gerry gill

Yup, the guys nailed it..

It was your return pipe main vent..by the way, it has no moving parts..Christian Egli still makes the inlet orifices for them..he's made some for me..while it was well intentioned i'm sure, it was really unnecessary to remove it..It really should have no bearing on a boiler flooding tho..If it was spewing onto the ceiling you had steam in the return piping..you have other issues..

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ttekushan_3

I'll bet anything that

the other issues are exactly as you indicate. Steam in the returns. I've now seen this a number of times where the new boiler water line is too low, allowing the loop seal at the end of the main into the return to go dry. Notice that the end of the steam main has no air vent. Each time I've encountered a vent added onto a Mouat steam main, the system became more prone to flooding, particularly if the loop is partially blocked.

Actually, every one of these systems I've seen no longer have the tri pipe vent since standard pressuretrols were installed on the first replacement boiler. Using a vaporstat and holding the pressure to 4 to 6 oz. and ensuring that the end of main loops are well under the boiler water line has stopped any flood problems.

Terry