Steam Boiler 2 pipe design without steam traps???

qualityheating

I've just left an old apt. house and they have a 2 pipe steam system without traps at the radiators. There is also 1 wet return and multiple dry returns. There are no main line vents, just the vents on each of the radiators. The traps weren't removed, they were never there- or haven't been for ages.

clammy

2 pipe /air vent system

that's a 2 pipe air vent system , besides a air vent on each rad ,each rads return line is piped into the wet return which provides a water seal to seperate each raditors return which keeps the steam from migrating through the returns and messing up your steam distrubution,hopefully that wet return is down low so that if or when the boiler is replaced that the wet return is still well below the boiler water level also low pressure is definatly key to proper operation so you don't have to stack up to much vertical water height for the return condensate to return by gravity .If the now wet return is up a bit say maybe a older boiler with a 48 in water line instead of re piping all the wet returns you could build a false water line to keep them well under water unless the existing return are original and may be clogged then replacing them could be in order, also you could add a main vent to the end of the steam main which would give them more even heat due to getting the mains vented quicker .TRV:s on the rads are also a very good idea for evening out the heat and stopping over heating .I have also used temperture averaging thermostats for apartments and they have worked very well not only for the over heating promblems but also for lower gas bills .hope this helped peace and good luck clammy

Jim_64

I'm having problems with getting heat to one room. Again this is an apartment house, there is a thermostat in one apartment controlling the whole house. This system, as I understand it, was designed to run with coal all the time. Since converted to a apartment house and the t-stat installed, could this be giving me problem? I don't know why I'm having problems grasping this design.

Steamhead (in transit)

Do the radiator returns

drip into the wet return individually or do they tie into the dry return(s)?

If the latter is true, then what you may have is a messed up Tudor System. There should be added a big main vent or vents on the dry return just before it drips into the wet return and all the radiator vents should be removed and plugged off.

Main vents should also be added at the ends of the steam mains.

A vaporstat is most likely needed to keep the pressure below 8 oz. and also a low pressure gauge. The valves on the radiators should be adjusted to meter the steam into the radiators and keep it out of the dry returns.

Please post pictures!

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Steamhead (in transit)

QH, is there

anything at all on the radiator return connections like a hand valve, or just a plain open return elbow?

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qualityheating

response to steamhead

no there's no valve ar trap or anything. It just ties in to the return. A few of the returns tie in to the wet leg and other returns tie into the dry legs.

Steamhead (in transit)

Rad return lines

Do all these return lines from rads go to dry returns first, which then drop into wet returns, or do some rad returns drop directly into wet returns? Reason I ask is, you can vent air thru a dry return but not a wet return.....

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