Master trapping

Steve_210

Got a call yesterday to go to an apartment building with 1 radiator not working (at least that's what they are saying). Disconnected supply and return - the thermostatic element in the trap was totally sheared off, from I presume water hammer. In the basement there has been a new boiler installed with a condensate pump and  an F& T master trap (I know this is incorrect) I am going  to have some problem convincing the owner that they are going to have to replace all the traps on all the radiators in the building. They are going to ask me - how come it worked for the last 3 years? (This is when the master trap was installed - I believe). I just want to get an opinion on if what I am going to say is correct. As more and more of the traps failed, you started to loose pressure differential between the supply and return, and the smaller supply and return risers are the ones going to get affected first. The longer this goes on the more radiators will not work and the more uneven the heat will be in the building. There is no quick fix - the only answer is to change all the radiator traps in the building. If I can find replacement elements for the traps I can also replace those.

Thanks for any help

Jamie Hall

They aren't going to like you

but it sounds to me as though you are very much going the right way -- master trapping, as it says in the gospel according to Dan, is going to kill you -- if not now, later, as traps fail around the building!  And I would agree on your diagnosis, too -- that it can be a progressive thing, as you are seeing.

Unknown

Trap Parts

Here's a couple of links if you need trap parts.

Hoffman:   [url=http://www.bellgossett.com/literature/files/7262.pdf]http://www.bellgossett.com/literature/files/7262.pdf

Tunstall:  [url=http://www.tunstall-inc.com/tunstallsteam.html]http://www.tunstall-inc.com/tunstallsteam.html

Steve_210

Master trapping

thanks guys it would be intresting to see if any contractors have had similar proublems and how best to approach the building owners. 

Steamhead

Tell them

you're either going to do it right, or not at all. If they tell you trap rebuilds are too expensive- walk. It's that simple.

Steve_210

thank you

thanks to everybody. looks like we will be replacing all the elements

Unknown

Thermal Imaging

Do you know anybody with a thermal Imaging camera? I saw one used last month and they would be great for spotting bad traps on a big job.