This years Steamers.

The Steam Whisperer (Formerly Boilerpro)

<span style="font-size:12pt">I did a lot of steam work this year…as a matter of fact every year I am doing more and more.</span>

<span style="font-size:12pt">Here’s what’s been going on.</span>

<span style="font-size:12pt"> </span>

<span style="font-size:12pt">The first is my first modulating steamer in a one pipe system that was resuscitated after being shut down sometime in the early 70’s and partially dismembered.   The system heats completely at about 0.4 OUNCES pressure using a Slantfin Intrepid with a Power Flame X4M HTD burner running from about 75,000 to 200,000 btu/hr.  Modulation tracks a fixed pressure of 6 ounces with a Heattimer Elite control and a Cecomp  (Libertyville , IL) pressure transducer…the Heattimer transducers have too high of a pressure range for good steam heating control on most space heating systems with standing radiation.</span>

The Steam Whisperer (Formerly Boilerpro)

No.2

The next is a pair of Slantfin Intrepids running about 200,000 to 225,000 input that replaced a 5 year old pair of Smith’s running at 300,000 and 600,000 with piping that was a complete nightmare.   Those are Heatwise burners which allow you to adjust both primary and secondary air and, therefore, the flame pattern.   We get a little bit of rumble from one of them, but now that the chimney has been lined, things are much better.  These are “undersized” by traditional methods and feed two two pipe systems.  The caretakers are balancing the systems with the hand valves, and if not successful, we will upgrade to orifices in the supply valves.

The Steam Whisperer (Formerly Boilerpro)

No.3

The next pair of Slantfin Intrepids are working  in tandem and are stage fired by a two stage thermostat and feed a large old vapor system.  They too have Heatwise burners and the system is being balanced with the hand valves.  Orifices and TRV’s may come at a later date as well as an Indirect heater attached to one of the boilers for high volume water heating.

The Steam Whisperer (Formerly Boilerpro)

No.4

The final Slantfin Intrepid is also using a PowerFlame modulating burner (X4M), currently running up to about 340,000 input.  The low end is difficult to determine since a big roots type meter is in use.  This unit replaced a 1,200,000 Weil Mclain LGB.   This one is using the Heat timer control and with a heat timer pressure transducer.   This unit feeds a couple of air handlers.   A possible future upgrade is to change out the Heat timer for a Siemens control that will allow outdoor reset of pressure to modulate the steam going to the heating coils.

The Steam Whisperer (Formerly Boilerpro)

SLANTFIN IS TRULY THE BEST!!!!!

All of the boilers are running without a chamber liner except for the first and run nice and clean.  The huge combustion chambers allow this since the flame has plenty of space and the lack of liner picks up efficiency by a couple of points, it seems.  Also, since the draft loss across the heat exchanger is nearly nonexistent, draft appears to be quite stable at variable inputs.

I must also say a word about Slantfin.    A couple of these installs ran into multiple problems involving incorrect shipments and some machining problems.   The company owned up to their mistakes and dealt with the issues completely, without shirking their responsibility whatsoever.  This is a first in my experience when dealing with larger companies when there have been problems, whether professionally or personally.  Most of the rest of large corporations could learn more than a thing or two from Slantfin.  It a tremendous pleasure to find a company that still values integrity and works from the foundation that serving the customer comes first and from that a company can be financially successful.  A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR SLANTFIN!!!

gerry gill

Thats some very nice looking work BP

I enjoy looking at your steamers..its obvious that you really take pride in your installs..well done!

Gordo

Truely Inspirational!

Outstanding work, sir, making the world safe for steam heating.



I, too, would also like to say that Slant-Fin is one of the best in the business. 



 

The Steam Whisperer (Formerly Boilerpro)

Thanks guys......

I hope to track the fuel usage data pretty carefully on these installs.  Some will be quite loopsided since the new boiler replaced a unit so oversized, but that data should still be useful.  I suspect the gas company may be paying a few of these sites a visit.



Boilerpro