Vapor steam boiler HELP!!!!!!!!!

Jeremy Dunitz

We installed a steam boiler recently and after posting pictures of the vents on "The Wall" we were informed that we have a vapor vacuum system and were instructed to install a #67 vent on the supplies and return.  There are no vents or traps on any of the horizontal fin tube radiators.  We were instructed to remove the SG low water safety to eliminate the test procedure by Peerless.  The house was heating but the boiler was running for 90 seconds and then off for 30 seconds.  We were instructed to install a VaporStat and towards the end of the cycle the control made a popping noise and vibrated. (Boiler has been flushed several times with cleaner). The system ran for 3 days and and then the control failed and the customer had a cold New Years.

Please contact me via my e-mail address if you can lend some help.

nicholas bonham-carter

vapor system problems

what is your actual pressure, as some of these systems only need ounces. if you have the 0-4 psi vaporstat, then you can still be over, unless you check the cut-in and cut-out with a good  0-15 ounce gauge. you can also verify the operation of the v-stat by moving the internal lever, which is part of the linkage from diaphram to switch. if it responds [fire-on and fire off] then most likely the pigtail has become plugged.

when you say "boiler flushed", is that "skimmed" or simply drained and refilled?

the absence of vents and traps on the radiators would point to some sort of orifice-valve on the supply side of the radiator, whose purpose was to let just enough steam into the rad, which can be condensed. the air still has to be let out, so where can it go?--nbc

nicholas bonham-carter

more thoughts

are your pipes insulated? even fiberglass batts are better than no insulation.

we finally installed a honeywell visionpro thermostat, with a remote sensor in the coldest part of the upstairs, and left the setting a couple of degrees cooler. now we get very quick response to any plunging outside temperatures. make sure your thermostat is steam rated, either with an anticipator or a "CPH" setting [1].

even though this house is small, there may be a better location for the sensing part of the t-stat, which may not be convenient to have the control part there.--nbc

Steamhead

Can you find

the original thread?



Also, I don't believe there's a #67 vent. Did you mean a #76?



Dirty water which surges can make a Vaporstat vibrate like that. So can water that has had chemicals added to it.