Steam traps

Steve_210

I have a building where we are changing all the steam traps on the radiators. I have all the elements, but I am having  problems getting access to all the apartments at once. Somebody has put a master trap before the condensate pump - my question is; is there any point in changing half the traps now and the rest over the course of another 2 - 3 weeks (as we get access), or am I wasting my time. Only 1 apartment claims not to have good heat right now.

Any help appreciated.

Jamie Hall

Shoot a question back

do you have any bad traps that you know of?  Or is this precautionary?  The risk in replacing traps piecemeal is that if you still have a bad trap or traps, and it lets steam through, it can damage the nice new ones you just put in.  However, if you can either replace the bad ones first, all at once, or if you don't have any bad ones, you should be alright doing it bit by bit.  I'd check that one apartment first, though!

Steve_210

bad traps

some traps have been removed completly, there have been air vents added in a few places and most of the traps had a higher temp on the outlet than on the inlet when tested. i used a infra red thermoter. however there are no trv;s so i don;t think there would be a vacume created on any of the rads. corect me but is this not how you kill the new elements. 

Jamie Hall

Absolutely right

Sounds like you have a perfect setup for killing new elements.  Sigh...  not sure what to recommend, with the weather like it is, except just possibly getting all your ducks in a row, get all the apartments accessible, get a couple of helpers, pick a sunny morning, shut her down and blitz it.



Or wait 'til Spring... it will come...

Jamie Hall

On further thought...

it occurs to me that there is one thing you might be able to try in the meantime.  Are all the valves on the radiators working?  The inlet valves?  In that case, you might try setting your pressure as low as you can, and partially closing the inlet valves.  I know, I know, it sounds bats.  But keep in mind that some vapour systems operated without traps, by having orifices in the inlets to suit the amount of steam to what could be condensed in the radiators -- thus preventing steam from getting into the returns.  If the inlet valves are working, then it might just be possible to close them just enough -- not all the way -- so that they acted like orifices.  This might help get heat to the one apartment that isn't heating well.



It's a thought, anyway...