King valves, P-trol & vaporstat

Luv'nsteam

First, how many people install king valves?



If I install king valves, I would be doing this so I can blow-down the boiler with pressure and not allow the pressure into the mains.  To do this, I need to build pressure up to 10 lbs and "blow" (out of the boiler mud leg).  I am also installing a vaporstat, which of course, will not allow me to get anywhere near 10 lbs.  So, if I do install the king valves, should I also install a pressure-trol along with the vaporstat so I can reach 10 lbs?  Or, is there a way to bypass the vaporstat so I can reach 10 lbs (without hurting the vaporstat)?  If I use both, how do I take the vaporstat out of the picture so the boiler does not shut-off until I reach the prescribed pressure?  Would a valve on the feed for the vaporstat and a high-pressure gauge do the job?  Pros, your thoughts?



Thank you,



Mike

nicholas bonham-carter

let gravity do the job

this sounds complicated!

just blow the boiler down with the weight of the water which is in it. you can always expose the lower tapping, and rake out any mud which remains from blow down. if the returns are plugged, then they to can be somewhat dismantled, and rodded out, or replaced.--nbc

Charlie from wmass

simple

install a valve to isolate the Vaporstat and wire a pressuretrol through the low volltage of the tstat. Make sure the pressuretrol DOES NOT have a valve and set it at 0.5 with a 1 pound diff. when time to blow down close valve to vaporstat and crank up pressuretrol.

I install kingvalves in all new installs. Remember the return line valves or you will simply blow the water up the return piping and dry fire your boiler.

Luv'nsteam

Return valves

Hi Charlie, I do intend on installing return valves as well.  In Dan's new book, Greening Steam, pages 102 & 103, Dan describes the location, reason and operation of the valves.  He also provides a diagram.



A few questions for my clarification:

A) So when this is installed,  I will have 1] vaporstat; 2] pressuretrol; 3] vapor gauge, (0-3lbs); 4] pressure gauge, (0-30); & 5] valve (kind?) to stop pressure from reaching vaporstat & vapor gauge during blow-down.  What is the best method to install these four items?   Does anyone have a picture of a good setup with all of these parts?



The vaporstat, LWCO (probe) & LWCO (float) will all be wired in series @ 120V, shutting off the boiler should any of the three open.  And all will be electrically separate from the p-trol.



C) Charlie, you say wire the p-trol through the thermostat (low voltage).  Do you mean to wire it in series with the t-stat, requiring the t-stat to be "on" in order to blow-down the boiler with pressure? 



Am I missing or forgetting anything here?



Thank you,



Mike