condensate return

Mike Miller_2

Fellas,

I am working with an old one pipe system in a three story apartment building, and the new boiler has a small water capacity than the old one, I am worried about getting condensate back fast enough to not kick in the auto feeder. Will a higher false water line help? in other words will building some sort of reserve in the piping keep me from having to buy and install a boiler feed tank and pump?

Thanks Mike Miller

Rod

Boiler Reservoir

Hi Mike-

   One possibility is adding a boiler reservoir. See attached manual Page 16. If you haven't yet piped the boiler in you could install the fittings that you would need to add the reservoir just in case. I would also make sure that the wet return was free flowing.

- Rod

The Steam Whisperer (Formerly Boilerpro)

Another things that helps....

is wel balanced and quick main venting.  If the steam gets to the ends of the mains quickly, the condensate will begin returning quickly.  Steam moves alot faster through the pipes than a slug of condensate.

will smith_4

condensate return

By all means, check your wet return. You're absolutely right in being concerned about condensate getting back fast enough-in older systems, it's common as nails that the wet return gets fouled, and the feeder kicks in before the condensate gets back-resulting in ultimately a flooded boiler. It's possible that you could open it up and flush it, or at the very least, see what condition it's in to tell if it needs replacing.  Also, as mentioned in another post, make sure your main vents are good to go. I'd make sure all the rad vents are good as well, and check to make sure all the rads are fully open and pitched back towards the valves, and do a quick check on your piping if you can to see if hangers may have rusted off, which might change pipe pitch. Hope we helped-