Antler vs. Menorah

Polycarp

I asked this question in my last post, but everyone was distracted by the shinier questions, so I thought I'd ask again:



Is there a preference for antler or menorah configuration for main vents?



It seems that menorah could be preferable because it it would put less stress on the union.



But it seems that menorah could be preferable just based on the basic idea that bull-headed tees aren't good because splitting and going two different directions is asking too much of air/steam.





Thanks!

Jamie Hall

Whatever works...

More often than not the configuration is set by the available space.  Lucky you that you have a choice!  The T arrangement in a menorah isn't a problem -- bull headed T's are not so good where the flow is in from both sides and out the leg, but in a vent menorah it's the other way and it isn't an issue.



Main thing is to make sure that -- like all steam piping -- everything can drain.

BobC

Like Jamie said

Make sure any water can drain from whatever configuration you build.



Bob

Brad White

Check out the Antlers on that Rabbi!

I am sure you have seen the attached, but here it is anyway. The only premise is "fit". Whichever arrangement gets the total amount vents connected is what works.  If height is a problem and you cannot get a Gorton #2 up there, either one of these will allow several Gorton #1's (3:1 ratio usually), to be installed. If you were planning on two Gorton #2's, well, symmetry is nice.



The "Antler" as illustrated is really more for where you have an existing vent connection right at the end of the line,  and end-of-run tee.  (The wrong place, not held back 15" as is a normal standard). The antler arrangement is a way to pull that back and lessen the impact and splash-up to the vents. Not perfect, but second best to cutting in a proper tee.  But if you are concerned with lever-stress on the antler, a pipe hanger is not a bad thing to use.



But when up between joists, sometimes you can only go in one direction, sometimes both. The key is to protect your vent or vents and maybe allow for the future if you need more. The union is just a way to bench fabricate and install it in place with one fitting. Not essential if you have room.



My $0.02 anyway!

Polycarp

Antler it is

I ended up going with the antler (I'll post pictures once I get them downloaded). Draining was the thing that decided it for me. This little leg of main has some rather extreme slope for steam piping (and I didn't see a way to change it), so a Menorah would have run the risk of pooling on the down side. The fact that it was already assembled in an antler played a role too, but wasn't a deciding factor.