Am I just plum crazy.....or will this work???!!!

Timco

So....this big mil BTU sectional Peerless steamer is running off a condensate collection tank that has a float for water level and no trap for the end of the mains returns whatsoever so steam just shoots out the vent (open pipe) on top of the collection box! Issues are leaks between all the rear seals (replacing all the seals and rope first) and high gas bills and banging like crazy. It has to be run at like 5-7 psi to get steam all around because of the open vent in the boiler room on that collection box. The kicker is that there are two dry returns below the boiler's water line that serve the two apartments in the basement. They make it into the collection box with a decent slope, and are just the condensate drainage as the basement rads are trapped. (two-pipe system). Header is not dropped, but slopes OK and will stay.



Here is my solution.



Run new gravity return with swing check & dirt legs with blow down valves. Put main vent on each end of main return and let them both just run into the new wet return, no connection to the tank. As for the two low returns, keep them in the tank, run the water supply to that tank, and let that tank be my fill reserve and the collection point for those two low basement returns. The main LWCO would run that condensate tank's pump just like it always has, and take water as it needs it. This make up water would tie into the new wet return but with a swing check.



Pics when I can...



Thoughts?

JStar

RE

Installing traps on the mains isn't an option?

moneypitfeeder

lots of issues

It sounds like the system has many issues, and instead of jumping to xyz, you need to deal with abc. The open vent tube system used to be a viable option, however this only works with low pressure steam, the higher you raise the pressure (if every thing else is working correctly) you'll have a geyser in the basement.

First, you need a good steam "guy or girl", then you need to crank that pressure down! A good steam person will be able to recommend an appropriate vent to take the place of an open pipe venting system, and then you can move on to dealing with the rest of the system. Good Luck, Dee

moneypitfeeder

B.t.w.

if any return line is below the water line of your new boiler it is now a wet return. If it was meant to be a dry return, and piped as such it can create water hammer, and condensate not returning to the boiler. Just an FYI, these are all easily fixed if your willing.