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9 units

jrbayside
jrbayside Member Posts: 81
in Strictly Steam
is it normal for a flame to get sucked in at the end of a long main?

that is where i want to put the 2 gorton #2s. That is where the main gets cold, about 5 feet from the end of the main

Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,314
    Where

    is the flame coming from?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • jrbayside
    jrbayside Member Posts: 81
    9 units

    I used my lighter over a 3/4 inch plug.
  • Paul Fredricks_3
    Paul Fredricks_3 Member Posts: 1,557
    Oy!

    Very scientific.

    Are the pipes insulated? My guess is they are not. The steam is collaping, causing the system to pant.

    If this is the case, insulate with at least 1" think fiberglass pipe insulation.
  • jrbayside
    jrbayside Member Posts: 81
    9 units

    already did that for about 55 feet of pipe, the rest is in a ceiling
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    flame sucked into vent tapping

    are you sure the burner was firing at the exact time you observed the flame being sucked. it could have been cycling on the anticipator, or some other reason. if you put a jumper on the thermostat wires, to simulate a call for heat, then will any air come out of the radiator vent tapping?

    i don't see how there could be a vacuum when the boiler is steaming. even if it were grossly undersized, and could only fill 50% of the system, there would be no vacuum while the boiler was steaming. even if you had a vacuum system, and opened the pipe, the vacuum would not be endless.--nbc--nbc
  • Paul48
    Paul48 Member Posts: 4,469
    Couldn't

    venting risers and or radiators off that main create draft?
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    Venting draft

    I don't see how there could be negative pressure in that section of pipe if the boiler were firing and making pressure.

    If a boiler were piped to a counter flow main 1000 feet long, with an open end, so all the steam produced by the boiler were condensed before reaching the end, there would not be negative pressure at the end of the pipe. If a Hoffman 76 vacuum vent were put on the end, the system would be sub-atmospheric, and the flame could be modulated down without decreasing the amount of (now low pressure/temperature) steam in the pipe. If you removed the vent while steaming, a small amount of air would rush in to make up the difference, but not endless.--nbc
  • Paul48
    Paul48 Member Posts: 4,469
    So

    The answer to the question would be....Yes? I don't think he held the lighter there for very long, they tend to get hot. On a start up, you don't have pressure with everything venting, you could have draft, depending on the point you chose to check?
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,314
    Is the boiler

    big enough for the radiation?



    Is the firing rate set properly?



    Is the boiler leaking above the waterline?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • jrbayside
    jrbayside Member Posts: 81
    9 units

    Just got the book The art of steam heating, says you should not vent at the end of the main , but a few feet before the end. Thats the next step. Also found risers to rads that

     are horizontal and not at 45 degree take offs. I think I have alot of corrective piping to do.
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