Gushing water from the main vent

mgmine

Over the last few weeks I have been trying to figure out why I'm not getting heat to one side of the house and today I found out. I replaced all the vents and installed new main vents (two Gorton #2's one one side and one Gorton #2 and a Hoffman 75 on the other)   but still had no success. It was suggested that I take off the main vents and time how long it takes to get steam to each end. Doing so I found that the faster heating side took 5 minutes and 15 seconds. The slower side took six minutes and 20 seconds HOWEVER water started pouring out instead of steam. This wasn't just a little water it was a flood of it. It appears that the main couldn't get steam through it because of all the water. After a few minutes I turned the boiler back on. The automatic water feeder had to replenish the water before the boiler would fire but when it did steam came out of the vent instead of the water. I had a problem last year with water coming out of the same main vent and the installer came and skimmed the boiler and it seemed to work. The good thing is that I now seem to have heat of both sides. In a previous thread it was stated that the piping was wrong if so would it cause this water problem or is another skimming in order or is there something else behind all this?

Rod

Need More Info

Hi- As has already been pointed out your boiler piping is improperly configured.

The header should have the steam input at one end and the equalizer at the other end. The risers to the steam main are taken off in between.  I've attached your boiler picture with labeling and a list of questions which might helps us get  better idea of how your system works.

Questions:

1. Which is the "problem" steam main - "A" or "B" ?

2. Main "B" looks like it might be a counterflow main.

    On the steam main marked "B", which way does it slope - Towards "X" or "Y" ?

3. On the Steam Main marked "A", which way does it slope- Towards "S" or "T" ?



4. Does Steam Main "A" have a dry return pipe?

5. Does Steam Main "B" have a dry return pipe?

Let us know the answers and we can go from there.

- Rod

mgmine

The mains

1. Which is the "problem" steam main - "A" or "B" ?

Main A





2. Main "B" looks like it might be a counterflow main.



    On the steam main marked "B", which way does it slope - Towards "X" or "Y" ?

It slopes towards X





3. On the Steam Main marked "A", which way does it slope- Towards "S" or "T" ?

It slopes towards S







4. Does Steam Main "A" have a dry return pipe?

Yes at the end right before the main vent



5. Does Steam Main "B" have a dry return pipe?

Yes at the end right before the main vent

Rod

Slope of Steam Mains

Hi- Thanks for the answers- I'm still  a bit confused about Main "B". From your answer it appears that appears that it is a counterflow main, yet has a dry return pipe.

Questions:

1. Where is the highest part of Main "B" -boiler end? Middle? End farthest from the boiler?  

2. What is the lowest end - Boiler end?  or End of the main farthest from the boiler?

- Rod

mgmine

Higest point

1. Where is the highest part of Main "B" -boiler end? Middle? End farthest from the boiler?  



2. What is the lowest end - Boiler end?  or End of the main farthest from the boiler?



It is almost level but I think that at the boiler end it is very slightly lower maybe 1/4 inch. The floor above is not  level so it is hard to get a true measurement. The rest of the main looks almost straight also but where it makes a 90 degree turn to go to the return pipe it is definitely down hill. This main is the warm main.