This Week's Steamer Replacement

Steamhead

1960s American-Standard atmospheric on a Broomell system, rotted out. I didn't get the shots until after the demo had started, but the old boiler had only a single 2-inch pipe connecting it to the 3" steam main, which then splits into two 2-1/2" counterflow mains. We'd already done the venting, as evidenced by the Gorton #2 on the dry return- the two mains also have Gortons.

Steamhead

The new 5-section Columbia

with 2-stage steam separation- the 3-inch header and the steam takeoff which jumps up then back down to a drip. The drip also handles condensate from the mains. We moved the steam main connection closer to the boiler with a 3-inch nipple and elbow so we wouldn't have pipes dropping so far from the boiler.



And just look at Gordo's copper work! Another masterpiece.



We've been using more Columbias since they made the Carlin EZ-Gas burner available to use with them. The local Columbia store stocks all these boilers and burners, whereas with other brands they have to be ordered. This was a planned, rather than an emergency replacement, so the time frame was less critical. But this boiler was also the closest match to the job.



One interesting thing we found: the low-pressure gauge seldom registers any pressure at all, whereas on the old boiler we always saw a few ounces. I believe this was due to the old boiler's improper piping- we now have twice the room for steam to leave the boiler, two 2" pipes instead of just one.

gerry gill

Another very nice steamer!

Columbia aught to give you a free boiler for all the advertising you do for them. Looks great.

billtwocase

Columbia

Frank, that looks like a Utica SFH. Is it rebadged?

Steamhead

Right

Columbia's cast-iron boilers have been rebadged Uticas for as long as I can remember. They started out making steel boilers and added these to be able to offer cast-iron residential units.



At least in our area, the difference between buying Columbias rather than Uticas is the people who sell them, which makes quite a difference. 



We now have three options for gas-fired wet-base power-burner residential steamers: Columbia CSFE, Slant/Fin Intrepid and Smith G8.

Paul S_3

just a question

Why the double drop header?....is it to dry stream out more? And should I start doing that on my installations....and you dripped the main because its a counter flow system....? If you didn't have a drop header no need to drip?....thank you Paul S

Steamhead

That drip had to be there anyway

to collect condensate from the mains. So we used that to advantage and piped it to assist with steam separation. It also gets some of the piping up out of the way, so we won't bump our heads on it when maintaining the boiler.

billtwocase

Thanks Frank

Haven't seen one in these parts as of yet. Thought steel Emerald? was their all.  Thanks again

Steamhead

They still make the Emerald

but only for hot-water. 

ChrisJ

Art

Another beauty by Frank and Gordo.

Keep the pictures coming I always enjoy looking at them.

malex

Why was there a Gorton 2 on the riser?

That does not make any sense does it?

Steamhead

Look at it again

that's the dry return, where it drops into the main return manifold. On the Broomell, as on almost all Vapor systems, air from the radiators is routed to the dry return and vented at a central location. That Gorton is the central vent.

Gordo

Thank You All For Your Comments and Questions!

Thank you again.



To add to the job, we installed, as usual, a proper sight glass blow-down valve and drain hose.  This simple addition can really help show the customer the need for further cleaning of the boiler.  It will also help keep the sight glass clean without removing it.



The friction washers that most sight glass kits come with are soft steel that have been lightly coated with brass.  These are ruthlessly eliminated and replaced with brass washers.



On the return that is not shown, the copper threads into a  2" x 2" x 1-1/2" cast iron tee and a 2" extra heavy nipple that returns into the boiler.  The other end of the tee has a 2" x 3/4" bushing and a ball valve boiler drain.  The so-called "boiler drains" that the manufacturers ltend to supply with their package boilers are scrapped.

ttekushan_3

sweating the details makes for pleasurable long term ownership

Great point about the boiler drains. Wimpy stuff.



I like to be able to "blow down" a boiler. "Dribble down" is just not a real alternative!