No steam reaches shut off valves.

NoeV

I have a Burnham boiler for a three flat in Chicago works fine. However I can't seem to get radiators on one side of building fully hot. Unless I raise the aquastat to high setting. But then apartments reach an uncomfortable 85° . Please help. If I lower the aquastat setting then only the radiators closest to boiler come on.

Jamie Hall

Steam to shutoff valves?

Aquastat?



There's a contradiction here.  What sort of system do you really have, and how is it controlled?

NoeV

low pressure steam boiler

It can be run either on an aquastat or thermostat. I can't seem to get steam to two radiators furthest from boiler unless I raise aquastat setting on high. But then makes apartments uncomfortably hot.

NoeV

low pressure steam boiler

It can be run either on an aquastat or thermostat. I can't seem to get steam to two radiators furthest from boiler unless I raise aquastat setting on high. But then makes apartments uncomfortably hot.

Snowmelt

Shut off

Why don't you try to shut off the rads that get too hot or put different vents on them.

NoeV

Adjusting radiators

I have installed new vent valves. With adjusting dial. Although my main problem is that I don't get any steam coming out the pipes to the two cold radiators. I disconnected the radiators to verify no steam. Unless I raise the setting on the aquastat. I feel that I should be able to maintain all rads on and seek a comfortable temperature.

Jamie Hall

Does this boiler

also produce your hot water?  If not, there is no reason that I can think of that a steam boiler needs an aquastat.



If there is an aquastat, and it is shutting the boiler off before it can make significant steam, it stands to reason that you are going to have problems with steam heat, no?



As to the unevenness of heat in the building, I suspect the aquastat is not your only problem.  It is much more likely that you have problems with venting -- particularly main, piping, lack of insulation, boiler capacity, or some combination of the above.

NoeV

Inherited the aquastat on the boiler

When I purchased the three flat. The boiler could be switched to operate on an aquastat or thermostat. The boiler does not produce hot water. So my understanding is that there is no need for aquastat? And by main venting you mean those two large ventingvalves above boiler? Perhaps they're clogged and should be replaced?

BobC

More info

A steam boiler has no need for an aquastat if it's not used for domestic hot water UNLESS there is a hot water loop off the boiler that is used for heat.



Post pictures of the boiler and the piping around the boiler.



Bob

NoeV

pictures

Some pictures.

NoeV

More pictures

Close up of switch to operate either on aquastat or thermostat. And the low water cut-off.

Zman

Drawing?

I looks like someone has employed a control strategy that uses both the pressuretrol (the gray box above the gauge) and an aquastat  on the return line (silver box under the main vent).

If you can draw the way these are wired in relation to the "switch", you will get better answers. What you have is not standard. Close up pictures of those devices would also help.

I would highly recommend purchasing all of Dan's steam heating books from the "shop" tab. You are dealing with some very cool and very old technology, you will learn tons from the books.

As a side note, you will get the attention of the true steam gurus if you post under "strictly steam"

Carl