Steam boiler replacement coming up

Dave0176

Got a job today to convert an oil fired Steam boiler to gas. As you can see the near boiler piping leaves a lot to be desired. It's a Utica 140000 BTU 358 sq ft. Someone under fired it at .70 which explains his super high oil usage. There's no header, no equalizer, no hartford loop. Looks like the original pipe configuration had a 2-1/2 riser off the header, which the knucklehead bushed down to 2". The one main is 60' of 2" and 17' of 1-1/4 return all except the first 5' is wet. That long run has a cheap single Home Depot vent at the drip. I measured EDR at 240, so I recommend a Weil McLain EG35. And I've told him to re install that radiator behind the boiler.

ChrisJ

Wow,

Reducing the boiler size, correcting the piping and venting all on top of converting from oil to gas.

The guy isn't going to know what to think when he gets his first gas bill.

Dave0176

Question on that long 60' ft run of 2" I'm thinking of running 3 #2 Gortons. Would this be sufficient?? Or overkill?? The 30'ft run I'm thinking 2 #1s??

nicholas bonham-carter

Overkill does not exist in the world of steam system venting.--NBC

Dave0176

Check this out apparently who ever installed this boiler bushed down this riser. My question why would the original installer install a 2-1/2 riser only to reduce right at the elbow??

Dave0176

Anyone?? Opinions???

Fred

If I'm seeing it correctly, he just bushed it down to be the same size as the reduced side of that elbow. It's reduced by the elbow anyway so I don't think there is any real impact. Maybe I'm not understanding the question or the pic??? Hope you intend to put a proper header in. From the pic it doesn't even look like there is an equalizer there but I can't see the back side ???

Abracadabra

Dave0176 said:

Check this out apparently who ever installed this boiler bushed down this riser. My question why would the original installer install a 2-1/2 riser only to reduce right at the elbow??

That's all he had in the truck?

Is this a riser off the boiler? Seeing as the original boiler had no header or equalizer, who knows what the hell he was thinking.

Dave0176

To clarify I will be running a 3" drop header with 2-2" risers outta the boiler. I ordered a 3"x2-1/2 tee to run it up 2-1/2, then I will reduce at that elbow. This a new replacement you guys know me I do it right.

Dave0176

More pics. No there is no header, no equalizer, no Hartford loop, and as you can see the longest main run is bullheaded off that tee outta the boiler.

Abracadabra

Hey.. that's kind of a Hartford loop there on the bottom. isn't it?
No close nipple on it Looks a bit low to the ground too..

Gotta laugh sometimes and wonder what the guy was thinking when he installed this..

Dave0176

Abracadabra said:

Hey.. that's kind of a Hartford loop there on the bottom. isn't it?
No close nipple on it Looks a bit low to the ground too..

Gotta laugh sometimes and wonder what the guy was thinking when he installed this..

It's unreal, that boiler isn't even really all that old, I'm gonna say mid 70s, so standard piping practices were definitely in effect.

Dave0176

Header is built....

Fred

Now that's a header!

KC_Jones

After some of the recent posts we need to see some good stuff!

Dave0176

Thanks fellers.....

Dave0176

Job complete, don't make fun of my EMT bending skills lol.

Dave0176

The wet returns are pretty long and had a lot if goop in them flushed the heck outta them but I know this system is gonna need at lot more cleaning.

Dave0176

Ran it on the fire up and steam filled the mains in about 3-4 mins after the riser pipes got hot. The 60' run got two No.2 Gortons, and the shorter 25' run got one No.1 Gorton, both got hot about same time.

KC_Jones

Looks nice! I won't make fun of your EMT...to me that would be making fun of you for doing a good job! You actually used EMT! lol

Fred

Great job! So much better than the mess that was there.

Dave0176

More pics (eye candy)!!!!!!!

KC_Jones

Nicely done!