After new Steam Boilers put in am still getting water clogging in vents,what is solution?

Athana

Water is clogging the Steam Vents on our Cast Iron One Pipe Radiators,
after installing new Smith Steam Gas Boilers.
This did not happen before with the single over sized Oil fired WM 478..
Even on the radiators that are well tilted towards the pipe,water is clogging vents
and I have to go around knocking them out..
(and some of the radiators are in enclosures that is quite an effort to get to).
Boiler has been skimmed quite a few times,but one year later,
I am wondering if this will ever be solved ?
Any other suggestions.
Thanks
Nick

KC_Jones

What pressure are you running? Do you have adequate main venting? What size vents are you using on the radiators? What does the boiler piping look like (pictures would be good)?

Fred

What brand vents do you have on those radiators? Some are more inclined to hold water/weep more than others. What is your Pressuretrol set at? Is it new with the boiler or the old one moved from the old boiler? Are you sure the Pigtail that the Pressuretrol is mounted on is not plugged with gunk? You've skimmed the boiler several times but have you cleaned that pigtail?

Jamie Hall

Much more to the point, IMHO -- what is your near boiler piping like? Some of the newer boilers are much more sensitive to near boiler piping in terms of making wet steam than the older ones were.

Abracadabra

Was boiler properly skimmed after installation to ensure dry steam? And as KC and Jamie asked, what's the new near boiler piping look like? Post a pic.

gerry gill

This is something you can try also. Turn the gas pressure down some. I have many boilers that for whatever reason run better on their systems when the gas is at 2'' wc instead of 3.5''..and since i never argue with success, i leave them at 2''.

Just something that can be tried, as you can always turn it back up...some systems behave better when the steam simmers instead of being plowed into the piping.

vaporvac

I second the others posting. You apparently have twinned boilers, and from my personal experience, those require precise piping, and may still need more skimming as there's a lot of pipe in two boilers.
Do you have both running or is this a lead/lag situation?

Gerry, I don't remember reading about turning down the gas before, but it make total sense.

JUGHNE

Gerry, how low can you go before you "feel" there might be delayed ignition on the main burners? Is it just a do it and watch? It seems this would help for an oversized boiler. And what about the combustion testing.

nicholas bonham-carter

What sort of vents are these which are getting waterlogged?
Usually the collapse of steam pressure at the end of firing, will result in a vacuum developing, which sucks air into all the vents. This should clear the radiator vents of water, and make them ready for the next cycle.--NBC

Athana

*Lots of Large Gorton Main Vents in Basement.
*Vents on Radiators are all Gorton
* The 2 VapoerStats are set at:
Low Fire> 8-3 Diff 6-14 Main
High Fire> 2-1 Diff 3 1/2-8 Main
All new.
* I dont know if its a lead lag situation I think that sounds like it. When first installed both boilers would go on..but these days only one runs but for longer.
In both situations water in vents though.
Does that shed any light on it?

Gas pressure reduction..Pigtail cleaning..I must look into.
Near Boiler Piping, God Forbid.

When I skim the boiler I open the little bleed valves (9 or so on pipes & the bottom of boilers)..and the main one to let black oily
stuff out. Is there more to it that Im not doing?

nicholas bonham-carter

If your installer followed the piping instructions, provided by the boiler manufacturer, he will have installed a 1,1/2 inch ball valve into the skimming port on each boiler. This port is an inch or so above the normal water line, and enables the oils on the water to be drained off slowly, while the boiler is hot, but not boiling. This procedure will require several sessions of several hours each. Do a search here for skimming, and see if that is what you have been doing.
Have any chemicals been added to the boiler, which will make the boiling unstable (think of rice boiling over)?
Post some pictures of your boiler piping, so we can see any anomalies, which could produce wet steam.
I don't quite understand the vaporstat settings, as they seem reversed. Do you have a low pressure gauge to verify their accuracy? I would think that the system should fire both boilers, and then when the system pressure has risen to a couple of ouces, the vaporstat will cut out the first boiler, and let the system coast on just the second boiler.--NBC

KC_Jones

Athana said:

*Lots of Large Gorton Main Vents in Basement.
*Vents on Radiators are all Gorton
* The 2 VapoerStats are set at:
Low Fire> 8-3 Diff 6-14 Main
High Fire> 2-1 Diff 3 1/2-8 Main
All new.
* I dont know if its a lead lag situation I think that sounds like it. When first installed both boilers would go on..but these days only one runs but for longer.
In both situations water in vents though.
Does that shed any light on it?

Gas pressure reduction..Pigtail cleaning..I must look into.
Near Boiler Piping, God Forbid.

When I skim the boiler I open the little bleed valves (9 or so on pipes & the bottom of boilers)..and the main one to let black oily
stuff out. Is there more to it that Im not doing?

I'm sorry, but 2 things came to mind as soon as I read your response. First post pictures of the piping and boilers and second your responses are extremely vague. How many main vents and what size? How long and what size are your mains? What size are the vents on the radiators (especially the ones causing issues). Take a picture of your vaporstats so we can see the settings I agree with NBC the settings you describe make no sense?! The more specific you can be the better people can help you.

Abracadabra

Athana said:

Near Boiler Piping, God Forbid.

Why? let's see some pics!

Athana said:

When I skim the boiler I open the little bleed valves (9 or so on pipes & the bottom of boilers)..and the main one to let black oily
stuff out. Is there more to it that Im not doing?

Yes.. that doesn't sound like you are using the skim port at the top of the boiler.

vaporvac

I suspect you have very dirty, oily water. With my twinned system, I skimmed quick and slow, hot and cold and everything in between, including a good scrubbing with "the wand". Yet I still need to do more. I think if you describe what you did like you did, you can't be doing it right. Maybe with pics and a more in-depth description we'll be proven wrong.
Where are you located btw and what are the specifics of your system?

gerry gill

JUGHNE said:

Gerry, how low can you go before you "feel" there might be delayed ignition on the main burners? Is it just a do it and watch? It seems this would help for an oversized boiler. And what about the combustion testing.

You have to have a manometer and analyzer with you when doing it. You shouldn't get delayed ignition as the soft start gas valves i like to use seem to start ignition at 1.2'' wc. The CO is usually less at a lower firing rate, the O2 goes up..its not as efficient but you are using less gas so things tend to wash out about the same gas bill wise.

JUGHNE

Just to clarify that we are talking atmospheric burners, Yes.
Do you change the gas valves to soft start models or specify your equipment to come with? Does it make sense that the lower firing range even though being a little less efficient makes a better operating system by steady firing and less cycling? I have to absorb your last post. Thank you!

vaporvac

NBC, concerning the staging. Eventually, mine will turn on either one or both of the boilers, depending on the temperature differential. Probably always both when starting from a cold start, but only one to maintain temp or come up a couple of degrees. I hope we get to see pics of this set-up and clarification.

nicholas bonham-carter

Vaporvac, you were so lucky to have been able to escape problems like Athena's by becoming so knowledgeable about piping and skimming clean your boilers!
As I remember, it was a hard road to navigate, with various installers becoming unable, until you found Christian. Now you must be basking in warmth, silence, and economy!
You are an inspiration to us all!--NBC