Repiping Plans

tgbrew

Hi All,
I’m hoping someone can give their 2c on my piping plans. I’ve posted some drawings of my old piping, new proposed piping (the diagram from the manual with some unions added to aid installation – is this ok?) and the third is a quirky scenario that I’m wondering if it is possible. The last one exists because I’m trying to avoid moving a hot water heater and gas line that are immediately to the right of the boiler. This meant turning the equalizer toward the wall and splitting the header for the main to rise out of it. I also posted a pic of the space to show why I probably need to move the heater.
Any thoughts appreciated!
-Tom

Hap_Hazzard

The "New boiler piping" looks best. You don't want to put the system riser between the boiler risers as shown in "Possible boiler piping," as this will not allow water to escape through the equalizer. It will accumulate in the center until it is forced up the system riser. Search for articles mentioning a "bullhead tee" for more information on this.

One adjustment you might want to make to your "New boiler piping" plan would be to bring the boiler risers closer together, allowing more separation between the boiler risers and the system riser. If I'm remembering correctly, you should have at least 2 pipe diameters between the last boiler riser and the first system riser, but you only need 1 pipe diameter between the boiler risers.

tgbrew

Many thanks for that. You explanation on the equalizer makes complete sense. It sounds like you are saying the header only needs to be one pipe width long. I thought it had to be much bigger. So I could bring the boiler riser on the right over the top and than turn it to connect to a shorter header? That would save me some room on the right and might let me avoid moving the darned hot water heater!
-Tom

Steamhead

Hap_Hazzard said:

One adjustment you might want to make to your "New boiler piping" plan would be to bring the boiler risers closer together, allowing more separation between the boiler risers and the system riser. If I'm remembering correctly, you should have at least 2 pipe diameters between the last boiler riser and the first system riser, but you only need 1 pipe diameter between the boiler risers.

Like this:

http://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/151513/lets-start-the-new-wall-off-properly

Hap_Hazzard

No, it should be longer--at least 8 pipe diameters. Here's a picture of mine. It's similar to yours except the boiler risers come out the top and there are two system risers.



Note the water heater on the right. I didn't need to move it, luckily, because there's a wall right next to it.

Steamhead

Hap_Hazzard said:

No, it should be longer--at least 8 pipe diameters. Here's a picture of mine. It's similar to yours except the boiler risers come out the top and there are two system risers.



Note the water heater on the right. I didn't need to move it, luckily, because there's a wall right next to it.

Depends on whose manual you look at. The one for the boiler in question doesn't specify a distance between the second riser from the boiler and the first steam main connection. The reason we offset the second riser in that thread was to connect it to the header before any of the steam main takeoffs.

Hap_Hazzard

In his case I think offsetting the second boiler riser would allow him to get enough separation between inputs and outputs without running into his water heater.

tgbrew

Hmmm - Seems like I have to move the heater. I don't think i can get the 16" needed for a header. (8x 2" pipe) The piping is so screwed up now that I'm hesitant to deviate from the recommended piping in the manual. I want to make sure this works! Just to be clear, there is no problem with putting unions all over the place to make this easier to connect to the boiler and main?

Jamie Hall

The more unions the merrier -- it's more a matter of time and effort to install them, and they surely do make putting things together much simpler!

nicholas bonham-carter

Like Jamie I am also a "Union Man", but they can be more likely to leak on horizontal pipes than on vertical in the risers, and header on the boiler.--NBC

tgbrew

Ah - I definitely plan on lots of unions. I've moved the hot water heater so there is plenty of room for pipes. I've posted my latest sketch and would love to get an opinion. I'm not an artist so be kind. This is a 2.5" drop header (I've come around to this - it makes sense). I didn't include the unions, but there will definitely be a few scattered about, possibly splitting the header.
Again, I would love to hear about the plans, the fittings choice and any old banter... thanks!