antique Honeywell and Johnson pneumatic controls:)

Matthew Grallert

Hello Gang. i had this in the control forum because, well, it's about control but it's about steam control, so i moved it here.
It's been a few years away on the forum for me. I have a few questions about the boilers and their control that I'm tasked with maintaining. Actually I'm more interested in finding discontinued replacement parts for the control systems. I work now for a prevent boarding school in the Berkshires. The Main building is heated with two big Pacific fire tube boilers and the radiation is controlled for the most part with pneumatic valve actuators. I'll post pictures of the components. I know that these components are obsolete but i wonder if there are still a few out there. or if an alternative is available. I have an electric-pneumatic relay with a worn out diaphragm gasket that is a major contributor to calling the compressor. I have another electric air valve that makes a horrendously loud buzz. I would love to get this system operating automatically and quietly and evenly. This is the beginning of my third month here so I'm still finding my way around. There are 404 stream traps that im gaining on so that i can keep the steam in the system and not venting out the building in three locations. there was a survey done a few years ago that in running through, this is a big help.
Any input would be great and any thing i should have mentioned and didn't? thanks guys
Peace
Matthew

Tinman

I'm not your guy for the answers on this but pretty cool stuff! The steam heavyweights, I'm sure, will help you out.

bob_46

both honeywell and johnson still sell everything you need to keep your pneumatic control system functioning .

Matthew Grallert

Pretty cool stuff. probably should have put it in the strictly stream though
Stay tuned:)

ratio

You may or may not be able to get repair parts for specific controls, but I've been replacing valves &| diaphragms & stats with new for several years now on the pneumatic baby I inherited. It might take a little detective work to find a good supplier, especially if you don't have any contacts in the field, but once you do they should be able to get just about any thing you need.

Where are you located? Someone may know a supplier in your area that specializes in pneumatic.

njtommy

The key is denfintly a good supply house who carries or can get Pneumatic parts. You may not be able to get 100% same part, but with a little understanding and reading about how to calibrate the controls you will be fine.
Get your self a Pneumatic kit with a gauge, pump, spare connections and the calibration gauge to the t-stats.

Matthew Grallert

thanks a bunch for guys, I'm looking forward to set these old zones (5 of them) up to run as they were meant to run. I'm curious, is there something i should look for in a pneumatic kit? Does some one make a kit like this?
M

Matthew Grallert

bob said:

both honeywell and johnson still sell everything you need to keep your pneumatic control system functioning .

that's good to know. I did speak with Johnson control regarding the sylphon actuators as I had a valve that had been beaten up past restoration, discontinued in the very early sixties. Which is too bad because they are really neat valves and fit the systems aesthetics in the main part of the mansion. I havent spoken with either company regarding the relays yet.
M