Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.
Can steam pressure ever be too low??
Billy_13
Member Posts: 15
Hi All.
I made some tweaks to my steam boiler this fall. One change was replacing the "hissing" main vents. Replaced all my Hoffman main vents (74's and 75's) with Gorton #2's (3 main vents total). Also gave them all AT LEAST 8" vertical clearance from the main (previously were threaded straight into the mains). The overall pressure in the system dropped considerably- so low I couldn't detect it. I added a compound gauge and a 0-3psi gauge (kept the code-required 0-30). The pressure never builds up over 4 inches H 2 0 (~0.145psi) when firing; stabilizes at ~-0.07psi (vacuum) when idle (not firing).
Is there any downside to pressure this low?
I've read all of Dan's books. I cant even get the pressure up to 0.5 psi! Did I go overkill? Will I damage anything?
The results have been pretty amazing- the house heats much quicker and evenly... and my fuel $$ dropped nearly 300%... all in line with what Dan says in his books.
All replies welcomed.
Thank you all.
-Billy
Weil-McLain EG-75
2-Pipe Steam
Gravity-Return
I made some tweaks to my steam boiler this fall. One change was replacing the "hissing" main vents. Replaced all my Hoffman main vents (74's and 75's) with Gorton #2's (3 main vents total). Also gave them all AT LEAST 8" vertical clearance from the main (previously were threaded straight into the mains). The overall pressure in the system dropped considerably- so low I couldn't detect it. I added a compound gauge and a 0-3psi gauge (kept the code-required 0-30). The pressure never builds up over 4 inches H 2 0 (~0.145psi) when firing; stabilizes at ~-0.07psi (vacuum) when idle (not firing).
Is there any downside to pressure this low?
I've read all of Dan's books. I cant even get the pressure up to 0.5 psi! Did I go overkill? Will I damage anything?
The results have been pretty amazing- the house heats much quicker and evenly... and my fuel $$ dropped nearly 300%... all in line with what Dan says in his books.
All replies welcomed.
Thank you all.
-Billy
Weil-McLain EG-75
2-Pipe Steam
Gravity-Return
0
Comments
-
Ask @ChrisJ You have what you want low pressure. I think Chris gets way lower than that.1
-
Billy,
Here's a video showing my pressure at the boiler when it's 10F outside. Though since adding a snubber the overall pressure reading stays slightly lower. My system shuts down for 10 minutes if I hit 1" WC and it never does, as of yet anyway.
https://youtu.be/hH36luC9GKUSingle pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment1 -
To answer your specific question, can it ever be too low?
Yes, if you have problems with radiators not heating no matter what you do with venting, otherwise, no.Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment0 -
Exactly. If all your radiators are heating, you're running a nicely balanced system. You're running right where you want to be, no overkill at all. Nice.New England SteamWorks
Service, Installation, & Restoration of Steam Heating Systems
newenglandsteamworks.com0 -
Guys,
Thank you all for replying. I can't tell you how good it feels to have that peace-of-mind. Got a couple below zero nights this week in the Steel City. Excited to see how this holds up- first winter in this house.
Thanks Everyone!
-Billy0
Categories
- All Categories
- 86K THE MAIN WALL
- 3.1K A-C, Heat Pumps & Refrigeration
- 52 Biomass
- 420 Carbon Monoxide Awareness
- 80 Chimneys & Flues
- 1.9K Domestic Hot Water
- 5.3K Gas Heating
- 96 Geothermal
- 154 Indoor-Air Quality
- 3.3K Oil Heating
- 60 Pipe Deterioration
- 891 Plumbing
- 5.9K Radiant Heating
- 378 Solar
- 14.7K Strictly Steam
- 3.2K Thermostats and Controls
- 52 Water Quality
- 41 Industry Classes
- 47 Job Opportunities
- 17 Recall Announcements