One pipe steam system with condensate tank

Jim_62

A one pipe steam system with a condensate tank has an F&T trap on one section of the return before the condensate tank. Another section does not have any trap on it (20' of return) before it returns to the condensate tank. Steam is blowing now into the condensate tank through a wet return. What would cause that "wet" return to allow steam to pass through besides an obvious leak? Should there be another F&T trap on the other section of return? Thanks.

Jim_62

A one pipe steam system with a condensate tank has an F&T trap on one section of the return before the condensate tank. Another section does not have any trap on it (20' of return) before it returns to the condensate tank. Steam is blowing now into the condensate tank through a wet return. What would cause that "wet" return to allow steam to pass through besides an obvious leak? Should there be another F&T trap on the other section of return? Thanks.

JUGHNE

Steam would not be passing thru a true "wet" return. Your F&T for the other line may be passing steam.

How about pictures of the F&T, cond pump and piping and the wet return line?

Jamie Hall

Maybe a dumb question, but... is the wet return actually wet? Or did the boiler get replaced with one with a lower water line, and no one thought to raise it to match the original water line?

One might also enquire as to why there is a condensate tank and pump at all on a residential one pipe system?

jp80

I've seen similar situations before. A condensate tank installed when not needed. We piped the return directly into the boiler with a check valve. Hope you get the issue resolved!