Repiping a steam boiler

Dave0176

Unfortunately for the owner the plumber he hired placed a boiler double the size of the needed EDR. EDR measured at 188 he installed a Weil-McLain EG-40 at 325 sq ft. He had major wet steam and spitting air vents. The plumber never even pipped to at least Weil-McLains minimum specs, like a good plumber he pipped with a single 2" copper riser about 12" out of the boiler into the low hanging existing header. And ran a smallish 1-1/4 equalizer.

So I'm installing a 4" header two 3" boiler risers, and a Gifford loop as the wet returns go above the water line before the drop. A Honeywell two stage gas valve and vaporstat to control the oversized boiler.

EzzyT

@Dave0176 what a beauty of a repipe, that steam is going to super dry.

Dave0176

I'm hoping so @EzzyT that's why the 4" header. Also of course the plumber never installed a skim tapping so it's never been skimmed. So I'm gonna run the crap out of it then skim it, then when heating season starts I'll come back skim more then wash it out. He also needs to address main venting as there isn't enough.

EzzyT

Its a shame that boiler is way over sized but the 2 stage firing set up will handle that. How that washing/wand rig you have working out for you?

Fred

A piece of ART!!

EzzyT

@Fred it truly is a piece of art

Dave0176

EzzyT said:

Its a shame that boiler is way over sized but the 2 stage firing set up will handle that. How that washing/wand rig you have working out for you?

It the greatest invention @gerry gill ever came up with. I'm obsessed with it, and its results.

ChrisJ

I don't think that smoke pipe is to code in the pictures.

Ah, the signature Dave S bend equalizer. Dead giveaway for your work.

Looks clean as always.

I'm curious, how does it perform on low fire? How bad was the excess o2?

Paul S_3

beautiful install @Dave0176 .....its great to see us all install these beautys ......its like everyone else just hacks them in

EzzyT

Agreed @Paul S

New England SteamWorks

That I'll work @Dave0176 ! Bravo! Taking the time to remove the original header and straighten out the supplies for your header: Priceless! Your customer should be well pleased with such workmanship.

KC_Jones

If I am seeing it correctly it looks like the plumber put some steel across the top of the pad to allow for the boiler to sit there. I guess the fact that it didn't fit the pad wasn't even enough of a clue it was too big. I feel so bad for people spending all that money....twice just to get a quality job. The existence of crap work in any field truly upsets me. Think of all the waste we have in this country as a result?!

Dave keep up the good work your pride is obvious, fantastic work as usual. Consider an apprentice some day when you get older and need to pass along your skills to someone. We need to perpetuate your work ethic along with many others on this wall!

I too am curious about your low fire set up and how it performs.

Dave0176

When I fire it and do the combustion test I'll post the results of both high and low fire. The Testo 320 is ready!!

Dave0176

This boiler was originally installed on Dec 23, 2010 as an emergency. Wasn't to bad to remove all the plugs because I had told the owner to hit it with PB Blaster at least every couple days. Had to to put the 48" ridgid to work on those plugs but we got them out.

EzzyT

I hear yeah I had to do the same on the steamer I just repiped

New England SteamWorks

EzzyT

Haha, there is no competition were both here to do our part to rid the industry of the hacks

Steamhead

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

JUGHNE

Great improvement!
Did the original installer put the vaporstat & 0-5 PSI gauge on the boiler along with the 2" CU pipe? Seems overkill for a blotched job by him.

I have visions of a lot of short cycles with the way it was, being oversized and cutting out on less than a pound.

Dave0176

Job is complete, ran it, was dirty as hell, skimmed it, still dirty, so I got my trusty wand out and washed it good. Everything ran quietly, no more spitting air vents, no banging, fire cycles off hi fire at 10oz, and kicks back on at 4. The POS stock pressuretrol even works lol. It kicks the fire completely at 1.5 psi.

Had to adjust the gas valve to get proper gas pressures, took a combustion test and this is for @ChrisJ the high fire excess air was 137% low fire it was 258%.

The number were hi fire
265 degree stack, 11.5% oxygen, CO 8 ppm, CO2 6%

Low fire
248 stack, 15.6 O2, CO 2ppm, CO2 3

ChrisJ

@Dave0176 Those numbers, that has to be after the drafthood, no?

What was the calculated efficiency?

jonny88

I hope your customer sees this thread.Beautiful install.We can all learn from this.Even the little doggy seems happy.

Dave0176

ChrisJ said:

@Dave0176 Those numbers, that has to be after the drafthood, no?

What was the calculated efficiency?

Yep that was measured at 12" up in the stack, efficiency was 84.3.

JUGHNE

I thought you checked the combustion gases before the draft hood? 12" up the stack would have the dilution air from the basement included via the draft hood?

Not to argue, just thought that was I read. I have done checks by sticking probe thru the hood to get the actual gases off the heat exchanger, it always seems awkward and more of a hot place than I want to be.

Dave0176

JUGHNE said:

I thought you checked the combustion gases before the draft hood? 12" up the stack would have the dilution air from the basement included via the draft hood?

Not to argue, just thought that was I read. I have done checks by sticking probe thru the hood to get the actual gases off the heat exchanger, it always seems awkward and more of a hot place than I want to be.

Yeah the instructions list to test 12" up the stack, I could check before the draft hood.

Dave0176

JUGHNE said:

Great improvement!
Did the original installer put the vaporstat & 0-5 PSI gauge on the boiler along with the 2" CU pipe? Seems overkill for a blotched job by him.

I have visions of a lot of short cycles with the way it was, being oversized and cutting out on less than a pound.

No I the homeowner added those items himself.

Paul S_3

that explains the low stack temp and hi O2.....

JUGHNE

So if I have a power burner without a drafthood, I would check gases and temp right off the fire without the added benefit of room air cooling the exhaust and adding O2 from that air.

So one would come up with quite different numbers in each case. I believe the temp tester knows the room temp and takes that into account when calculating efficiency based on exhaust temp inside the draft hood before dilatation air is added.

Again I am just here to learn....it never ends.

warno

Damn, You guys do magic with threaded pipe. Good job. Being a welder I personally hate threaded connections but it does make things come apart easier.

ChrisJ

warno said:

Damn, You guys do magic with threaded pipe. Good job. Being a welder I personally hate threaded connections but it does make things come apart easier.

Swing joints are a must on a boiler like this, no?


Some welders do magic too.

Hap_Hazzard

Plasma cutters make things come apart a lot easier!

ChrisJ

Hap_Hazzard said:

Plasma cutters make things come apart a lot easier!

So does a Sawzall.

Dave0176

ChrisJ said:

Hap_Hazzard said:

Plasma cutters make things come apart a lot easier!

So does a Sawzall.

Lets not forget an angle grinder. One of my favorite tools.

EzzyT

Band saw does a better job with no vibrations

Hap_Hazzard

Have you ever used a plasma cutter? You'll never take a sawzall seriously after you use a plasma cutter.

ChrisJ

Hap_Hazzard said:

Have you ever used a plasma cutter? You'll never take a sawzall seriously after you use a plasma cutter.

I was finally able to get my own angle grinder this week, a plasma cutter is likely never happening in my life time.

I had my dad's grinder, he wanted it back after several years.

EzzyT

Plasma cutter are great but not practical in someone home

warno

Here's some of my more recent work on my own junk. Ok, thread jacking done, sorry.

Again, beautiful piping.

Hap_Hazzard

Nice fillet! Is that stainless?

Sailah

Walking the cup!

I live TIG welding but I'm still an amateur

warno

Yep, it's stainless. 3" sch40 pipe with a 1" sch40 connection.