Oil to gas steam replacement

Dave0176

Doing an oil to gas steamer, adding a hot water heater and running new gas line as the house wasn't piped for NG.
The old boiler was piped wrong as usual, no equalizer. The HW coil was starting to leak and filling the boiler up, so replacement was necessary. Gonna go back tomorrow got a few more things to do then fire it up.

EzzyT

Beautiful job as always @Dave0176

Fred

Wow, Looks Great!

Steamhead

Agreed. Was this a Vapor system?

Dave0176

Steamhead said:

Agreed. Was this a Vapor system?

@Steamhead thanks, no this is just your basic one pipe. For what ever reason the original dead engineer decided on a 2-1/2 main to the first elbow then down to 2", as you see that 1" dry return is basically a drain for the main as they didn't use any eccentric coupling, just a 2-1/2 X 2" elbow.

ChrisJ

EG-35 with the signature Dave Z© equalizer?
Looks fantastic as always.

Dave0176

ChrisJ said:

EG-35 with the signature Dave Z© equalizer?
Looks fantastic as always.

Lol thanks its just easier to pipe then the double 45s, and I've had no problems at all with it.

gennady

I would move this below water level

Danny Scully

I've thought the same thing @gennady, but as @Dave0176 said, he's had no issues. I guess the same would be true of a drop header's height.

Dave0176

gennady said:

I would move this below water level

Why? Explain.

I know you guys have concerns of water sitting in that pipe and hammering, however I've never had an issue.

To me it's only an aesthetics thing.

Danny Scully

He's suggesting it's not 28" above the waterline I think, although, it's the equalizer...

Dave0176

I guess that DOES bring up a good question, does the header equalizer need to be 28" above the hartford loop? Im thinking not as most of everyone's installations would be wrong.

Danny Scully

I think it would be from the waterline, but really, I don't see it being an issue. The equalizer does just as it suggests, it equalizes pressure. So, I would think the equalizer prevents backup of water and forces it through the Hartford loop and back into the boiler.

ChrisJ

Dave0176 said:

I guess that DOES bring up a good question, does the header equalizer need to be 28" above the hartford loop? Im thinking not as most of everyone's installations would be wrong.

No.
I believe 28" is assumed due to the pressure drop down the main and it also assumes something like 2 PSI operating pressure.

The header doesn't have that pressure drop therefore water isn't going to back up it 28". Your Z equaliZer is above the boiler therefore should never have water in it.

Dave, he puts the Z in EqualiZer.


I don't think water ever gets above the turn in the Hartford loop. This is why hammering is a concern there and a close nipple or wye must be used.

ChrisJ

Hatterasguy said:

ChrisJ said:

I don't think water ever gets above the turn in the Hartford loop. This is why hammering is a concern there and a close nipple or wye must be used.

Where is it written that steam and water cannot co-exist in a horizontal pipe?

Take a look at all your steam mains on a one pipe system. Water in the bottom..........steam in the top. Works fine.

The only time you have a problem is if you fill the pipe with water and said pipe is in the path of the steam.

The equalizer has water in it without a doubt and Dave's horizontal pipe has water in it without a doubt. But, the water and steam co-exist without any problem due to the size of the pipe and the limited amount of water in the bottom of the pipe.

Pretty sure I'm the one that keeps saying this.

Dave0176

Is this better my brothers??

Danny Scully

No! Stand by your morals @Dave0176!

Steamhead

As long as that horizontal pipe has a slight pitch so water can drain, it should be fine.

But those 45s sure look cool!

Jamie Hall

I must admit I like the 45s better, but -- there is a very important thing to remember here (and the horizontal would have been OK too!): you only get problems with things like hammer etc. when there is moving air or steam. In the equalizer you have neither one -- just water from the header finding its way home. Any air/steam in there isn't going anywhere -- it can't. Just equalising the pressure...

Dave0176

All done......

Dave0176

Oh and thank you Peter @Sailah those big mouths work as advertised. That main vented FAST..........

Sailah

Great to hear the feedback thanks.

Paul S_3

great job @Dave0176

OilToGas

@Dave0176 Thanks again. We love the new setup. Clean, quiet, dry, and warm. I'll be recommending you to anyone I know who needs heating help--and especially if they have steam. Glad we found an expert to do the job. (I told you this before, but the plumber who quoted the job before we met you "sized" the boiler just by looking at our old one. I dug out the old quote just for fun--he wanted to install a Utica PEG150EID with 391 sqft. of steam and 150,000 BTUs. Crazy. I doubt I would have gotten a drop header from him, either!)

Thank you again!

@EzzyT Nice to meet you, too, when you stopped by the other day to see Dave.

Keep up the good work keeping NJ warm guys!

EBEBRATT-Ed

Just my opinion, as far as the equalizer goes I prefer the 90s and yeah, I can measure 45s.

I feel that the horizontal equalizer is fine because it has no flow in it. At least not enough to cause an issue. It's balancing the pressure from supply to return and draining the header which has no condensate once it's hot.

As long as the horizontal portion is not at or near the water line I think it's fine