Repiping a Small Columbia Steamer

Steamhead

We were called in to troubleshoot this little steam system that banged constantly. It is in a 2-bedroom rowhouse that was built about 1925. All the ones we've been in on this row have the same system, where the two back radiators are fed with a very short 1-1/4" counterflow main. and the bathroom and two front radiators are fed from a longer 1-1/2" parallel-flow main.

The boiler is a Columbia CEG-075E, which is a re-branded Utica PEG. It is the smallest PEG/CEG made, at 196 square feet.

We found the typical piping mess- copper, wrongly configured, messed up Hartford Loop, etc.

Steamhead

With all the spectacularly-done repipes we've seen recently, this one probably seems anticlimactic. But with such a small boiler, a 2-inch header is really all you need.

The owner wanted more clearance so we rotated the entire boiler, placing the controls and skim port where they are most accessible.

We connected the counterflow main to the header at a 45° angle, so the very small amount of returning condensate from two 25-square-foot rads would not shower the steam in the header. We also re-oriented the Hydrolevel VXT water feeder so you can actually see the display.

A Gorton #6 vent on the long main balanced the system perfectly.

When we started it up, it was eerily quiet. No banging!

We flushed and skimmed the boiler but it will probably need more. We'll be back to handle that.

Danny Scully

It's not 3", AND there's no drop header?! How dare you! Mission accomplished as always @steamhead, good job.

New England SteamWorks

Nice work! Allow me to rotate your photos if I may:

Steamhead

Thanks, @RI_SteamWorks- still haven't figured out why the pics from my camera do that. The first set came from my phone, and they displayed correctly..............

ChrisJ

Oh how I'd love to try two of those, or two EG30's out on my system.

RomanGK_26986764589

Nice work! What was the total EDR of the house?

Fred

Very nice.

Dan Foley

Nice save, Frank.

- DF

Steamhead

RomanGK_26986764589 said:

Nice work! What was the total EDR of the house?

125 square feet EDR or so.

Thanks, all.

EzzyT

Beautiful job as always Frank

Dave0176

Looking good, and that is one small steamer.