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1920s Hoffman #2 Vacuum Steam Vent Tabletop Demonstrator

Gordo
Gordo Member Posts: 857
edited November 2016 in Strictly Steam
Restored 1920s nickle-plated brass mini boiler with glass view ports showing that Hoffman single pipe vacuum steam vents were "the watchman of the coal pile" and worth the extra cost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ple0cVv6ow

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All Steamed Up, Inc.
"Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
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Comments

  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,495
    Very interesting, it's a shame nobody builds something like that any more.

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,231
    BobC said:

    Very interesting, it's a shame nobody builds something like that any more.

    Bob

    You could if you wanted to,
    I'm sure one of these is a good and safe starting point.

    https://www.amazon.com/Jensen-Steam-Engine-Fuel-Heated/dp/B001JJAZLU


    My son will be getting one as soon as I feel he's old enough.
    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 treatment
  • hvacfreak2
    hvacfreak2 Member Posts: 500
    Interesting , cool stuff . I remember years ago removing some vents like that and wondering what the heck that tube was for
    ( and how they got it in there ).
    hvacfreak

    Mechanical Enthusiast

    Burnham MST 396 , 60 oz gauge , Tigerloop , Firomatic Check Valve , Mcdonnell Miller 67 lwco , Danfoss RA2k TRV's

    Easyio FG20 Controller

  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,596
    edited November 2016
    Thanks, Gordo. Great stuff. I have one of their old ads where the set the water boiling violently again with a single match after the vacuum settled in. Love to see you do that.
    Retired and loving it.
    SWEIGordo
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 857
    DanHolohan said:

    Thanks, Gordo. Great stuff. I have one of their old ads where the set the water boiling violently again with a single match after the vacuum settled in. Love to see you do that.

    Could you post a copy of that ad, sir?
    Yes, I think I should be able to make a short video doing what you suggest very soon.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
  • gerry gill
    gerry gill Member Posts: 3,078
    you are awesome Gordo! thank you so much for sharing that with us.
    gwgillplumbingandheating.com
    Serving Cleveland's eastern suburbs from Cleveland Heights down to Cuyahoga Falls.

    Gordo
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,596
    I'm traveling, Gordo, but I pulled this from a PowerPoint slide I used in my seminar days.


    Retired and loving it.
    Gordo
  • gerry gill
    gerry gill Member Posts: 3,078
    you know, we got nothin' on the old timers.
    gwgillplumbingandheating.com
    Serving Cleveland's eastern suburbs from Cleveland Heights down to Cuyahoga Falls.

    Gordo
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,231
    gerry gill said:

    you know, we got nothin' on the old timers.

    Sure we do.
    The problem is we're stuck with fairly old, half baked stuff rather than newer technology for steam.

    There's plenty of improvements that can be done, but instead I guess these 1960s-70s pin type boilers are fine. :/
    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 treatment
    Gordo
  • vaporvac
    vaporvac Member Posts: 1,520
    OK, this is just about the coolest little demo I've ever seen as it illustrates the exquisite genius of vacuum steam so simply. Someone please tell me again how this fell out of favor. This would be the saviour of so many one-pipe systems. @Gordo, you must add the match and maybe show how the pressure returns to 0 once air is introduced. What a gem. Where did you ever find it?
    Two-pipe Trane vaporvacuum system; 1466 edr
    Twinned, staged Slantfin TR50s piped into 4" header with Riello G400 burners; 240K lead, 200K lag Btus. Controlled by Taco Relay and Honeywell RTH6580WF
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,231
    vaporvac said:

    OK, this is just about the coolest little demo I've ever seen as it illustrates the exquisite genius of vacuum steam so simply. Someone please tell me again how this fell out of favor. This would be the saviour of so many one-pipe systems. @Gordo, you must add the match and maybe show how the pressure returns to 0 once air is introduced. What a gem. Where did you ever find it?

    In my non-professional opinion this fell out of favor and the 33% pickup factor was created all because of half-baked conversions of coal systems where guys had very little time to make things work. People found what seemed to work best on systems and just rolled with it.

    We can't blame anyone for that, but sometimes when we're bored staring at the wall perhaps we can ponder up improvements and ways to make things such as vacuum work.

    That's my opinion, and I'm unanimous in that. :)

    Hopefully, someone will know where that quote is from rather than just thinking I'm a dope.


    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 treatment
    Gordo
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,495
    " I'm unanimous in that"

    I had to look it up to make sure I got the spelling right but it was Mrs Slocombe in Are you being Served

    I wonder how her pussy is doing?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Slocombe
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
    ChrisJGordo
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,254
    Brit sit coms can be re-run and enjoyed almost as much as "Mash".
    BobCChrisJSWEI
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 857
    @vaporvac : We found this gem on ebay some years ago.

    We are looking forward to making another video of this, using either a match or a small votive candle to boil the water when we get the vacuum down below 10" Hg.

    Would like to attach a larger 0-30" Hg gauge and get a reasonably accurate digital thermometer with remote probe to put down in the well on the demonstrator.

    We had such a thermometer ready, but it started giving questionable results as we started setting up for filming. It seemed to read about 203*F when the water was boiling at one psi.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
    vaporvac
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 857
    gerry gill said:

    you are awesome Gordo! thank you so much for sharing that with us.

    Coming from you, sir, that means a lot!
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc

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