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I have a two-pipe low pressure steam system, recently replaced brand new (Weil McLain). The original return line includes a Y Strainer on the horizontal return and immediately after the Y Strainer is a Y Check Valve. The return line then continues to the boiler. After replacement, the Y Check Valve was clogged and condensate would spit out of the top of the vent as the water backed up in the line. 3 months later, it is happening again. I assume the Y Check Valve (original) needs to be replaced? Is there a better solution? Thank you.
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If so you usually don't have a check valve in the return line.
Do you have a condensate pump for the return?
Post pictures if you are not sure about these items.
And some pictures from farther back so all the piping around the boiler can be seen.
mkantz, please continue with us.
If you read more on this wall you will realize that most systems are picked apart, most deservingly so.
Sorry to say but your system has some issues, we would discuss them with you.
We will try to advise you concerning your immediate problem with the check valve but need to see the rest of the piping with that part.
One question - the check valve is meant to keep water from coming back from the boiler? In the case of our setup, should that line be full of water at all times? When I opened the top of the check valve, it was gushing water, as I assume it should be unless the boiler is drained.
Then some other time we can worry about the rest of the problems!
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England.
Hoffman Equipped System (all original except boiler), Weil-Mclain 580, 2.75 gph Carlin, Vapourstat 0.5 -- 6.0 ounces per square inch
That will get you back in business.
Your piping could be a lot better. Save up some bucks for a steam pro to repipe it correctly with an equalizer and a Hrtford loop.
Find the boiler install instructions, they show you how to have it piped. Anyone can pipe it correctly even if they don't know steam as long as they can read and follow instructions (but you would be better off with a steam pro)
I don't like the header coupling because it shows that the installer didn't have a CLUE.
The header is crying for swing joints.
I don't believe in going straight across, even if you can get it together with unions and flanges
Puts strain on the sections
The starts to my drop header I'll install this summer:
On a steam system, the manufacturers near boiler piping specs MUST be followed. Did the installer at least use the manual to wipe his mouth with after lunch?
No Hartford loop, no swing joints, no equalizer.
The installer needs to come back on his own dime, open the manual and repipe it correctly.
One more tidbit. No street els on gas piping and it looks like a thread protector and not a black pipe coupling.
Thank you all for your recommendations. I've got a new boiler guy coming on Tuesday.
Of all the things mentioned above, I believe one of the most important is to get swing 90's on the boiler risers. Just looking at that "dresser coupling" on the horizontal "header" between the risers you can see the strain and binding on the boiler outlet fittings. When the boiler is fired up and that cast iron is exposed to 300 degree plus flue gas, it expands and is trying to grow. The solid piping between risers is trying to hold the cast iron in place. Swing joint 90's will allow for that expansion and contraction of boiler sections.
With the risers being as short as they are there is limited flex of piping compounded by the lack of 90's. This has caused cracking of one or more boiler sections.........major money.
Locate the book online if you don't find it in the basement. It won't be surprising if it is still in the unopened bag. Piping instructions are inside. A drop header is always recommended but may not be shown in the book.
"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
There is a picture in the manual that shows exactly how to do it. Make it exactly like the picture without interpretation and everything will be fine. Literacy must be a problem for your installer. I hope you did not pay for that work as it still needs redone.
EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10202744301871904.1073741828.1330391881&type=1&l=c34ad6ee78
This is a NEW crew that came in to do the work on the equalizer. They could not get the left header pipe coming from the boiler off the new boiler even with two guys, thus they put the coupler back on...
The boiler is now flooding itself every time it runs, the pressure only gets above .5 psi after 45 min and the water hammer is tremendous.
I don’t know what your instructions were to them, but if you asked them to correct the piping, they should have followed the piping diagram so thoughtfully supplied by the manufacturer.
Find the manual, on the website, and print up a couple of copies, one of which you can draw their current piping on. Show it to the top dog at the company, and request a correction.
As it is now, the steam is blowing in too much water up into the mains. I wonder if they also raised the pressure on the pressuretrol, ‘just for good measure’.—NBC
The way it's arranged now the steam needs to go one way and the water another. It's not smart enough to do this so it will throw the water up into the system. Basically it sucks the water out of the boiler. This will activate the feeder and when all the water returns it's flooded. Oh and all that water in the system will hammer like crazy. Looking longer term all that water will rust out the pipes prematurely. Flooding boiler with make up water will rot that new boiler out as well.
The details are important. of the details aren't correct you won't be able to get it running properly.
EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10202744301871904.1073741828.1330391881&type=1&l=c34ad6ee78
System Photo: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021738/uploads/FileUpload/79/451e1f19a1e5b345e0951fbe1ff6ca.jpg
- Is the Header at least 24" above the normal water line (if you had a normal water line)? It looks like it may be but with that much head room, going higher would make for dryer steam.
- There are no swing joints between the risers and the header, which means with expansion/contraction, those risers will push against the boiler sections and crack one or more sections, given time, shortening the life of that boiler
- As has been said, the equalizer is on the wrong end of the header. The header does look like it is pitched back towards the equalizer but with that reduction on the horizontal, any returning water will flow down the riser rather than the equalizer. That will cause hammer.
- I'm not sure why that clamp is there, in the middle of the header. That will likely be a source of problems/leaks if it is actually pulling the two halves together.
- On a boiler that size, I'm sure the instructions say the header should be at least one size larger than the risers.
- There definitely looks like one of the returns is tied into another, above the water line. Another source for hammer.
- Anyone who says "We couldn't get that pipe off so we left it incorrect should be shown the door and someone brought in with the right equipment and tenacity to get the job done.
The dresser coupling in the header should be replaced with a union or a flange, and as long as we are going down this road, did they do a radiation survey when they initially installed this? That looks like a pretty large boiler for the average house. If it is oversized enough it can cause all sorts of problems. What is the square footage of the house? Check the boiler for a rating tag and look for a btu/hr input rating and let us know what it is. If they don't have 36" and 48" pipe wrenches, they will not get the risers out, and should not be attempting to work on steam systems IMHO
Question: do you want this thing to ever work right??
Here's what you and your crew need to do. Remove all the piping and start from scratch. ITS ALL WRONG. You don't need a picture, you have the boiler manual.
All you need is an installer who can read and isn't lazy. Don't try and twist and turn about which pipe to save. Measure, fit, install and make it look like the picture you have ....in the manual