press.gauge

HEATON

don't want to depend on the $3.95 1 1/2" gauge that was shipped with the boiler and is 5 yrs old. Where can I purchase a 3 or 4" 0-30 or 0-15 psi gauge? Also can't find so far, a 10 gallon condensate tank, steel, 1" ports.

ratio

The 0-30 is required for code, leave it in place. Add a 0-3 or 0-5 lb gauge, this one is popular here.

HEATON

thanks, did'nt know of that source. how bout ur experience with cleaning out the accumulation of junk in old radiators in a one pipe steam system or is not a big issue since there is no noise occuring in the rads. Issue is slow return of condensate. LWCO cycling . If I add a receiver tank to help with this how will it be piped. Center line of tank level with water line? Old large water content boiler has been replaced with a new low water content one with newer efficient one and 30% over sized.

JUGHNE

See if these are the right ones.

JUGHNE

Are you sure your return, especially wet returns are flowing freely?

This is a 1 pipe system in a 100 YO church.

First picture is back end of tank/boiler. The wet return loop is on the floor. The 2" dry return is from 2 returns actually but since has been split with 2 drops to floor wet return.
The inlet to the tank is (the way I see it anyway) the Hartford connection.
If you look at the 2nd picture, there is a boiler water level line on the front of the tank, the inlet of the tank is below that level line.

The bottom outlets of the tank are 2" that enter the boiler return taps on each side.
The water feeder is teed into both the tank fitting and the boiler inlet fitting.

The 2" equalizer/drip connects into the top of the tank. But if you see where it is connected on the top header, I don't think there is much drip going on. Having the equalizer connected to the top of the tank, with the lower water connected to the boiler, makes the tank at the same pressure/level as the boiler. I think of it as part of the boiler but has no fire under it.
The 4" risers to the header are nearly 10' high, so drip is going back into boiler.

It takes 90 gallons of water to fill the entire boiler/tank.
This tank was fabricated by the gas company who did the install, welding would have been done by a certified pipe line welder, as they have an ample supply of those workers. The end plates are 1/2" plate steel. For the riser to the header they would torch 4" nipples in half to screw into boiler/90's then weld in 4" lengths of pipe as needed.......no 4" threading.....pretty slick I would say.....if you can weld pipe that well.

I have never noticed this go to low water while operating.
It is quiet and will operate on a vaporstat that seldom cycles at 8 ounces.

There are 2- 3" steam mains 113' and 107'
100' of 2" return for each side.
12 CI rads totaling 1218 EDR
Boiler is NG Dunkirk 246B-6 , 525,000 input

JUGHNE

JUGHNE

This tank was connected only to water ports below the water line. There was no equalizer connection from the steam section of the boiler. I could see no good functioning use of it. The homeowner said it started leaking water and the local plumber came and replaced it exactly as the original. No idea of supposed function. It had half filled with nasty stagnate return water and rusted thru.
I removed the replacement, with a gut feeling that water would return well enough and the system functioned fine, the tank is like new.
It was your typical compression tank.
Had an equalizer line been connected to the top port it may have worked, if needed.

This was a 2 pipe, 225,000 input with about 400 EDR connected.
All sorts of problems that got ironed out.
38' of 3" express main to end of house, 70' of 2" main on each side of house return to boiler room.

Is now a vapor orifice in valve union system running at ounces.
Water returns properly.