Broomell Steam system

oilheatme

Does anyone have a drawing of the piping from the receiver.

New England SteamWorks

Gsmith

On a slightly off topic, does any one know the position of the radiator valve handle for a fully open rad valve--valve handle over the word "open" cast in the valve or 180 dog from that?

oilheatme

I'm assuming that the receiver doesn't get piped in the hartford loop

oilheatme

i believe 180 deg from it

DanHolohan

Here's a detailed spec from 1924:
https://heatinghelp.com/heating-museum/broomell-specifications-from-1924/

And the patents, thanks to Gerry Gill:
https://heatinghelp.com/heating-museum/broomell-u-s-patents/

Job photos from Robert O'Connor:
https://heatinghelp.com/assets/documents/359.pdf

Gordo

@Gary Smith:
The following video is by no means a definitive essay on the internal construction of the Broomell radiator valve.

It appears that there were many variations. We found two slight variations within one house!

I do hope this information is helpful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Kii5K_wps

Gsmith

Thanks

Gordo, very helpful. Attached are 2 pictures of this houses valves. They have the word "open" stamped on the outlet side of the valve (radiator side) . I think n these valves full open is with the handle pointed toward the radiator and the pin in the hole next to the word open.

oilheatme

it looks like it is open

Gsmith

I think the pictured one was partially open. Will experiment a bit in the next few days

Gordo

Thank you for those pictures, Gary.

We have not, as yet, had the opportunity of taking apart your particular variation of the Broomell valve, as we do not have that one in our "petting zoo" of steam parts.

It looks like you will have the distinction of becoming the local Broomell expert!

Gsmith

It is actually a friends house and I only get there occasionally. House heats fine, but one room with 3 exterior walls and two massive rads needs more heat. The valves on the rads are set at different positions and I was trying to figure out what full open position was. I'm sure just a little experimentation will tell us. I thought perhaps all Broomell valves were similar, buthanks to you I now know there are several varieties.

MilanD

How does Broomell setup work with a modern boiler? Do you just set up the vaporstat to very low cut out? (I'm just curious as I'm reading the LAOSH companion book.)

Jamie Hall

Should work just fine. Most vapour systems do. Main thing is to keep the vapourstat set low enough, but as sort of a general thing anywhere from 8 to 12 ounces cutout should work.

And to the OP -- you can safely throttle the valves to control the individual heat from a radiator, up to the point where it is full.

MilanD

Thanks @Jamie Hall ! I know the whole point of Broomell was modulating the coal burner air draft via the Receiver. I am supposing with a modern non-modulating steam boiler this Receiver has no real function, aside from, perhaps, allowing for the slight vacuum via the draft connection going into the chimney. Am I mistaken to think this? Any other function of the Receiver with a modern boiler?

DanHolohan

It does a nice job of showing the boiler pressure on the device's gauge glass.