Homer repiped his copper near boiler piping to black steel

Kahooli

Posting to show the work I've done over the past few months on night and weekends. I tried to follow the work of the pros here as well as I could, and added few things that made sense to me as well.

I have previously posted some pictures of my system when I acquired it and after insulating the header here:
https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/159422/my-new-to-me-steam-system#latest

I'll add pictures to the Repiping folder later tonight (I need to take them first!).
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/0B4UzDZ2eO6gKSWV0VHpnT0FrM1U


The risers are 2-1/2"x36" dropping into a 3" header. The main takeoffs are 2-1/2" then reduced to 2" to connect to the mains. The equalizer and wet return is 2" as well. The dry to wet returns are 1-1/2".
The wet return goes through a 2" wye strainer before dropping into low point "sediment trap" with a plug in the side. Mud leg has a reducing el and a 2" ball valve drain.
I added a raised steam syphon for the controls (albeit I don't like how it turned out overall and may change it next year) and added a vaporstat and a second -30-0-50" w.c. low pressure gauge.

I bought about half my fittings old stock on ebay for far less than list price, and bought the rest of the pipe and fittings from the local pipe supply house or when they were not an option, from supplyhouse.com or zoro.com. I got all the valves from Amazon as they routinely discount their last few inventory to 85% off list price.

I'd love to hear comments / criticism. I am an EE by day, so this was all very new to me. I'm sure I made some things harder than they needed to be, and wasted a few fittings where I could have simplified it. And some of it looks a bit ugly.
I still need to add a few more pipe supports and then re-insulate the new pipes. I will update when that's done as well.

hmlj

As a homeowner in a similar position, thanks for posting an update with your progress. Mine is a copper-piped, no main-vent mess. I'm looking forward to seeing your repiping pictures.

MilanD

Looking forward to the pics. Btw, who do you use in Cinci for maintenance and service calls? I'm in Cinci too.

Kahooli

I've only been in the house about a year, so no service calls yet. Pics added. Sorry about the weird lines in the pictures. I have no idea what is wrong with my phone camera. Ill take some with a real camera if anyone really wants.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_EGMZCnGtIsL1hlDCkQchUwUsum5FVph

MilanD

Pics aren't showing up...

Kahooli

Kahooli

no comments at all? Hmm. ah well. heats fine after some skimming.

BobC

Great job, you should have the driest steam in town.

Bob

MilanD

Looks great!! I especially love flange connection on the header. This will make it easier to service the main or repipe when new boiler is needed. Very very nice!!

SeanBeans

some valves you got there

Dave0176

Looking good, but you don’t need that pig tail on your water trap, the water trap itself takes care of that.

Kahooli

That's true! I had it already, and not a nipple of the right length so in it went.

Kahooli

SeanBeans said:

some valves you got there

Surprisingly they were all pretty cheap.

Like the valve on the wet return
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00835U4IC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you wait till they get down to the last 1 or two in stock the price dropped to $22


I did have a couple that were duds and had to be returned. But for my long, drawn out project it was worth the hassle.

Kahooli

I made some pipe stanchions from a 1/2" pipe, 1/2" floor flange, 1/2" x X" bolt, three nuts, a washer and a cast pipe support.
http://www.supplyhouse.com/Empire-Industries-41HB0250-2-1-2-Black-Split-Ring-Extension-Hanger

Danny Scully

Not that those stanchions aren’t cool, but why didn’t you just use rod plate to the ground? Just, because?

Kahooli

All thread was really bendy for the tall one, so I went for a stiffer option.

lchmb

nice clean job. Only thing I notice and not positive due to the picture. where you enter the wye should be a close or shoulder nipple only. Looks like a 3" nipple..

CLamb

Kahooli said:

If you wait till they get down to the last 1 or two in stock the price dropped to $22

You seem to have gotten an excellent price. They are 6x that now.

Kahooli

lchmb said:

nice clean job. Only thing I notice and not positive due to the picture. where you enter the wye should be a close or shoulder nipple only. Looks like a 3" nipple..

You're correct it's not a close nipple. I'm of the opinion that by using a wye and not a tee that that requirement is removed - the reason the tee and 90 elbow requires a close nipple is satisfied just by using the wye.