steam trap repair option - cage units

josephc

I am refurbishing my existing MILVACO H100 traps and looking at Barnes and Jones tables have the option of replacing the guts with a cage unit using the existing cover versus using a cage unit requiring a new cover. The difference in cage unit appears to be spring. I have been advised to use the new cover/cage unit combination. Has anyone experienced installation with existing covers vs new covers and found one better experience over the other? Does the B&J cover combo go in easier than trying to use an old cover? is it hard to hold the cage unit in place using the existing cover?

RayWohlfarth

I have done it both ways and had no issues with reusing the existing covers. We replaced 80 of them in one apartment building and reused every cover. Didnt have one failure and its been 6 years. Customer told me this apartment has the lowest costs per square foot of any of his buildings. So far so good.

gerry gill

As long as the cover can hold the cage unit in position, go for it.

Sailah

The reason for new covers is simply a height issue. Many steam traps originally came with discs which are lower in height like a Mepco 1E. All cage units are basically the same height so in order to fit them in with a spring that will hold the gasket tight, a new cover is sometimes required.

Other things that can factor: If you can't get the old seat out, often that will raise the cage unit up and a new cover may be required.

But I would suggest using original covers whenever possible. You know they fit, they are original and it's cheaper. Sometimes building owners would buy new covers just so that they could visually inspect that the work was actually being done by outside contractors.

Peter

Barnes & Jones emeritus

josephc

These are the MILVACO traps that will be updated. They are pretty squat so would this be a case for the new cover to give more room for cage unit?

Sailah

Just by looking at it, yes I'd say you need new covers. And only reason for that is height for cage units. Pretty simple to repair, remove cover (I only use an impact gun to do this now), remove seat if present. Drop in new cage unit, screw down cover.

josephc

The Barnes and Jones chart for the cage unit (2164) for my traps has the words "seat in" in notes column. Does that mean I leave the existing seat alone and install the cage unit on top of it?

Steamhead

That is correct.

josephc

I purchased the parts I needed for refurbishing of the MILVACO H100 traps but held off on plunging into it. Then one radiator was only getting hot half way on season startup so I decided to work on the trap.

Thanks to all the great advice and knowledge on this site I successfully replaced the insides of the 95 year old trap! The B&J kit I used was the one using a new cap as recommended. I also had a hard time spinning off existing cap so bought a socket and impact wrench and this did the trick.

On to the next one.

Thank you.
Joe

josephc

Here is a comparison of the tops and the insides of the trap and the replacement kits

EBEBRATT-Ed

thanks for the update

nicholas bonham-carter

Thanks as well-these updates/follow ups are so important to the members of this site!—NBC