Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Counterflow piping?

Nycwrenchturn
Nycwrenchturn Member Posts: 19
edited August 2018 in Strictly Steam
Hey gents and ladies ,
Got an interesting one . Boiler has no return
How would I pipe a new burnham gas boiler now ?


Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    See chapter 7 of Lost Art. It's all there.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    delta T
  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,416
    It might just be a circuit. Is it a loop?
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,455
    Download the "Burnham heating Helper" . Counter flow piping may also be in the new boiler instruction manual. Lost Art as well. Doesn't look like much upward pitch but if there are no returns it must be counter flow. Search the floor for old wet returns
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    Are the ends of the two mains tied together?
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,576
    Who said the Dead Men were always right? At least they used three risers!
    When it was working, how well did it heat?
    If the mains are connected at the ends, the loop may need to be split, and each end terminated to enable proper main venting for each supply run.
    A drop header would be useful here.
    Don’t forget to size the new boiler properly to the EDR load.—NBC
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,455
    HMm, I was thinking the middle tee is the supply and the two outside tees are the counter flow returns (drips)
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    I was thinking that also. Just need to find a boiler with 3 outlets. ;)
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
    edited August 2018
    Yea, I too was thinking the center Tee was the supply and the two outside tees drop down below the water line and tie into the sides of the boiler block???
  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,416
    If I’m guessing, I don’t think it’s counterflow. I think there are two outlets, and the 3rd in the far right is the condensate drip. I think the steam main just wraps around from left to right. Not ideal in any way, just my guess.
  • New England SteamWorks
    New England SteamWorks Member Posts: 1,505
    The old header has to be removed no matter what.

    So either the mains pitch up and away from the boiler in which case you pipe a new boiler as counterflow with two mains and two drips.

    Or they pitch down and away and you haven't found the returns yet, but then you pipe parallel flow.

    Looks like counter-flow from pic.


    New England SteamWorks
    Service, Installation, & Restoration of Steam Heating Systems
    newenglandsteamworks.com
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,455
    I agree with @New England SteamWorks dosent look like enough pitch for counter flow. I will bet there are returns somewhere