Trane Vapor steam replacement

Dave0176

This was a new one for me in a few ways then one, first it was my first time working on a vapor system, and secondly it was a job about 125 miles away from home.

Previous HO in 1990 replaced an old American Standard Arco boiler installed in 1935. The contractor for what ever reason choose a Weil-Mclain 576. This boiler produces 1050 sq ft steam, the newer 80 series replaced this boiler. After figuring out the EDR of the Trane convectors I came up with approximately 550 EDR. All steam traps were rebuilt last year with B&J cage units. For this job I choose the Weil-Mclain EG55 rated at 521 sq ft. The old Trane direct return trap was plugged years ago so it was inoperable. The old Honeywell mercury vaporstat works perfectly keeping pressure around 8 oz. When the boiler turned off the system went into a vacuum of about 10” and stayed there for a 45 mins, now it wasn’t cold upstairs so the convectors weren’t really condensing fast, but was pretty amazed at how the vapor vacuum system works.

The home owner told me he had gotten a few quotes from various heating contractors, two said to rip it out and put warm air, one of them even told him it’s so old everything must be shot. His oil dealer told him he don’t replace steam boilers. None of them had a clue what two pipe steam was.

Breaking apart the old 76 wasn’t bad but getting them out of the basement was tough 350 lb sections, had to break them in half to make them manageable.

New England SteamWorks

Beautiful!

AMservices

Looks great!
Now that you felt for yourself the dramatic effect a vapor vacuum system can have on the balance and comfort, your going to want all your steam systems to operate in that way.

Have any pictures of the radiators?

Dave0176

@AMservices I forgot to take a pic of the convector. They were the cast iron with steel tubes and copper fins type. I text the HO and have him snap a shot.

Fred

Looks beautiful!

Danny Scully

I’m surprised you’ve never worked on a vapor system @Dave0176. It’s fun, is’nt it? When is the oil tank getting removed?

Dave0176

Danny Scully said:

I’m surprised you’ve never worked on a vapor system @Dave0176. It’s fun, is’nt it? When is the oil tank getting removed?

There’s still 200 gallons in there, it’s a 330 tank. Oil company claims they didn’t send the notification to the driver to not fill the tank. So they pumped 300 gallons in, which he ended up getting for free.

I told him put it on Craigslist $100 or free, see what happens.

Danny Scully

But the municipality allows you to leave the tank @Dave0176? We have to remove the tank regardless of how full it is Must be pumped out and can’t be sold.

nicholas bonham-carter

Could that oil be used in a diesel tractor?—NBC

Dave0176

nicholas bonham-carter said:

Could that oil be used in a diesel tractor?—NBC

Yes but, it’s not as clean and dry as Diesel from a station is. The newer diesels are not tolerant to bad fuel.