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Steam Pro Questions

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ksd99
ksd99 Member Posts: 77
in Strictly Steam
Living in SW Michigan, having problems finding a steam pro. I’ve had 2 people out and they contradicted themselves - I knew they were knuckleheads. I am thinking about interviewing them before they come out - what kind of questions could I ask them that would prove them to be proses? My boiler is working but I have knocking 9some hammering), some dirt in the glass water level and concerned the pigtail could be getting clogged.
New owner of 1 Pipe Steam Boiler - learning all I can- no real steam pro in S.W. Michigan - if you know of 1 -let me know.

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  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,324
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    There are two questions to ask: what are the most likely causes of the hammering (pipes sagging or with not enough pitch) and what pressure should the boiler cut out at (1.7 psi for most systems). Those two should separate most of the goats from the sheep...

    Actually, if you are at all handy, you can probably have a pretty good go at it all by yourself. Cleaning the pigtail is easy -- turn off the power and let things cool a bit, disconnect the wires to the pressuretrol (note where they were connected!), take the pressuretrol off, try running some water into the pigtail. It should flow freely. If not you can take it off the boiler and try again -- or just get a new brass one. Reinstall everything (use pipe dope or some Teflon tape), hook up the wires, and off you go. Check the pressure settings on the pressuretrol -- as I say, 1.7 psi cutout, .7 psi cutin should work for starters.

    The hammering may be a bit harder to track down, but check all the near horizontal pipes for adequate pitch to drain the condensate -- not just end to end, but check for sags. Check radiators that they slope towards whichever end is the drain -- they don't have to slope much, but a bit.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • ksd99
    ksd99 Member Posts: 77
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    Thank you for responding. Where does a person get a new brass pigtail?
    New owner of 1 Pipe Steam Boiler - learning all I can- no real steam pro in S.W. Michigan - if you know of 1 -let me know.
  • delta T
    delta T Member Posts: 884
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    https://www.supplyhouse.com/sh/control/search/~SEARCH_STRING=brass pigtail?searchText=brass+pigtail
  • Gsmith
    Gsmith Member Posts: 432
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    or a local plumbing / heating supply shop, they are pretty common items.
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,704
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    I agree with Jamie. You can probably get your system pretty good with help from the fine people on this forum. And welcome from a 30 year SW Michigan ex-pat.
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • coelcanth
    coelcanth Member Posts: 89
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    in this day and age of everyone carrying their cameraphones, it should be easy to ask for and receive some photos of previous installs.. i think that's as good a way as any to gauge their level of care and craftsmanship
    ethicalpauldelta T
  • ksd99
    ksd99 Member Posts: 77
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    I am going to try it once the temperature goes up outside. Also I have a 30psi which the needle never moves because I have pressuretrol set at 1.5. Could add a lower number gauge?
    New owner of 1 Pipe Steam Boiler - learning all I can- no real steam pro in S.W. Michigan - if you know of 1 -let me know.
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,704
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    Yes you sure can. 0-3psi is common. Do some searching on this site and you will find lots of threads of people doing just that!
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,324
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    ksd99 said:

    I am going to try it once the temperature goes up outside. Also I have a 30psi which the needle never moves because I have pressuretrol set at 1.5. Could add a lower number gauge?

    Yes -- it's easy. Take that pigtail... and at the end where the pressuretrol is mounted, add a T with the crossbar going left and right. Add short nipples on each end. Add a 90 degree elbow and another short nipple going up on each of the nipples, and mount the gauge on one of them and the pressuretrol on the other.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • 1Matthias
    1Matthias Member Posts: 148
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    coelcanth said:

    in this day and age of everyone carrying their cameraphones, it should be easy to ask for and receive some photos of previous installs.. i think that's as good a way as any to gauge their level of care and craftsmanship

    Won't always work. Us brick-phone users are still out there. ;P
    ksd99

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