Baseboard steam piping.

spencerplumbheat

I am installing baseboard elements on a two pipe steam system for a customer. I have little experience and no one in Alberta that I can find does as well. Do I need grade on my elements and do I need a thermostatic rad valve and steam trap on each run of elements.

Noel

You do need a trap at the outlet, and it will run more quietly with pitch on the element. Limit your element length to no more than the supply pipe is sized to deliver; any more will be filled with condensate and not give the heat you might expect. Remember, the same size pipe has different capacities, whether it is vertical or horizontal.
Noel

Jamie Hall

Yes -- as @Noel says, you do need grade on the elements -- I would suggest no less than 1 inch in 10 feet. Slope them towards the outlet end. You will need a thermostatic radiator trap at the outlet of each one. You should have an inlet valve for each one as well -- it will make servicing easier -- but it isn't absolutely necessary.

Also, for the sake of the future, make sure that there is a conveniently accessible union on both the inlet (usually between the valve and the inlet spud -- if it is a true steam valve, the union will be part of -- and matched to -- the spud and the valve) and the outlet (also usually between the outlet spud and the trap).

EBEBRATT-Ed

@spencerplumbheat

Do you have 1 element/enclosure? or are the elements stacked in the enclosure? Might make a difference

Keith M

In the Slant/Fin "finned tube catalog" we added a page "Element Application of Steam" several years ago. (it is old information that Slant/Fin published years ago) It is a good reference that lists guidelines to follow. This Finned Tube Catalog is available on the Slant/Fin web site.
Keith Muhlmeister
Slant/Fin Corporation

EBEBRATT-Ed

Thanks @Keith M good to know

ethicalpaul

I think it's so cool when manufacturers participate in this forum, I wish more of them did, even though I understand there are sometimes reasons for their reluctance.

Steamhead

Some of them are "reluctant" because they've made some bonehead moves and we called them out on it. I could tell a few stories about that..... Slant/Fin, however, has done quite well over the years.