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steam is on for a new guy

jacobsond
jacobsond Member Posts: 90
in Strictly Steam
Ive read some books an did some on line training. Now its on the job training with the steam heat coming on line at the college. Had to change a blown gasket on a 4 in valve in the ceiling of course. When we tried to put pressure back on the valve the upstream valve we had turned off wouldn't open up. We had to close another upstream valve and shut off 3 buildings so we could change that 4 in valve. Now I have a Gestra una 13 trap that is blowing steam. No one here has ever worked on one of those. Go figure. The guy that had the job I'm currently in is still here "never worked on one of those". Float and thermostatic it looks like.Found 1 new disc on the parts shelf. Hope it does the trick. Startup week is always interesting I guess. Talk about a crash course. Of course the pneumatic condensate tanks are not playing nice either.

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Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,385
    Definitely a F&T trap according to their site. But Gestra is a new one on me...... where in ND is this located?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • jacobsond
    jacobsond Member Posts: 90
    I got to talk to the head guy before I left today. He was unaware we had any of those. Said they were nice traps and expensive. Going to figure out if we should replace with something we have parts for or just get parts. Nice simple trap. Either way we go I just want repair part on the shelf. Eastern ND south of Fargo. I have a lot to learn. 1st week on steam is hell. After that a routine of repair an preventive maintenance will hopefully start. We run 85lbs on the high side around 8 on the low. Heat only. Steam coils and hot water unit heaters.

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  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,385
    That's a lot of pressure for a heating-only job...............
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • retiredguy
    retiredguy Member Posts: 977
    edited October 2019
    If this is a central boiler plant that is not a lot of steam pressure. The State College, Pa. main central plant ran on near 300 psi at one time but I don't know if this info is still correct.
  • jacobsond
    jacobsond Member Posts: 90
    Central heating plant. Aprox 30 buildings. Tunnels to everything. My work is mostly on the low side. Work on Air handlers mostly and now steam traps and conednsat return. I try to avoid the unit heaters and thermostats. Doesn't really happen tho. 85 lbs dangerous to the inexperienced. I'm trying to be very very careful even on the low side.

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  • retiredguy
    retiredguy Member Posts: 977
    edited October 2019
    With a central boiler plant, high pressure steam is delivered to each building either underground or by pipe tunnels. Each building should have a reducing station to reduce the steam pressure to the pressure that is required to satisfy the needs of the equipment that is installed in that building. Condensate is collected in each building and pumped back to a condensate receiver or deaerator for boiler feed water. High pressure steam is rarely used in any out building on a campus. If you have reservations about service to any of the buildings steam devices, make sure that you follow all safety protocols and that you isolate and vent each device before servicing.

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