Drop Header Design

AdmiralYoda

I'm planning on undoing 120 years of poor design on my steam system.  Currently my near boiler piping is an atrocity!

I have two 2" risers coming out of the boiler.  THERE IS NO HEADER!!!  Each riser goes to an individual main.  One of them isn't really even a main....it is 2 feet long than Tee's off to two long run-outs.

I want to put a proper drop Header on it.  Should I increase the riser to 2.5" and go into a 3" drop Header?  Or just stick with 3" into a drop Header?

I intend to pipe it similar to the picture below.  Also below is a pic of my near boiler piping.

Borrowed from New England Steamworks

SlamDunk

I don't think you need one. You have plenty of distance above water line.

AdmiralYoda

SlamDunk said:

I don't think you need one. You have plenty of distance above water line.

You are right.  I forget the exact measurements but I have something like 36-40" from the water line to the mains.

In my home I'm known as captain overkill.  If greater than 24" is good.  Greater than 24" AND a drop Header must be great!  

AdmiralYoda

So even if I don't use a drop Header, two 2" risers should go into a 3" header correct?

EdTheHeaterMan

What do you expect the outcome will be Captain OK?

There must be a reason for fixing something that is not broken

ethicalpaul

It's broken

AdmiralYoda

EdTheHeaterMan said:

What do you expect the outcome will be Captain OK? There must be a reason for fixing something that is not broken

Oh...it works but it is faaaaaaaar from ideal.   The mains are not connected by a header and therefore not balanced.  One of the mains isn't even a main, just a Tee with two run-outs.

By adding a drop Header I can balance the mains and reduce the velocity of the steam resulting in drier higher quality steam.  I'll also repipe that weird main that splits to two run-outs to a real main.  Why?  So I can properly vent it.

Why am I doing this?
1.  It will be fun and a great learning experience.
2.  I'll probably gain some system efficiency by piping it correctly which means less fuel.
3.  I'll have steam faster which means less fuel.
4.  My boiler is 37 years old.  Anything I can do to make it's life easier is a good thing.
5.  I'll be repiped and ready to go when it's time for a new boiler.

SlamDunk

I get it. I installed mine for the fun of it too.

I built a drop header because it was the most efficient way to connect to the original three inch riser that connected to the original four inch header.
For the life of me, I can't recall the two mains' pipe sizes. I want to say 1-1/2. But, they could be 1-1/4". It has been 10 years and they were existing since 1930.

Edit: 3" riser to a 3" header. Mains look to be 1-1/4".

Dave T_2

You will have alot of fun! But I am not sure if you will notice much of a operating savings. As far as making it easy for the boiler, it won't matter enough. Put the new boiler in now if you have run out of things to do at your house.

ethicalpaul

I would (and did) just go ahead and do the boiler too. You have a chance to size it correctly, shop around for which one you want, read the manual a bunch of times, think about how you want your pipes to be etc etc etc. All winter you will look forward to the project.

AdmiralYoda

@ethicalpaul

That's exactly what I plan to do.  I've been following your Peerless 63-03L install all along!  That's probably going to be the same boiler I install as well.  My EDR is 219, and that boiler can supply 239 sqft of steam....which would be only 9% oversized.  Much better than the 40+% oversized boiler I have now.

I was pleased to know there is a knockout on that boiler for a second riser.  The install manual makes it look like you need the 63-04 to even make it an option.

The work I do with the drop Header will just be practice for when it comes time to do the boiler....and the near boiler piping will be just about good to go!

ethicalpaul

Sounds good! Yep, twin 3” (3inch!) steam ports even on the 63-03L

AdmiralYoda

@ethicalpaul I'm curious to see how your situation with Peerless goes on your dual riser drop Header setup and if they "approve" of it for your inspector.

I'll likely be in the same boat.  It doesn't matter if you are following best practice or not.  If it's not how the install manual says how to do it....fail.