spare parts - and main vent question

josephc

it has been a couple years now since i made improvements on our 2-pipe steam system. I made the changes on advice of forum - installed vaporstat to run at lower pressure, changed out elements of old traps and installed a larger main vent (gorton no.2) in place of the small ventrite that was there and spitting water at the higher system pressure. All has worked out well.

without knowing the life expectancy of the vent or vaporstat or what would be indicators of failure i am thinking i should have one of each on hand - i doubt local service people would have them. Is that a good idea? Any other steam boiler system parts recommended as spares?

The other question is regards to vent. i would like to try the barnes big mouth so i bought one for my spare vent in place of a gorton. But then i read that it could spit water if not high enough off the main. im hoping that system pressure was most of my spitting issue with the ventrite and that the big mouth will be fine at the lower pressures im running now. How high off the main should it be installed?

thank you
Joe C.

MilanD

With supplyhouse.com shipping almost anything for next day delivery, I wouldn't worry about spare parts. Vaporstat should last a long time, as should all vents if the system is otherwise optimized.

As to Big Mouth, I had a bunch of them installed both close on the main and up on a pipe away from the main, right when these vents first came out. One had a hissing and was not closing right awat, and it was due to that first gen of vents lacking the gasket that's on the diaphragm and seating it for a positive seal. Replacement disk with a gasket was sent, and there was no other issues.

If you have Big Mouth vent, instal it and see how it behaves... Easy enough to do.

josephc

i can see an orange or red o-ring - is that the gasket you are speaking of? it is on the seat side of the housing.

MilanD said:

With supplyhouse.com shipping almost anything for next day delivery, I wouldn't worry about spare parts. Vaporstat should last a long time, as should all vents if the system is otherwise optimized.

As to Big Mouth, I had a bunch of them installed both close on the main and up on a pipe away from the main, right when these vents first came out. One had a hissing and was not closing right awat, and it was due to that first gen of vents lacking the gasket that's on the diaphragm and seating it for a positive seal. Replacement disk with a gasket was sent, and there was no other issues.

If you have Big Mouth vent, instal it and see how it behaves... Easy enough to do.