Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Steam, near boiler piping, crazy or not?

Boiler is short cycling, and boiler feed tank (fresh water only) turns on only after a “no heat” pause. Turns on for about 30 seconds each time. Does not turn on while short cycling. Installer said there are no leaks. I am student, not installer or owner (FYI). Also, there is no header just a riser from boiler straight to mains with equalizer on riser. Boiler is 378,000 btu with a 3” riser and main (should be 4”?). Almost 36” from water line to bottom of mains. How much fresh water take up does a steam system
usually need? At what point does it become a corrosion problem? Any other thoughts on the piping? Thanks for any bits of brain you are willing to give!

Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,380
    Well, that's proof that just because someone can weld pipe, doesn't mean they can install a steam boiler.

    What model is that Peerless boiler? Where are you located?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    mattmia2
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,291
    Wow. That's atrocious.
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
  • chuckadoo
    chuckadoo Member Posts: 30
    211a-04
    mattmia2
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,548
    Someone help me: why is it such a hard thing for so many to follow a piping diagram in an installation manual?

    That mess is absolutely inexcusable.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    mattmia2JohnNY
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,474
    @Ironman

    It's really a sad thing. In most cases you could pipe it right and it wouldn't be any more work and probably just a little more material.

    They think as long as all the pipes are connected it's all good and they think it will work because they don't understand how it works.

    They thing its like domestic water hook it all up and water comes out the other end.
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,474
    edited February 2021
    On second thought looking at that.

    I think all the welded pipe and equalizer there from the old boiler. The new piping was from the flange down hence the weird double 90 down into the new boiler. The top flange has been there a while. The lower flange has paint on it.

    And the return piping they started from the thread on the equalizer

    People do things that wouldn't even cross my mind

    What a mess
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,929

    On second thought looking at that.

    I think all the welded pipe and equalizer there from the old boiler. The new piping was from the flange down hence the weird double 90 down into the new boiler. The top flange has been there a while. The lower flange has paint on it.

    And the return piping they started from the thread on the equalizer

    People do things that wouldn't even cross my mind

    What a mess

    The equalizer wouldn't have been in the right place on the old boiler either.