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Old Steam System

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hydrohead
hydrohead Member Posts: 10
in THE MAIN WALL
What is this?

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  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,338
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    Sarco steam trap. Vaguely similar in operation to a more modern F&T.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Steamhead
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,856
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    Nope- that's a Boiler Return Trap. it functions as a pressure-powered pump to return the water to the boiler if the boiler steam pressure gets too high.

    @hydrohead , that is probably a Vapor system- a form of ultra-low-pressure two-pipe steam. More pics please!
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,338
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    I'm not much up on Sarco systems... thank you, @Steamhead
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • retiredguy
    retiredguy Member Posts: 909
    edited March 2021
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    @steamhead, I was amazed the first time I saw one of these fantastic steam return "pumps" in operation in a small school house. It had been in operation for years and was still working perfectly many years later.

    I met a competitor at this job site a few years later and he plus the hired "engineer" were trying to find the best way to replace it. They obviously had no idea what is was that they were looking at. I recommend that they look at another part of the system to screw up and let that beauty alone.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,856
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    So, did they?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting

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