Redoing system . Dry return?

DoubleD3

Hi my name is David this is my first post. A lot of you guys on this site have helped out so much. So first of all thank you all for your help so far. 
But I'm at the point where I'm about to tear the old system out and redo everything from scratch the only issue that I have is how I'm doing the dry return. I'm going to put pictures in with this message if I can. So I'm just going to let the pictures do the speaking. 
Didn't know if this was acceptable was just going to recreate this dry return but if you guys have better advice it would be much appreciated.

Jamie Hall

Well... really can't tell what's happening here. But my first question is -- why are you redoing all this? And then the second question is -- if it is those two vertical lines, is this two dry returns, or are those end drips from two steam main returns? It makes a huge difference.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Multiple dry returns should be connected below the boiler water line .....if that helps

Jamie Hall

EBEBRATT-Ed said:

Multiple dry returns should be connected below the boiler water line .....if that helps

Here we go again. If they are true dry returns, which never carry steam, no. In fact on many systems (with crossover traps and the main vent at the boiler) they mustn't be. On the other hand, if the are extensions of steam mains returning to the boiler -- often mis-called dry returns -- they yes, they must be connected below the water line.

And we don't know which this system is...

DoubleD3

Single pipe Steam  system.
So you have the mains that come off and go to both one side of the house and the other side of the house and it drops off the main about 2-3in lower from a 2-inch pipe to a 1in then pitches down and goes back into that section that you see. The Returned stays almost right together with the mains close to the ceiling of the basement.
I'll take more pictures later tonight
The reason why I'm redoing the whole system is because there's three radiators downstairs and only one radiator upstairs in the bathroom this is a four-bedroom 2500 sq ft house one of the radiator is is cracked and there's no heat upstairs pretty much other than a tiny little one that's in the bathroom. We're going to be adding multiple radiators to the system and downsizing the one radiator that's cracked. Also whoever redid the system didn't use steam fittings at the boiler also multiple parts of the system aren't pitched enough.

dopey27177

I am a stickler for this. If you have a 1 pipe steam system the end of the steam mains should have a vent valve 6-12" from the vertical drop. The vertical drop should go down close to the floor and tie separately into a common wet return. The wet return should have full sized clean out ts with valves so the wet return can be cleaned periodically.

While you are at it if the steam mains are not insulated do that. It is a passive way to save money and improve system operation.

Jake

Jamie Hall

Fair enough, @DoubleD3 . Then technically those returns to the boiler are steam main extensions -- we've gone round the houses several times on that -- and, as @EBEBRATT-Ed said, they must individually drop below the water line of the boiler before they are hooked together to return the condensate. You should check and make sure that that bit of horizontal pipe which connects the two in your picture is well below the boiler water line -- and if not, lower it when you repipe.

The two should be venter separately, but so long as the vents are after the last radiator takeoff they will work fine.

DoubleD3

Okay that's great advice dopey27177 and also to answer the question about the vents there is no main vents at the vents at the main 2in pipe they are actually on the 1 inch pipe right by the boiler. I'm going to take a bunch of pictures tonight and I'll post them the system is very old has a lot of crud in them. This thing was just need to keep the house warm it does what it needs to doesn't have water hammer but clinking and clanking a little bit. And Jamie%20Hall I'm definitely going to do that now because I didn't know if that would work better the way that it was hooked up or if I should drop it below the waterline haven't seen a return pipe like this didn't know if it was like a trick of the trade LOL

DoubleD3

Hey sorry for not getting back to you guys thank you very much for your help I actually had a death in the family and I'm going to have to do a repost on this in the future and thank you everybody see your advice