Are There adverse consequences with extra slope on dropped headers?

JUGHNE

I an installing 3 new replacement steam boilers to do the job of previous oversized boiler.
I built the drop headers on the vice stand before the boilers arrived, (some items backordered.)

All are 2 X 24" tall 2" risers dropped into a 3" header.

2 of the boilers are "twins" with 3" from the header feeding another dropped 4" header

I made my best guess to get slopes correct.

The assemblies were installed on the boilers today, out of 3 drop headers built, I end with one horizontal header draining to equalizer at 1/8" per foot......
another header draining at 1/4" per foot.......
and another draining at 1/2" per foot.

The 4" (double drop header from the twin/multiple boilers) has 1/8" per foot.

Any issue with the 1/2" per foot one??

.....other than looking like crooked piping?

EzzyT

There really isn’t any adverse issues that can accrue which pitch on the header at 1/2” per foot.
Im ocd and I always try to get my headers between the 1/8”-1/4” per foot nothing more. 

ChrisJ

My opinion is the steam travels via pressure differential not because it's lighter than air which shouldn't be in a fully operational system anyway.

We also known downfeed steam systems exist and work.

So, anything downhill or even completely vertical is fine.

Anything that traps an excessive amount of water is not. The tee's etc hold some water but not enough to matter.

When I built my header I didn't check actual pitch I just made sure it was all pitched downhill a reasonable amount.

I'm sure you'll be fine.

EBEBRATT-Ed

I like to keep things straight so I don't pitch headers at all....just level never had an issue if the sizing is right and it can drain to the equalizer

Steamhead

Should work fine- no issues.

JUGHNE

I feel silly for posting that....but it did wake up the steam posters.
Other than ascetics and having to line up any other piping I can see it is no problem.

As mentioned above I assembled the headers in advance awaiting the boilers and especially the feeder pump (low inlet design).
I cut out a full size cardboard template of each boiler to get the feel of piping.
This visual led me to making an L shaped header to keep most piping above the boilers and allow walking space.

Today's efforts were towards the equalizer drop and HL's.
Hanging M&M 150's on these baby sized boilers is a bit of a challenge, but the plan fell into place today.

Then 1 1/2" 45's for the equalizer connected to a 3" header were another issue.
(not caused by my exaggerated header slopes though).
The final union connection has always been a bear between two fixed points for me.
Threaded 45's have always kicked my but. I cheat when doing copper 45's by cutting long and trimming the angle as needed....can't do that with blk pipe.

But have decided to loosen the 2 2" boiler unions and winch the header up for clearance. Thankfully the 4" steam supplies are not connected yet, so I can Sky Hook the header up.....thankful for unions, almost put couplings instead, can't have too many unions IMO.

I will sleep on that and maybe come up with a better solution by morning...this does happen.

Steamhead

Pics!!!

JUGHNE

Yes, yes, I know....pictures are tied up on I pad, can't get them to this computer.
Need Grandson here.

STEAM DOCTOR

For what it's worth, I try to pitch my headers as much as possible. In my mind, the header is a drain pipe. Good things happen when water is removed. In addition,  there is always possibility that water will be "trapped" in the hub of the fitting. Extra pitch will reduce that likelihood. That said, what I do is almost certainly overkill. I actually like the look of crooked headers. But beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I strongly suspect that my head is somewhat crooked (which will explain a lot of things, but that is a discussion for a different forum). 

ChrisJ

STEAM DOCTOR said:

For what it's worth, I try to pitch my headers as much as possible. In my mind, the header is a drain pipe. Good things happen when water is removed. In addition,  there is always possibility that water will be "trapped" in the hub of the fitting. Extra pitch will reduce that likelihood. That said, what I do is almost certainly overkill. I actually like the look of crooked headers. But beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I strongly suspect that my head is somewhat crooked (which will explain a lot of things, but that is a discussion for a different forum). 

Steam piping is supposed to look like Moe Larry and Curly did it.
If it doesn't, something's wrong.