Iron pipe or copper

Col08

On a 2 pipe system, I need to replace both of these pipes to an upper radiator. Heating contractor wants to use schedule "L" copper pipe, but would schedule 40 iron pipe work as well? Concerned soldered connections could fail and iron pipe would be like the original and be better in the long run. Also building a wall by these pipes,so future access will be limited. Thanks for the help. 

Jamie Hall

Copper will work, but... the iron will work better. The copper will be noisier (expansion).

Col08

Will schedule 40 work? It's all I can find it my area. I read that schedule 80 is made for steam.

Gilmorrie

Sched 80 steel pipe is overkill. Sched 40 is fine. Where did you read that 80 pipe was necessary for residential steam heating systems?

EdTheHeaterMan

I am assuming that this is connected to a low pressure steam boiler that operates below 2 PSI. Schedule 80 is for high pressure steam that might be used in an industrial application. Schedule 40 is fine for your application.

ChrisJ

I would make sure the piping isn't rubbing against any wood or you'll know about it for the rest of your life there. It'll pop and make noise every time it heats and cools.
Those cuts in the wood look awfully close to me.

mattmia2

Is this steam or converted gravity hot water?

EBEBRATT-Ed

@mattmia2 with two pipes the same size that is a good question

EdTheHeaterMan

I must be steam! the original poster selected "Strictly Steam" as the group or category. And we all know that they never make that mistake.

Col08

Weil-McLain boiler that was installed in the fall of '21. Heating contractors installed an automatic water feed on this and it seems to add more water at times when it doesn't need it. Last heating season, I would have to drain between a half gallon to almost a gallon of water from it, to keep it at the proper level. I regularly did a blow down to make sure the water feeder was working correctly. I wasn't seeing any leaks in the piping or on the radiators. Also, all the steam traps were replaced at the same time as the boiler.

Jamie Hall

Two pipe system? If the water level is dropping enough during steaming to trip the water feeder, you have two questions. The most important one is does the water level eventually come back to where it started after the boiler cools down? if so, then the problem -- if it really is a problem (t may not be, if you can get the autofeeder to hold a high enough level, which may or may not be possible) is simply slow wet returns. If it's easy to flush them out, it wouldn't hurt. However, if it doesn't, you have a leak (or leaks) somewhere, and you should track them down and fix them.

mattmia2

Wet steam either because of improper near boiler piping or oil in the boiler causing surging or dirty/over conditioned water causing priming and throwing liquid water up in to the mains is also a possibility. The returns are designed to deal with condensate from the steam, not liquid water thrown in to the mains.

ethicalpaul

@mattmia2 has it