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Install of the Year!

SteamCoffee
SteamCoffee Member Posts: 122
in Strictly Steam
Out house shopping this week and spotted this, beautiful isn’t she? 1987 install…
WaherMad Dog_2garretjh

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,610
    For all we know it just might work fine even though not text book piping for sure.
    Mad Dog_2CLamb
  • dko
    dko Member Posts: 668
    Dirty old pail, at least they've been blowin her down!
    Mad Dog_2
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,431
    I'm amazed that someone would put their name on this.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    Mad Dog_2SteamCoffee
  • Dan_NJ
    Dan_NJ Member Posts: 260
    One of them even tagged it twice - just in case
    dkoSteamCoffeeCLamb
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,685
    There where several someones tagging it
  • Alan (California Radiant) Forbes
    Alan (California Radiant) Forbes Member Posts: 4,235
    The wires holding up the 1/2" feed line is a nice touch.
    8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

    Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,553
    They didn't know any better..and If they did, they were doing it THEIR way regardless.   Mad Dog 🐕 
    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.
  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 2,218
    Is that a pressure reducer/feeder on the water line going into the steam boiler??
    realliveplumber
  • realliveplumber
    realliveplumber Member Posts: 354
    Looks like it is.

    And another upside down strainer. Thats the second one today!
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,610
    Like @Mad Dog_2 said if they knew any better, they wouldn't have put their name on it. They were proud of it.
    Alan (California Radiant) Forbes
  • dko
    dko Member Posts: 668
    realliveplumber said:

    Looks like it is.

    And another upside down strainer. Thats the second one today!

    Fortunately this one's a y-pattern check valve
  • SteamCoffee
    SteamCoffee Member Posts: 122
    Cool house, even had some old Window Seat regulators and handles..Oddly enough, about a mile away was this, a Redflash, converted to NG, that was still feeding a 1 pipe system….just chugging away…still had the dampers attached to an old Dunham Damper Regulator. A couple Paul fittings as well. A tad inefficient to say the least,one 3in tapping straight up about 36in to the main…
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,431
    I've seen Dunham systems where they used Dunham's Paul vents as crossover traps.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • SteamCoffee
    SteamCoffee Member Posts: 122
    As crossovers? On a vapor system? Wow, can they move enough air to get the system to work properly? A case of “any port in a storm” if nothing else was available?
  • retiredguy
    retiredguy Member Posts: 982
    I do not see the steam safety relief valve in the picture but I hope that there is one.
  • Grallert
    Grallert Member Posts: 808
    Those are likely service stickers not install stickers?

    Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse manager, teacher, dog walker and designated driver

  • dko
    dko Member Posts: 668
    Doesn't matter, no way we will know unless you want to call those numbers. No one puts stickers assuming it will be blasted on the internet, it's for the homeowner to know who to call current/future.

    I judge installers and servers on how they place stickers.
    If they place it randomly and crooked, I automatically assume their work is just as sloppy. :o

    Dan_NJSteamCoffee
  • reggi
    reggi Member Posts: 523
    SteamCoffee said:
    Out house shopping this week and spotted this, beautiful isn’t she? 1987 install…
    Were they using copper on steam 37 years ago ? I thought that was a relatively new thing with less Pros in the field..
    One way to get familiar something you know nothing about is to ask a really smart person a really stupid question
  • dko
    dko Member Posts: 668
    You can see the older cast iron fittings, someone redid the near boiler piping in copper.
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 6,818
    edited January 5
    reggi said:


    Were they using copper on steam 37 years ago ? I thought that was a relatively new thing with less Pros in the field..

    Yes, because no pro would ever dare! :sweat_smile:

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

    GGross
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,328
    For what it's worth, I think the minitube steam systems were intended to be plumbed in copper and I think that was from the 1950s.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • Teemok
    Teemok Member, Email Confirmation Posts: 677
    Clearly, that wire is there to pitch the pipe, to insure the swing check stays closed and will properly back up the double check after it.
  • realliveplumber
    realliveplumber Member Posts: 354
    dko said:

    realliveplumber said:

    Looks like it is.

    And another upside down strainer. Thats the second one today!

    Fortunately this one's a y-pattern check valve
    Couldn't see the bolt on my tiny screen,
  • SteamCoffee
    SteamCoffee Member Posts: 122
    I also noticed some nice Hoffman 75s on the returns. The radiators didnt seem to leave the obligatory water stains under the vents. Btw the house was built in 1928. I did notice some rusty dust on the floor under the boiler, which is centered over a drain.
  • SteamCoffee
    SteamCoffee Member Posts: 122
    I knew I remembered that header from someplace , Frank Gherettys work! The header for a Mills water tube boiler!
  • retiredguy
    retiredguy Member Posts: 982
    @SteanCoffee That is a nice picture of the Mills 350/3500 steam boiler return
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,328
    edited January 11
    SteamCoffee said:

    Cool house, even had some old Window Seat regulators and handles..Oddly enough, about a mile away was this, a Redflash, converted to NG, that was still feeding a 1 pipe system….just chugging away…still had the dampers attached to an old Dunham Damper Regulator. A couple Paul fittings as well. A tad inefficient to say the least,one 3in tapping straight up about 36in to the main…

    A friend of mine had an Ideal #1 boiler using oil a few years back.
    It was running roughly 80% efficient according to the printout from his oil guy.

    Not bad for a 90 year old boiler. Personally, I felt it was more than efficient enough.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 11,046
    this is only january. i assume the install of last year was one of the gravity hot water systems someone tried to install a steam boiler on.
    reggi

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