Do all steam boilers need a pigtail?

SuperTech

I have a friend who works as a commercial apprentice in Pennsylvania. He recently installed a a new Peerless steam boiler. He sent me pictures of the job and the first thing I noticed was the boiler didn't have a pigtail attaching the pressuretrol to the boiler. I asked him why he didn't install one and he replied that the boiler didn't come with one and his lead tech said the boiler didn't require one. He said the installation instructions show the pressuretrol installed without one.

I only work on two or three steam boilers every year and they all have pigtail on them. I was taught that the pigtail is necessary to protect the pressuretrol. At first I thought he was misinformed but then I remembered that I saw a beautiful installation of a steam boiler on here recently with a nice drop header and everything looked perfect but I remember boiler had the pressuretrol, 0-3 and 0-30 PSI gauges all installed on what looked like a manifold made with brass nipples.

Can anyone explain to me why some boilers would not require a pigtail?

mattmia2

If there was a manifold made out of brass fittings then the fittings were arranged with a u bend in the fittings that provided the water seal that the pigtail provides. If you do the fittings right with plugged tees you can flush it out by just removing the plugs and don't have to remove it to clean it.

bburd

The pigtail is just one way to form a water seal that protects the pressuretrol from direct exposure to steam. The same can be done with a manifold that provides space below the gauge and pressuretrol for condensate to accumulate.

Big Ed_4

They made straight traps , you can spot them with the globe shape inline ….