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Steam and bubbling water coming out the main vent

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jessestaton
jessestaton Member Posts: 9
in Strictly Steam

We have a 1920s vapor system on a gas boiler.

Vaporstat and a Pressuretrol that is supposed to be a backup.

Was getting really loud hammering and loads of steam and bubbling water coming out the sole main vent. (2700 sq ft four square style home).

The expert we use is backed up due to the weather. Only 3 radiators have conventional traps, the rest are original water traps. Almost all.but maybe a ceiling radiator in the basement have orifice plates. I thought steam must be going straight thru a radiator or two to get steam out the vent so I made sure all un-trapped rads had orifice plates. I closed the suspect ceiling rad.

My pressure gauges read 0.

Next I took off the gauges and controllers and cleaned the pipes. Couldn't get the pigtail off (and didn't have a spar) but I cleaned with a wire at least to where it goes horizontal and poured water in and it drained.

Reassembled with tephlon and Oatey white dope.

Now the gauges show pressure.

Pressure is going up past 35 oz/in2. The other gauge shows 3 psi.

Still banging, venting steam and bubbling.

Positive note, the gauge shows 1 psi vacuum when the boiler is off.

Suggestions?

Maybe I put too much dope and obstructed the vaporstat?

20260125_124440.jpg

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,991

    Possibly. That vapourstat should shut off at 5 ounces, and they are pretty reliable.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • jessestaton
    jessestaton Member Posts: 9

    Vaporstat was not obstructed. Pressuretrol wasn't either. Pressure gauges were bouncing.

    The steel pigtail broke off with a little tapping and a little torque.

    Now what?

    Best methods for getting that out?

    Drain first, penetrating oil or no?

    Utica boiler PEG262CDE from 2006

    20260126_201930.jpg 20260126_201925.jpg
  • jessestaton
    jessestaton Member Posts: 9
    20260126_205710.jpg

    Harbor Freight screw extractor worked. It'll be a cold night but ill sleep better knowing now all I need is a new pigtail in the morning.

    ethicalpaul
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 19,881

    Just stick the vapor stat on with a 1/4" nipple and elbow. Not having a pigtail for one night won't harm the control

    Just make sure the control works and the boiler stops on pressure. For some reason you pressure is too high causing your issues.

    ethicalpaul

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