Strange near boiler piping, wondering how to pipe new boiler?

srhalk_346

Hello, I will be replacing a peerless boiler that at some point had been converted to gas with a Weil McClain PEG65PIDNS7. The current near boiler piping is very strange to me, and to my knowledge is totally wrong. There is no header, and both boiler tappings have risers that go into bullheaded tees that feed the mains. It is all one pipe steam, and 3 out of 4 of the mains all are piped into traps, and then into a condensate return pump. The one main that is different is the main on the right hand side of the boiler, coming out on the right hand side of the tee in the riser. That main is pitched back towards the boiler and there is no means of condensate return to the boiler at the end of the main that I see. I'm currently looking at piping the new boiler how the installation instructions want, but am wondering with this main, what should be done to manage condensate flowing back to the boiler. It will be closest to the end of the header, and equalizer pipe. I'm wondering if anybody has any other

suggestions on what to do here. I appreciate any help!

Ironman

That main is counterflow and should have drip that’s piped into the wet return near the boiler.

Steamhead

@srhalk_346 , that near-boiler piping will have to be completely redone according to Weil-McLain's diagram.

And that Midco EC burner is a very good one- please don't junk it.

109A_5

If you actually have parallel flow and counter flow mains, you have to do a blend of parallel flow and counter flow with a drip near boiler piping. Do you really need the condensate pump ?

srhalk_346

Thanks for the help! So what I'm hearing is that I should put asepareate drop into the wet return of the boiler, separate from the 'equalizer' at the end of the header. It would just be this one main with its own drip. As for the necessity of the condensate pump, I'm not totally aware, but we are planning on keeping it, seeing as it's working now. If I do put a drop on the end of that main though, would I need a to build a hartford loop to put that drip into? Since we have the condensate pump as the only means of return currently, we were going to pipe the pump straight into the return of the boiler. Thanks again for any help!

4GenPlumber

That is a "start over" situation. Nothing there looks right, but i really like the no-hub coupling on the vertical.😂

KC_Jones

Why are you massively upsizing the boiler? There is an ECT-04-175 rated for 475 sq ft of steam installed and you are installing an EG-65 rated for 621 sq ft of steam. That's a 30% increase. Sizing steam boilers properly is extremely important and oversizing always makes things worse.

In addition to the piping issues I strongly suggest you revisit the sizing because something doesn't add up. I'd also add my personal opinion, I'd put money down that the current boiler was already oversized.

Have you evaluated if you need the tank and pump? Those are often mistakenly added because people don't know what they are doing. That basement appears to have plenty of headroom so it's hard to imagine the water can't return by gravity, but I'm not there so can't say for sure.

pecmsg

Please post where this boiler is, we may know someone that can help.

AdmiralYoda

What is the EDR of the connected radiators?

Jamie Hall

Please do revisit the size of the boiler. Something just doesn't add up there, and in steam particularly bigger is not better — and may be much worse.

Condensate tanks are an invention of the devil. If for some unfathomable reason you absolutely have to have a tank — the only valid reason being that at least one radiator is below the water line of the boiler — control it as a boiler feed tank. At least that way you won't flood the boiler and shut own the system from time to time…

However, rethink it completely. Except for that one example, I can't think of a situation in a residence where a boiler feed tank would be required. Get rid of it and pipe the rest of the job correctly. Everyone will be a lot happier.