Steam HELP

b young

Both the steam supply and return come up from the floor. The supply is 1" and the return is 3/4", and the radiators are 1 1/4" fin tube. I have done a heat loss and i need only a total of 68,000 btu for the all five rooms. they have no windows and only one outside wall. My problem is where my steam trap is 8" off the floor. I need to add an existing radiator to a a joining room. When I do this my return is either going to have to be higher than the steam trap and my supply or lower than the steam trap by about 4". Will this work or not.

b young

Steam HELP

First off i am not a steam man so please bear with me. At our school they took an old gym and made it in to five class rooms and just built right over the copper tube radiators. The head janitor wants me to cut tees in and devide up the radiator and put a Danfoss thermostat valve with a remote bulb in each room. and then tee in right before the steam trap. My question is that my return to the steam trap is either going to be higher than the fin tube or lower than it. I think that if i am higher than the fin tube, i will flood my supply. If i am lower than my steam trap, thus creating a 20' trap in the pipe, will that work or will the steam flash off the condensate in the trap causing banging. I would like to take the steam and convert it with a heat exchanger and use hot water with zone valves for each room. I need HELP? I don't want to start this project if it is not going to work. THanks

John@Reliable

Steam help!

I can't see it,what is ceiling ht. I would start with a heat loss for each room before going on.It does sound like if ceiling ht. is lower than before that hot water could be cheaper and more control than steam,might even consider new baseboard with zones? anyway start w/heat loss Hope this helps

Frank_5

I think there are too many variables to give the correct answer here. Such as: are these supplied from the top or bottom; what size is the piping and the convectors: won't you be cutting down on the EDR of the rad by making two smaller ones and adding a trap: are there going to be partitions within the enclosure. I reading that there is a partition in the middle of the cabinet space so that , for instance if a cabinet was 4 ft. long, now half of it is in one room and the other is in another room. If that is so, that wasn't too smart in my oppinion.
Anyway, best bet is to get in touch with a mfgs rep. thru a supply house. Find one that handles steam traps. If they can help, listen to them. If they say no way, walk off the job with them.

Dale

Think about how

a steam unit heater is piped, you didn't state the system pressure but alot of these old 2 pipe systems ran about 9 pounds so there was plenty of pressure to lift the condensate up into the return main. To keep from flooding back to the radiator you'll need a check valve. I agree with the other post, talk to whomever you buy traps from, they see alot of stuff and will give good advice based on your particular application.

DanHolohan

Tom,

if you add another radiator it has to have its own steam trap. You can't split into two and then bring them both back to the single trap because steam will short-circuit from one to the other up the return. That creates severe water hammer. It can be done, but you really need to have a steam guy look it over first. Got any good trap reps in the area?

Steamhead

Don't forget

that the steam traps handle not just water, but air as well. You MUST have a clear path for air to vent into the dry return, otherwise your fin-tube will be stone cold.

If the existing traps are 8-inches above the floor, and the return lines will not be handling any more air and condensate than they originally were, you can install a tee and discharge several of your new traps into the existing return. Just remember, your tees must come AFTER the traps, not before.

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Eric

Something does sound right

I hope that someone looked at your remodel?

Without windows, I sure hope someone considered ventilation and required outside air/person for spaces.

Egress?

Steam:

Don't forget vacuum breakers and trim if you are changing steam control to modulating. See the rail car photo.

Mad Dog

Forget heat loss for now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BE THE STEAM>>>>AND THEN BE THE CONDENSATE!!!!!! If you are asking us if it will work, I'll bet it probably won't. YOU! have to sit down for a spell and think out the logistics and practicalities of that system, and the changes that are proposed. Do what I would do...sit down with "LOst Art" for two or three hours,...make scetches and diagrams and PROVE IT TO YOUR SELF FIRST!!!! Nuance and finer points can be handled by any of the big THREE!!!DAN, NOEL, and SteamHEAD, but understand it yourself first. Take your time and think it out...it will come to ya.... don't forget!!! Steam is super-quirky!!!!!!!! Mad Dog

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"