Air Leaks in Vacumm Systems?

Brian_2

Does anyone have any knowledge of any standards when it comes to the acceptable amount of air leaks into a vacuum steam heating system?

Unknown

some experience

Hopefully your leaks are on the returns....or they be steam leaks.

If you have leaks when the steam is on, but can't find them, it may be vapor from a return that is too hot. Returns with steam in them won't pull down. The water just evaporates and gives you lousy vacuum readings. The pump effectively re-evaporates the condensate and pulls it back as a vapor. That's expensive in electricity and fuel.

Have you identified which system you have? If you do that, you may find out that it isn't a vacuum system at all. You may find out that it is.

That answer will help to answer your original question. The fact that a vacuum pump is connected to a system doesn't always mean that it is a vacuum system. It means that someone thought a vacuum pump ought to go in, and it's up to you to see if he was right.

Troubleshoot the steam system, then see what boiler, pumps, and controls belong there. Start with the oldest stuff.

What problems do you have?

Noel