return

anthony_3

I checked my dry return with a level. It seems it is runs perfectly horizontal(level). The reason I checked this is because I felt the dry return before it turned into a wet return and it was cold (after the boiler had fired and stopped). When I slid my hand along the dry return it eventually felt warm. Does this mean condensate is having a touch time moving down the system? With this condition, at what point would I have water hammer and where would it likely occur.

Thanks so much for comments!

Gary Fereday

Well~~~~

1st, if it is working do not fix it. Traps that leak steam and then the steam enters the dry return will cause hammer. Dry return is a mis-nomer as there is always water in one. it simply means that the pipe is above the water line of the boiler. A level pipe will conduct water to an open end. When some runs in some will run out. If your building is old, settling may have caused the grade to flatten, note here it could have been the other way. I'd check the hangers (by hand) to see that they are carrying their share of the weight. It may be that only slight tightening of some hanges will improve the grade. I'd start at the highest end and work down hill. Again its all relative, if the system is working well why fix it? bigugh