Near Boiler Piping

Dan Pollock_2

No matter how I look at it...or measure it....I can not see how the original installer got 24 inches between the header and the water line in the boiler....per Dan's book that is optimum for dry steam....24inches below the header falls about 10 inches BELOW the bottom of the sight glass...any thoughts?
This is a two pipe system w/pumped return(condensate) neglected traps and a big sad face on the front of the boiler....the poor old thing hasn't had a hug since the installer(1947) finished the job!..all the guys working on it since have run screaming from the building.....kinda sad actually. I am a woodworker/toymaker turned maintanence(partially..:) person and I thank God for Dan and his books!!....and of course The Wall.
The system has many problems mostly due to neglected traps (my SUMMER plan is to replace all of them) but I am wondering about the near boiler pipeing as I am almost certain the hartford loop has been messed with and who knows what all else.....maybe its better I do not know....hmmmm...
I have written several times and always have gotten help,it is comforting to know this forum is at hand.
thanks...:)

P.S.
So Dan.....hows about a nice Pre-Paid Alaskan fishing trip......maybe wander around an old(relatively) steam heated Hotel while you are here....:)....give that poor old woodworker guy a few suggestions....he's down in the boiler room sitting on a 5 gal. bucket with a WELL worn copy of your book....

DanW

Sounds about like mine.

I fretted about my near boiler piping as it seemed a "how not to do it" example, but finally decided that the velocities were low enough in my boiler that maybe it didn't matter so much.

Steamhead

In 1947

near-boiler piping wasn't quite as critical as it now is, since boilers had those big steam chests that let the steam disengage from the water. Try that on a modern boiler and it will never work.

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Dale

The water

The water quality makes a big difference as well as the pressure, and since you're here it's probably down to less than 2 pounds, as long as there's no backup into the dry return and you keep the water really cleaned so your steam separation is optimum I wouldn't change it.