Saw my first vacuum system yesterday

Mike T., Swampeast MO

No official age listed but room trim & rads make me believe 1920s.

Saw "strange looking devices" on the returns and return pipe was smaller than supply so presumed it was a vapor/vacuum system. No air vents on rads whatsoever. Hightailed it to the basement. Seemed to be confirmed by gauges/devices on boiler.

Saw what I believe to be a couple of large "standard" air vents hanging around near the boiler and a couple other connections nearby these vents that were plugged. Vents didn't look as old as rest of system--nor did plugs.

Should it have been under vacuum?

Am used to seeing big old boilers around here but this one was a monster--cylindrical about 4' diameter & 5' high. Looked in perfect shape save the crudy, filthy sight glass. House not too big--2 full floors--about 28'x36'.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Not to service but being nosey at open house in old home built around same time as mine.

Rather warm outside so it hadn't been running (much). Vacuum gauge read 0 (atmospheric pressure).

Cut-in set at 2#, differential at 4#.

Aren't they supposed to hold a vacuum? Is the system working off "regular" steam?

Steamhead

It's probably Vapor

if the original vacuum vents were replaced with standard vents, it won't dip into vacuum. Still a great system though! Do you remember who made it, such as Trane, Webster, Dunham etc?

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

Steamhead

Reuben Trane must be smiling from Heaven

at the sheer number of old Trane Vapor systems we've found and restored.

That "snowman" boiler was about 60% efficient on coal, worse on oil or gas. If there was no Return Trap there (looked like an old metal milk jug), the connections were probably plugged when the Return Trap was removed.

The original Trane vents were vacuum-type. No need for vacuum on an oil- or gas-fired system so that explains the standard vents, and the system not dropping into vacuum.

You did leave them your card, didn't you?



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

Steamhead

Reuben Trane must be smiling from Heaven

at the sheer number of old Trane Vapor systems we've found and restored.

That "snowman" boiler was about 60% efficient on coal, worse on oil or gas. If there was no Return Trap there (looked like an old metal milk jug), the connections were probably plugged when the Return Trap was removed.

The original Trane vents were vacuum-type. No need for vacuum on an oil- or gas-fired system so that explains the standard vents, and the system not dropping into vacuum.

You did leave them your card, didn't you?



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

Steamhead

Reuben Trane must be smiling from Heaven

at the sheer number of old Trane Vapor systems we've found and restored.

That "snowman" boiler was about 60% efficient on coal, worse on oil or gas. If there was no Return Trap there (looked like an old metal milk jug), the connections were probably plugged when the Return Trap was removed.

The original Trane vents were vacuum-type. No need for vacuum on an oil- or gas-fired system so that explains the standard vents, and the system not dropping into vacuum.

You did leave them your card, didn't you?



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

Steamhead

Jeez, I hate it

when that happens!

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

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Butter Churn

What I presumed was the collection device looked sort of like a slender butter churn when connected. Air vents? nearly directly above.

Need to bring my Starbuck green book here--believe I remember a similar system illustrated.

Why no need for vacuum on an oil/gas system? How can it produce "vapor" without lowering the pressure?

Steamhead

\"Vapor\"

in this case is actually steam at a few ounces above atmospheric pressure. Most of these systems were designed to max out at 8 ounces or so.

The reason vacuum doesn't work well on oil or gas is that the system often goes into vacuum before all the air is out. When this happens, the remaining air can expand enough to block steam flow.

If there's a vent right on top of the "butter churn" it's a float trap/air eliminator, not a return trap. See the "Here's my Trane" post for a look at one. That system also uses water seals on the rads instead of traps.

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