Two pipe steam

Steamhead

the Dead Men who designed and installed your Vapor system were geniuses. Respect them and their creation.

Have you been able to locate any manufacturer's info on the various components of your system? Based on what you've told me, it may be an early Trane, Richardson or O-E system. We love to hear about Vapor systems here!

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Mark_4

Two pipe steam

I'm replacing a 200,000 btu residential gas steam boiler. After searching the basement , I found two 2" steam mains splitting the house ,ending at the far side of the house& dropping to a wet return. There are two 1&1/4" dry condensate returns parralelling the steam mains also ending at the far side of the basement, before dropping into the common 1&1/2" wet return.There are four "quick vents" one at the end of each steam main & dry return before they drop to the wet return. No problem so far. When I go upstairs to count the radiators, I find those old" lever type" radaitor valves,which probibly have or HAD orfice plates, & those "innocent looking union-end return ells". Then I see that some of the radiator valves have been replaced. I'd like to update the system & add thermostatic traps & replace the radiator valves on each radiator, & replace the four main "quick vents". Can I do this without addind F&T traps at the end of the steam mains , or can they stay as they are being terminated into the wet return?..... Help! ..... Mark

Mark_4

E-mail

Does anyone know if heating help's e-mail is down ? I can't seem to send an e-mail.

DanHolohan

Our email is working

I've been getting lots of it over the weekend.

With this system, why not leave it as it is? If you need to replace the supply valves, get some orifice plates from Tunstall? 1-800-423-5578

Mark_4

I understand that this system was designed & works well, & I'll probibly take the advise Dan gave , but I was just trying to figure if my studying was leading me in the right direction. If I did change the valves & add steam traps, would the steam pressure back up higher into the returns?Will the Quick Vents still be O.K. at the "B" dimension , or would I need to add F&T traps at the end of the steam main?
Mark

steamman

we have the orifice plates

in stock. in many cases you install the orifice on the supply side and do not have to install steam traps. we'd need to know the rad capacity (sq. ft.) and rad valve size. as usual it is important to keep the steam pressur low and make sure the main vents are functioning properly.

Steamhead

No

it wouldn't cause the returns to back up. And you wouldn't need to install F&T traps.

The only thing that would change in the above scenario is the method of keeping the steam out of the dry returns. You'd be using traps instead of orifices. This would be a good way to pipe additional radiators into the system if you ever need to.


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Unknown

Two pipe steam system

with adustable rad valve and no steam traps.

If you need to replace the rad valves Mepco (old Dunham Company equipment) manufactures adjustable orificed radiator valves.

You can determine the radiators capacity and have the orifice preset at the factory. Provide them with the system operating steam pressure.

If I was you I would not install steam traps, they are just another maintenance headache.

You did not mention the system operating pressure.

If you have some banging problems lower the the steam pressure to 1 or 3/4 PSIG with a 2 0z. differential. The two oz. differential is for an atmospheric gas burner. If you have a gas gun type burner use a 4 OZ differential.

The last system I worked on like yours was in Waterford Conneticut. It was an Arco Model K. The Union Elbows had no orifices in them.

The only difference between your radiator valves and the Arco was The Arco valves had adjustable orifice. The orifice was set by the installer and never touched again.
That home owner had the opriginal orifice key for making adjustments.

Jake

Mark_4

update

Most of the original componants on the radiators are Richardson& Boynton(valves & return ells) some of the radiators have O.E. return ells. One radiator had been replaced & relocated by the H.O.It had no supply valve or trap. We're adding a trap here, & installing orifices on the 3 rads that had the radiator valves replaced. One rad on the 2nd floor has a thermostatic trap on the outlet, it however, has a typical angle style with bottom outlet. It's installed with it's outlet at a 45 degree angle, then to a 45facing down. Not sure if this is correct according to manufacturers specs. Does anyone know if it needs to face straight down vertically? Hope to have some pics of this beauty to show soon!