Can I do this?

Bryan_16

Have two-pipe steam, with condesate pump. Customer wants to raise returns to gain ceiling space. Can I pipe returns to drain backwards to end of supply and install a pump to get water from there back to boiler? Have enough room to get my slope, but don't know if two pumps will work together. Any ideas?

Steamhead

That should work

you could simply route the discharge from the second pump into the existing one. In this application the second pump is called a "transfer pump".

If the existing pump is a straight condensate pump rather than a "boiler-feed pump" operated from the water-level control on the boiler, I'd get a new boiler-feed pump, install it at the boiler, move the old one and use it as a transfer pump.

But before doing any of this- are those pumps really needed? Can the system work by gravity? If so, you can do away with the pumps and their related expenses.

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Bryan_16

it's working

now. The owners want to raise it so they can gain some ceiling space in the basement. The supply is pitched away from boiler. The return begins at a F/T trap at the end of the supply. It is pitched back to the boiler. After 90' of supply and then 90' of return, the pipe is low back near the boiler room. The pump would go at the end of the supply, the return could be raised to pitch the same as supply and the pumped return could go up tighagainst the ceiling. Thanks for the help. Bryan