Help find steam boiler contactor!

Unknown

that you can work with, you are most of the way there. We can help you and the contractor size up your system, and at least get a feel for the job. Then you can decide if you want to go on. It is attention to details that make steam work, and the instruction book lays it out pretty well right at the boiler. The rest of the system should be pretty intact (usually; famous last words).

Say the word if you have questions.

Noel

Michael_5

Please! Cannot find a contractor in Louisville, KY to install new boiler for an existing one-pipe steam boilear system. Any reference is greatly appreciated.

DanHolohan

It's hard to belive,

isn't it? What an opportunity for a contractor. If there's one old system there must be more. All it really takes is a bit of reading, and as you say, Noel, we're here for him if he needs advice.

Michael_5

Noel,

Thank you for the offer. Here is my story: I had sort-of "normal" steam system with the radiators on the first floor of my house and the return pipe coming back to the boiler exactly in the middle of the basement. I decided to convert it to a one-pipe system to free the space in the basement, since the feeding pipes are installed at the perimeter of the basement walls. So, the developer who worked on my basement invited a guy (HVAC), who honestly said that he never worked on a boilers before. I invited the consultant (paid consultaion) from a commercial boiler company, since I have promised the job to this guy (he did my A/C unit). The consultant said that this conversion should work with the existing pipes. To make story short - it sort of works, but now the boiler has a crack in the heat-exchanger. I think it is because they did not know what is the proper pressure should be and moved it up to a 8-9. There is a terrible smell I think because they used automotive insulation, the radiator valves hiss etc etc.

I am now very afraid of double-team setup (one is giving consultations and another doing the job). I need to replace the boiler, possibly resize pipes, add another radiator, probably add radiators on a second floor.

Thank you,

Michael

Unknown

you did what.....?

!

Unknown

famous last words....

I had a feeling about this one.

It won't cost anything to evaluate what you have, so let's outline a plan.

First thing, what was your system before you changed it. Did the radiators have only one pipe to them always? Did they always have air vents on each radiator? If these are both "yes", then you have had a one pipe system all along.

Next you need to evaluate what effect the changes have on the boiler and the system. The original piping was sized pretty close to the minimum size it could be. Wouldn't you do it that way? It was at the minimum height it could be at, before it dropped down to the floor. The length and pitch also determine the diameter and height.

Bottom line is that the water can't get back unless the piping is right.

Boilers that are too big for the system drive the water line nuts, and can lead to an empty boiler while it is running.

Here, try this article first. It'll be a good outline.

http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm?Id=130

The sizing of the radiators is a matter of measuring each one and matching them up to a chart. We can help out there. Here is a book on the subject.

http://www.heatinghelp.com/shopcart/product.cfm?category=2-59

You need to see if the pipe lengths and heights are right for the load size connected to them. We can help there, too. Tell us your dimensions and the amount of radiation. Pictures help. You can draw in paint, save as JPG and attach it here. This book has pipe sizing tables in it.

http://www.heatinghelp.com/shopcart/product.cfm?category=2-14

I'm concerned about the new piping, the A dimension, the boiler size, the insulation, and the header piping. Venting comes after, but is equally important.

You need one of these...

http://www.heatinghelp.com/shopcart/product.cfm?category=2-3

Noel

Michael_5

Noel,

This post has the answers to some questions and also questions to the questions:

1. Did the radiators have only one pipe to them always? -Yes

2. Did they always have air vents on each radiator? - Yes
If these are both "yes", then you have had a one pipe system all along. - Indeed, I used wrong words to describe the changes that I wanted to make. I decided to convert the system to one-pipe counterflow system to get rid of the separate return pipes

Next you need to evaluate what effect the changes have on the boiler and the system. The original piping was sized pretty close to the minimum size it could be. Wouldn't you do it that way? It was at the minimum height it could be at, before it dropped down to the floor. The length and pitch also determine the diameter and height.
this paragraph I did not quite undestand

Bottom line is that the water can't get back unless the piping is right.
What happened is that I requested the contractor to lower the pressure at the boiler. It is now set to the value just a pip above the atmospheric. And it works - I mean that the radiators become hot, but the boiler frequently strarts and stops.

I will do the homework in a next day or two and post results here. Thank you very much for your help.

Unknown

Counterflow

Counterflow system's pipes are one size larger than a parallel flow system, to make room for the added water. The steam supply is fed into the top of the main from the header, while the water is drained from the bottom of the main. This keeps the condensate from hitting the header on it's way to the bottom of the boiler.

The height of the lowest horizontal pipe in your arrangement must be 28-30 inches above the waterline of your boiler. Not quite knowing if you had a one-pipe system, I couldn't commit to a number. It is different on 2 pipe steam. This dimension keeps the water out of horizontal piping from back pressure at the boiler.

Most of my concerns were relieved when you said you always had a one pipe system. If you had two pipe radiators and pipe sizes, this would be scary. A lot of the radiator piping is 3/4" on two pipe. Whew!

Keep up the good work.

Noel

steve_6

Cinci

Did try looking in Cincinatti