Steam Question

PriscO A Panza

Hello everyone!!
I have a question.. i was called to troubleshoot a job at a large westchester estate where the customer is experiencing banging throughout the system.. It is a one pipe steam system in most of the house..there are 4 old style indirect steam radiators in ductwork serving three large rooms.. the supply feeds into the top of these radiators and the return dumps into the wet return. The rest of the house has about 20 or 25 one pipe radiators... Should there be thermostatic or F&T traps on these or is it enough that they dump right into the wet return?.. there are no vents on these either.
I do not think the banging is caused by this. There are two motorized valves that are on mains feeding different parts of the house..the banging only occurs after the system has been running for awhile and one of the valves closes.. i want to advise the customer to drive the valves open and zone with one pipe TRV's ? Waht do you think>

Prisco

Unknown

I think that's a great idea.

I'm not a fan of steam zone valves.

Noel

Fred Harwood

Banging

What's the steam pressure, and is it controlled by a Vaporstat? A vacuum breaker after the zone motor might help. Also, how does the air get out of the indirects? Is the pressure high because of the lack of venting?

Bob_19

You Should

have traps before the zone valves, propably F&T.
When the zone valve closes it will cause a deadend situation causing condensate to collect.
As soon as the valve opens that condensate will be flung ahead causing hammer.

Another problem that could appear(this all depends on how the runs are after the valves) is to be sure that any condensate that might collect after the valve unit has some way to drain away.

Where you put the traps will depend on how the runs are setup, but either way you are right about needing them.

kevin coppinger_4

lose the zone valves....(nm)