why do you need a special hammer for water?

Fred P

Just Kidding!

But seriously, I noticed a water hammer silencer on the inlet side of a now bypassed DHW coil on my steam boiler. I was wondering how effective something like that is,how it works and is that a common problem for boilers with DHW coils?

bigugh_4

hammering water ?

This was most likely to protect the Coil. from water hammer in the cold water lines, since it was placed on the inlet to the coil. Water hammer occurs when the flow of water is shut off suddenly usually caused by quick closeing valves. It can and will bust pipes and fittings. extream internal pressure is vibrated through the pipe. The coil may have been replaced at one time because of this occurance. Water hammer arrestors come in many sizes and shapes. The simplest is a verticle capped pipe near the quick closing valve. Causeing an air cushion to exist where the water can bounce.Manufactured ones have a bellows in them that expand when the hammer occure, A long coil of pipe ,plastic or copper can be used. Pipe sizing to fixture outlets big enough to keep the flow at less than 5 feet per second helps a great deal. 3/4" pipe this is 4 GPM.