steam heat

tariq

I talked to you guys about 2yrs. ago. Bought Lost Art of Steam Heating-- Excellent. I recently bought a 4 unit apartment building with steam heat system. It is a classic one-pipe with a dry return taken right out of Dan's book. The problem is that at the end of the main there is three Tee-offs going to radiator's and the reduction of the 2" main to 1 1/4" dry return. Within this section of pipe there is not much elevation diference between main pipe and return. One of Tee-offs goes to a radiator on the 1st. floor. The radiator valve is at bottom of radiator.There is only one connection tapping in radiator. When the boiler is steaming and the steaming is at radiator there is gurgling noise inside radiator then after awhile water start spurting out of the air vent. The difference in elevation of the boiler water line and End-of-Steam-Main, I don'nt beleive is 28". It is more like 22". Its hard to measure. Could I solve my by making a wet return for that main pipe. The boilier does not have a hartford loop. The dry return when it reachs boiler, it 90 deg. down below water line to tapping at bottom boiler. Could I repipe this with a hartford loop and wet-return? Would this solve my radiator problem?

Steamhead

It Might

but first, check the radiator shut-off valve. See if it's partially closed. If it appears to be all the way open, disconnect the radiator from the shutoff and make sure nothing is blocking the opening.

If this doesn't solve your problem, check the boiler pressure. If it's too high with no Hartford Loop it can make the water back up into the main. Turn it all the way down! On the usual small gray Pressuretrol, TURN THE POWER OFF then remove the cover. Turn the white wheel so the number 1 is toward the front of the control, and replace the cover. Then turn the screw on top counterclockwise until the pointer is at the bottom of the scale, and turn the power back on. The resulting settings will stop the burner at 1-1/2 pounds and restart it at a half-pound.

If this lowered pressure cause steam distribution problems, you have bad or undersized main vents. Replacing these and keeping the pressure low will save a lot of fuel.



To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

tariq

water in radiator

Thank You very much for replying,Steamhead. I did the homework. About the might be obstruction in radiator. Originnally, I changed the reducing bushing on the radiator valve connection point because it was leaking water. 1 1/4" pipe connects to radiator. There was a new valve already on radiator. the union-bushing connection to radiator was leaking. The old and worn--soft metal,oxidized like. I inspected inside the connection hole with finger and flashlight; I did'nt see anything, obstruction. About the possible high pressure, I turned the pressure switch (the gray box) down the very first time I inspected the boiler. At that time it was turned up all the way. I also installed a Gorton no.2 (the Big one) main vent on that length of the main, for the same reason that you sited. The old main vent was a Gorton no.1. I think that your suggestion of the high pressure could be looked at more by installing a vaporstat. I can'nt really see anything wrong it except that its old.If I replaced the radiator and connected to the top of radiator and then ran a return line in U-Shape style, Might that solve problem?

Unknown

Tariq, I'd do the vaporstat first

I'd get the 0-1 PSI one, and set it this way...

Get ten feet of clear hose to fit on a female garden variety hose connection. Put the hose on the drain valve of the boiler and hang the open end up by the cieling. Open the drain valve. The water will rise to the boiler water line. When you run the boiler and build pressure, the water in the clear hose will rise. The water in the piping out by the vent and those connections will rise the same amount. Less, once the vents close and steam pressure adds to push on the water.

Adjust the vaporstat to shut off a couple inches before the horizontal piping. Set the differential around that number, and watch it work for a bit. Watch the water in the hose rise and fall with the cycles. You'll get comfortable with the settings, once you see and listen to it run. Every system has it's own sweet spot on the pressure scale. I enjoy this part of the day.

Noel

tariq

Vaporstat

Thank You Very Much Noel. I ordered a vaporstat today. It had to be ordered, was not available locally. I live in Binghamton, N.Y.,so it might be a few days before i get it. I hope this works.The only thing that comes to mine is that if the vaporstat is set to keep the water out of radiator, Will the system be enough to heat the second floor radiators? Please reply. Thanks

Unknown

Yes, it certainly will

Steam is lighter than air, and that is why the main vent doesn't go at the TOP of the system. If you have pressure enough to lift the water in the hose (manometer), you have enough to reach the top floors.

You need enough BTUHs to heat the radiators, not "enough pressure" to heat the radiators.

2 ounces of pressure is enough for 100' of pipe. 1/2 PSI is good for 400' of piping. 1/2 PSI (8 ounces) only lifts the water 14" in the hose, above the water line in the glass.

You'll be fine.

Noel

tariq

Enough Heat

Thanks Again, You have really presently useful information with clarity. I will stay in touch