steam vapor system

jim lockard

1st one of these I have seen Please help.
Customer has a steam boiler Its a Burnham #604 rated at 360,000 BTUs Has apressuretrol Honeywell PA404A-1009,Air eliminator Dunham type number 220B (not a lot of air comes out) Steam gauge on boiler has been unprotected by a sipon and is cooked(to be replaced) System has two main traps at the end of the steam lines feeding back to the air eliminator in a dry return(high) pipe. the wet returns run back from the end of the steam mains along the wall about a foot off the floor. Cast Iron Rads will not heat all the way across or down low, just the tops are hot. I pulled and replaced 1 trap in the home today. It seems like every Rad has a differant trap Illonise#1,Dunham #1 Milvaco H 100-6, Warre/ Webester#7. with Hunter electronic T-Stat.
The boiler has 1/2 the burners plugged. The boiler is off and on burns a hugh gas bill and the home stays cool. So help where do I start ? is the pressuretrol right ? I think I need a vapor stat. Do I need to clean or service the air elimintor? not much air venting out or should I focus on replacing the steam traps--One trap has been pulled and that Rad does not heat any better or worest then the rest.Thanks in advance. J.Lockard

[Deleted User]

hi jim

we work on alot of vapor systems, mostly mouat tho..first i would rate the radiators then fix the burners so that your sure the boiler is firing to its connected load..then make sure your air vents all work..fix any bad steam traps..and your correct, put a vaporstat on..hope this helps..

Steamhead

Another thing to check

see if there's any steam getting into the dry return. There shouldn't be- if so, follow it back to the source and fix the trap.

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jim lockard

So

Can I break the union at the air eliminator and look for steam or if the air starts rushing out of the dry returns I will know that the air eliminator is clogged? I should be able to feel a warm return that would indicate a defective trap Correct? Thanks J.Lockard

[Deleted User]

yes, yes,

and yes, correct.;)