007 circ for steam boiler hot water loop

GW

Hi guys,

are 007's normally OK for pumping (steam) boiler water? I've done it several times over the years, but now I have a job where the circ seized up a few weeks ago. I replaced the cartridge, no big deal. Boiler water was mucky ( new boiler, old system), so I did my best to drain out the muck and run some clean water though the boiler. I got another call over the weekend, I'll stop by there today. Same type of no heat complaint in the addition. Just looking for some input, if it's the same problem might I consider a 3 piece circ? All I'm doing is pumping into a flat plate hx, so there's just a couple feet of tubing on the boiler side. Thanks for the help.

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Kal Row

try

a grundfos 15-42 pump, it has better starting torque but less max gpm which you dont need here, and if it's the right customer, you can show them how to remove the cap on the motor end, and unstick it with a screwdriver - a steam system is open to the air and is usually cruddy and the loop will always get gunked up, that's why they make boilers with built-in immersed heat ex's - if your boiler has one, use it - and if it's being used for domestic hot water - then feed it to the DMH AND to your heat-x with a priority zone valve controled by a waterflow switch - of course in this case, you will have to use a bronze pump, a backflow reventer, a mixing valve, and an expansion tank on the DMH side to protect the potable water supply

also if the house has a seperate hot water heater - it's usually cheaper to feed your basement heat-ex from it (again - with bronze pump, etc) - it's never easy, ..sorry

Dan Schaffer

The link below is to an article that B&G wrote several years ago about using the water from a steam boiler to run a hot water zone. We typically steer people away from a wet rotor circulator and towards a three-piece, oil lubricated circulator because of the problem that you're experiencing.

http://www.bellgossett.com/Press/waterzone.html

best regards,

Dan Schaffer
Bell & Gossett

Kal Row

also

the B&G 3 piece out-starts them all and will seem live forever if you oil it correctly before every heating season,
30 years is not uncommon by me!!

[Deleted User]

We always use the 3 piece pump

for pumping boiler water on steamers. However, we retrofit bronze impellers, when available. No plastics, or whatever the flavor of the month is.

The downside is the 1 AM "my boiler is blowing up" call when the coupler lets go. Why do they never break during the day?

errol

boiler water for hydronic loop

read dan's advice on a balancing leg between the supply and return to make sure that your loop is not running too hot...if it steams up the pump willfail quickly

Unknown

that is an awful noise

'bout a 7 on the sphincter scale.

Noel