Drop header Redux

The Wire Nut

of my re-done near boiler piping. I've attached pictures of the original piping, my first attempt completed last week, and the updated version completed last night. My thanks to Steamhead and Mad Dog for their help and encouragement.

I also replaced the Pressertrol with a Vaporstat which is set to 1 lb with 1/2 differential.

The previous version of this post touched off a heated (pun intended?) debate on the value of drop-headers. All I can say is with the limited room I had to work with, I think it was the way to go...

Last winter we burned almost 2000 gallons of oil, and that's being up only on weekends! Some of the radiators would get a few sections hot, some would never get hot, and none would get hot the full length.

Last night, in about 30 minutes, most of the radiators, except the large one, were hot end-to-end. I even got half the 20' of cast-iron baseboard in the living room (plumbed in 3/4 copper!) hot!

So, drop header or not, I think my oil company is going to be a bit sadder this year!

For those who count these things, fitting are about 50% domestic and 50% imported. My supplier here in PA carries a mix but doesn't always keep everything stocked. The difference in price on the average fitting was about 20 cents! The quality difference was more than noticable...

Finally but not leastly, I would like to thank Dan for creating this community, for teaching and preaching proper technique and for his endless support and encouragement.

Steamhead

Nice Job, Alex

Two points: One, for those of us who are still learning steam, spending a bit more money on unions will save much aggravation if you have to change something around. I counted seven on this job, which undoubtedly saved Alex much time in the past week or so.

Two, the equalizer on an angle like that isn't usual, but it's pitched so no water will collect at the reducer coupling. This setup ought to work fine- and if it does bang, it's easy to loosen the union...... ;-)

gerry gill

a vast improvement..

looks fine..works well..will save money..life is good..

The Wire Nut

Unions...

Actually there are a bunch more unions on the returns and the mains.

It took so long to take apart my first attempt, I realized that unions are the way to go. I never really considered the cost, as a: time is money and b: what I expect to save in oil will pay back the whole shebang in a season.

Question: Is it OK to use a hi-temp Anti-Seize on the union's threads? Seeing how much leverage it took to open some of the original piping unions, I would like to make future work easier.

Also, is there a problem with the reducing coupling? I am not sure if you have a concern about it...

Thanks again...

Steamhead

If that pipe were horizontal

the reducing coupling would trap water behind it, causing banging.

But the pipe is pitched so this can't happen.

Christian Egli

What a beautiful header

What a beautiful story. I like those kinds of endings, where the steam goes on to live a long and happy life.

Think of the horror if you had converted to some hot air scheme. It would have been like when the Big Bad Wolf eats the Little Red Ridding Hood. Bad ending.

Best regards

The Wire Nut

Pitch pipe...

Ahh...I see.

There's something nice about a reducer, rather than a snotty old bushing...

I noticed today whilst I was cleaning up, that my Hartford look ain't exactly vertical. It's canted a bit, I think from when I installed the new wet return... That shouldn't be a problem, should it?

The Wire Nut

Beauty

in piping...that's almost poetic! Thanks Christian, it's very encouraging to get such nice compliments!

There was talk about removing the steam, but, in the end, we'll keep it, at least for the second floor. Since we have access to the joist bays on the 1st floor from the basement, we may put radiant in all or part of that space. Most likely it will go in the kitchen/dining/family room and the bathroom when we get to remodling both...

For now, the smooth hiss of steam, big old cast-iron radiators with the embossed decorations, and the silence of non-banging pipes will grace our home...

Thanks again...

Steamhead

Should be fine

as long as you have a close-nipple at the equalizer connection.

The Wire Nut

Close...

nipple into a 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 bushing...

Steamhead

That should be fine

be sure to let us know how well the system works this winter!

The Wire Nut

Will do!

At this rate that will be sometime next month! The other improvement will be insulation, which is being pumped in next month... We have "ballon" construction, i.e. a stone outer wall and an inner house with only rodents and insects between the two... Made for some interesting 20 knot breezes through the house last winter!

The Wire Nut

More progress...

It's been awhile and if anyone is still monitoring this thread, here are some more photos of the ongoing boiler re-pipe.

I've got the venting piped per the installation manual. I installed the Westwood double filter and Tigerloop (thanks John Levey!) with the flexible connectors. The original install had the tubing going through a hole punched in the back of the burner cover and right to the pump. No way to swing open the door without spilling oil... and at almost $2 a gallon...

The 2 Gortons (thanks Steamhead) get the long main vented in about 10 minutes and the Hoffman does the same for the short main, but looks a lot cooler...(pun?)

I installed a Vaporstat and a 0 - 5 lb gauge. A 101A water feeder was found at the Home Depot that just opened in NYC and I couldn't resist, so I added that as well...

I had a pro (found from "Find a Pro") come in to adjust and clean the boiler and to get CO and CO2 to spec. He commented that he had never seen a boiler come up to steam so fast! But he also mentioned that the header should be 3" instead of the 2"... Maybe in the spring...

The electric needs work as you can see from what I found in the splice box. That's the next project.

We've been insulated and there's foam everywhere and about 1000 holes in plaster walls to patch, but I bet I'll be warm this winter...

Oh, and the last picture is proof that there is life (thanks to my lovely, patient and darling wife) outside of boilers and basements! My first, due March!

Steamhead

Sounds like you're ready for winter

and the house will be warm for the new baby. I hope you enjoy it for many years.

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