Antique Ruud Steam Boiler Help

J. Myers

I have a customer who has a old Ruud coper tube steam boiler that looks like a pot belly stove with barn style doors on it. My question is: There is a device that connects a valve in the gas line (right before it enters the burner) and also connects to the steam header. It has a half moon shape to it and upon removal of the cover there are arems in it and a piston. Is this a safety device? My customer was told by the gasline warranty company that there is a leak at this device and it could not be repaired or by-passed. If it is a pressure safety device, can it be retrofitted with a newer device and meet code? My customer does not want to install a new boiler because the house is on the market to be sold.

Dave Bush

Ancient operating control?

I'm only guessing, but I'd bet that that is a prehistoric pressure switch.

Pressure comes up, valve is forced closed, gas throttles down, fire gets low, pressure starts to drop, valve opens back up, gas comes back up, fore comes back up...

Must be neat to see something that old operating.

Steamhead

Dave, you're probably right

the old Ideal gas boilers from the 1920s had similar controls.

I'm afraid your customer may have to bite the bullet on this one. You'd probably have to replace the gas valve, pilot safety system and pressure cutout at a minimum. But a new boiler is a great selling point to potential homebuyers.

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

Larry Weingarten

steam?

Hello: Are you sure this is steam? I may be way off base, but Edwin Ruud made instant water heaters that had a mechanism like you describe. There was a piston, (water motor) that moved when water was run and pushed open the main gas valve. There were stuffing boxes for both water and gas,(very fixable). Usually these had thermostatic control too, but that was in a different area. If you can give some model numbers from the tag, I may be able to tell you what you have. A picture would help clarify. Yours, Larry

bob young

Sid Harvey Supply carried a lot of old oddball parts at one time . they might still do.

Larry Weingarten

a question

Hello: Is this what you're looking at? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=12&item=3752903246&rd=1
If so, it's a water heater diong extreme service!
Yours, Larry

tim smith

wowwww, I may have to own that

I have seen alot of early 1900s boilers and wood stoves but not that water heater, I would be interested if it still operates.

TRACY MC

STEAM BOILER

I JUST BOUGHT A HOME IN SEPT. IT HAS A STEAM BOILER. I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH ONE ROOM THAT HAS BASEBOARD HEAT. THE PIPE THAT GOES INTO THE BASEBOARD HAS 3 HOLES IN IT AND WATER AND STEAM COME OUT OF THEM. IT HISSES ALL NIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE SHOULD BE A CAP ON IT. DOES IT?

Matt Undy

If its this old it may not have modern gas safety controls. It may have a pilot burner that is so large it isn't likely to go out, esentially a segment of the main burner (of course it could have been retrofited with a modern shutoff/thermocouple before the original controls at some point). But that contorl may just turn the burner up and down or turn a segment on and off.

Just sugesting that a retrofit might be a complete change in the pilot system and where the control valve is placed in relation to the burners on top of retrofiting all of the pressure control system.

Matt

Matt Undy

Re-post tis as its own thread and try to get some pictures and see if there are pies at both ends or otherwise if there are 1 or 2 pipes. What kidn of baseboard, copper or cast iron? Is the whole ssytme this tyep of radiator or is the rest soem oether type?