Hoffman #30 Boiler Return Trap(installed by a dead man)

Tom Minz

yesterday I had the unfortunate task of informing a new customer that their brand new boiler (installed by another contractor) was piped wrong and was under sized. while I was looking over the system and measuring for the correct size, I saw tucked up close to the ceiling of this 100 year old basement, a "Hoffman #30 Boiler Return Trap" that was intalled by a dead man. It has three tappings on the face of it labled Exhaust, Steam, and Return and a site glass on its side(I thought it was very cool!) The return and exhaust were piped in by that dead man but the steam tapping was adapted to during the latest installation. It is currently routed directly to a tapping off the boiler above the water line. I'm thinking it should be tied in from the header before going into the steam main or is this o.k. Unfirtunately I didn't have a camera with me, otherwise I'd attatch some photo's. I may be going back there today so I'll take some photo's and post them tonight.

Tom Minz

Mad Dog

Sounds like you are right, but pics and a scetch will be a help

Mad Dog

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Tom Minz

Tom Minz

I have pictures

I took this morning. The customer complained that the new boiler didn't work at all. These pictures of the near boiler piping may point out why. I've included a couple of shots of the #30 trap which I mentioned in my earlier post. The new 1" black pipe tide into the old painted tee is the one I mentioned was tied to one of the boiler tappings. Off to the left up high is a "Hoffman #30 Vent Receiver" which has the systems main vent. Does any body know where I could find documentation on these old components. I see old things like this all the time and I have general idea (thanks to "Lost Art") on what there doing but for the most part Ive taken Dan's advice that if you don't know what it does, walk away and leave it alone.
Is there a compilation of various components that the dead men used that would explain in detail there function and help me get into the heads of those old timers? Sounds like an idea for a new book Dan! Thanks for any thoughts

Tom Minz

gerry gill

hi Tom-

check your e-mail, i've sent you a copy of the info for the return trap..enjoy

Steamhead

Tom, that's a Hoffman Vapor system

> I took this morning. The customer complained that

> the new boiler didn't work at all. These pictures

> of the near boiler piping may point out why. I've

> included a couple of shots of the #30 trap which

> I mentioned in my earlier post. The new 1" black

> pipe tide into the old painted tee is the one I

> mentioned was tied to one of the boiler tappings.

> Off to the left up high is a "Hoffman #30 Vent

> Receiver" which has the systems main vent. Does

> any body know where I could find documentation on

> these old components. I see old things like this

> all the time and I have general idea (thanks to

> "Lost Art") on what there doing but for the most

> part Ive taken Dan's advice that if you don't

> know what it does, walk away and leave it

> alone. Is there a compilation of various

> components that the dead men used that would

> explain in detail there function and help me get

> into the heads of those old timers? Sounds like

> an idea for a new book Dan! Thanks for any

> thoughts

>

> Tom Minz





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Steamhead

Oops, it posted twice......

Steamhead

Tom, that's a Hoffman \"Controlled Heat\" Vapor system

it's covered in chapter 15 of Dan's "The Lost Art of Steam Heating", under the heading "The Boiler Return Trap and the Alternating Receiver". The system illustrated in that section is a Dunham, but this Hoffman works the same way. Later in the chapter you will find a section on the Hoffmans.

I agree the steam takeoff for the Return Trap should come off the header, or a steam main after the header.

If the system isn't heating well, check for steam in the dry return. If you find any, look for bad traps on radiators or at the ends of steam mains.

The best way to pipe a Burnham that I've seen is the way Mad Dog did this one.

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Tom Minz

thanks for the direction. it's all right there in chapter 15. i'm replacing the boiler today and your direction has proven to be invaluable! currently the system is operating @ nearly TWO POUNDS! with a properly sized boiler, a good piping job and the correct setting on a vaporstat, i'm hoping to have a very satisfied customer when all is said and done! i'll let you know how everything turns out. thanks again!

tom minz