2 vacuum pumps????

Steve_76

I am working in an old school building where there was a small addition put on last year. It is a vacuum system and apparently worked fine until the addition. The enginner specified a new vacuum pump and return tank to be put in a pit on the far side of the building. The new return pumps appears to discharge into an existing return line which is well below the existing (in the boiler room) vacuum return tank. Perhaps the engineer should have specified a transfer pump with approporiate piping but this is what we have. I have not done much trouble shooting but my question is can 2 vacuum pumps work on the same system and if so how should the one away from the boiler be piped?

Steamhead

The second vacuum pump

should be changed to a transfer pump. It sounds to me like you have vacuum pulling from two directions.

See "The Lost Art of Steam Heating" for piping hints.

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Unknown

Wait a second, please

If the second pump is on a vacuum return, you won't be able to use a vented transfer tank. The Delta P. is in the wrong direction, and the tank won't fill.

Can you draw a diagram for us and post it, or fax it to one of us? Perhaps take a picture and post it here?

Noel

[Deleted User]

If the original

vacuum pump & the new pumped return line are large enough, replace the second vacuum unit w/ a condensate unit. Pipe the overflow (full size), with a check valve, into the return back to the vacuum unit. That will provide a vacuum on the new tank & the addition. When the condensate pump starts, the check valve will close, and the condensate will return to the existing tank.