2 pipe air vent system IM SCARED

jesse the great

felow steamers im a little confused im going to replace a retro-fitted boiler im what seems to be a 2pipe air vent system i know there rare but, while in the basement i noticed that there were check valves on the dry returns .
so im wondering do you think that some knuckel head installed air vents on the radiaters insted of replacing the main vents when they where clogged one cold night, also if that is the case should i explain to the owner that they should be removed and pluged, and also install a vaporstat
and run it at less than 8 oz of pressure .

a little more info the home was built in 1904 the rads are all tubed, most of the supplys are 1" and the returns are 3/4" and some are 1 1/4" and 1" some of the rads are double tapped with a plug in one of the tappings , also i noticed that there were 1/4" tubes comming down into the basement from the upstairs returns which has me thinking about vacuume SO I DECIDED THAT IM SCARED

IF ANYONE HAS ANY WISDOM OR AN EXPERANCE WHITH SOME THING LIKE THIS LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU DID AND HOW IT WENT

ILL TRY TO POST PICS TOMARROW

Steamhead

You're looking at the remnants

of a Paul, Eddy or other air-line system. Those 1/4" tubes led from a special vent on each radiator to an ejector in the basement which produced a slight vacuum. This pulled the air right out of the system. The check valves in the dry returns were there to hold vacuum.

I don't know of a suitable air pump setup that could bring this beauty back to life. For now, vent the steam mains well and do not vent the returns.

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Christian Egli

Back to the future

I'm looking forward to your pictures.

I'did not understand fully. Do all the radiators have an air vent now where the 1/4 inch tube used to connect? If the holes are just plugged, where can the air escape? Do the dry returns lead to a pump or is it a gravity return now?

jesse the great

1) its a gravity return now

2)the rads are the old tube style. there are 2 rows of tubes 1 of them has a plug and the 2nd has a air vent

jesse the great

1) its a gravity return now

2)the rads are the old tube style. there are 2 rows of tubes 1 of them has a plug and the 2nd has a air vent

jesse the great

steamhead

there are two main vents installed originaly at the dry return right next to the boiler? does that mean its not some sort of vacuum system?or is it a vapor vacuum system