Is this a steam system or Hot water????

John_73

I thought I had two pipe steam heat system but now I am confused...
I have an old american standard boiler with an Iron Fireman pressure controller and a pressure gage on top. The "steam" (?) supply pipes use eccentric reducers. I thought I had a steam system until I removed the covers from a couple steam traps at the radiators (American radiator Co.)and found nothing but a 1/4 hole into the return pipe. Is it possible that they have been removed? The trap covers are currently soaking in paint remover. So far I can make out the words: "---- valve company".

And lastly, Behind my boiler, teed into the right return leg is a "bucket" with a 1/2 inch coiled tube with both ends vented to atmosphere. Embossed on it is "EXCELSO No12" Can you tell me wha this is as well? Thanks for any information ou can provide.

John_73

What is this? Steam or Hot water?

I thought I had two pipe steam heat system but now I am confused...
I have an old american standard boiler with an Iron Fireman pressure controller and a pressure gage on top. The "steam" (?) supply pipes use eccentric reducers. I thought I had a steam system until I removed the covers from a couple steam traps at the radiators (American radiator Co.)and found nothing but a 1/4 hole into the return pipe. Is it possible that they have been removed? The trap covers are currently soaking in paint remover. So far I can make out the words: "---- valve company".

And lastly, Behind my boiler, teed into the right return leg is a "bucket" with a 1/2 inch coiled tube with both ends vented to atmosphere. Embossed on it is "EXCELSO No12" Can you tell me wha this is as well? Thanks for any information ou can provide.

Steamhead

That's Vapor

ultra-low-pressure two-pipe steam. Seems like someone removed the element from the trap you took apart. I'll bet when you get it clean it says "Milwaukee Valve Co" which means you probably have a "MILVACO" system. You can get replacement elements for these traps from Tunstall (www.tunstall-inc.com) or Barnes & Jones (www.barnesandjones.com).

The Excelso unit is a coil used for heating hot faucet water using hot water from the boiler. It has been disconnected from your water supply system, that's why it's open at the ends.

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John_73

That's Vapor?

Thank You! I kept searching and finally found a radiator with thermostat in the steam trap. They must have been removed at some point. The heat exhanger makes sense now. Thank you again. It does have two threaded ports at each end of the coiled tube. The paint on the trap cover is beng stubborn.

Can you tell me more about vapor systems? I have purchased "the lost art of steam heating" but I have not read much about it---yet. Thank you again!

Steamhead

Vapor systems

are covered in chapter 15 of Lost Art. The three main features of Vapor are: 1- it's a two-pipe system, 2- it runs at very low pressures, typcally about 8 ounces, and 3- all air is vented at one or several central points in the basement, not at the radiators.

Assuming I'm right and you have a Milvaco, it may have a Return Trap and Float Trap/Air Eliminator in the piping around the boiler. The Return Trap makes sure the water can return to the boiler regardless of its pressure, and the FT/AE is a central air venting unit. Look under the heading "The Boiler Return Trap and the Alternating Receiver" in chapter 15 for a discussion of how this works. The system shown is a Dunham but the Milvaco works the same way.

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