Flooded steam baseboard.

Steamhead

of the problem baseboard, also of the steam line feeding it. The baseboard should pitch down toward the return connection and the steam line should pitch back toward the steam main.

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John Lasky

problem steam baseboard

good morning.

Again many thanks to everyone, great site!!!


this baseboard is the second horizontal takeoff from the boiler. its a 2 pipe vented baseray.


it sounds like boiling water rather than steam is in the unit as it gurgles all the while the flame is on and is slow to heat though it vents fine.

the return is about 5' above the boiler water line and runs for 15' then drops ito the wet return just in front of the Hartford loop.

now the strange part is the return line never gets hot its always cool to touch and If I put my ear on the pipe that drops to the wet ruturn I can hear water dripping.

my other baseboard unit that returns the same way is nice and quiet and the return line is very hot.

so short of a clogged return is there anything I should look at? boiler water level is fine as my glass is well below half when Im making steam.

thank you very much

"John"

ed wallace

problem steam boiler

anyway you can post pictures

Fred Harwood

Hot return

If one return is hot and the other cold, you may have steam in the return, which can prevent steam from entering the other baseboard. Ensure that steam does not pass through the hot baseboard.

John Lasky

thanks for reply.

ill see if I can do a digital shot.

Fred, my other baseboard on the same side of house returns in a similar fashion, it drops below the floor then runs aprox 20' and then drops directly into the end of the main drip line.

niether of these baseboards return back to the main they both go to the wet return though much of the return pipe is above the water line.

the baseboards in the front of the house all drop to a wet return as soon as they drop through the floor.

perhaps my description is not right in my saying a dry return.

thanks "John"

Fred Harwood

Query

Do the cold and hot baseboards have a common dry return (before the drip)?

John Lasky

HELLO AGAIN FRED,

Answer is no, each has an independent return line.

the unit im having trouble with is close to boiler and the return terminates just in fron of the hartford loop.

the other baseboard return ties in at the main drip at the end of the main.

so even though these baseboads are physicaly close the returns are independent and at opposite ends of the house.
they also have independent feeds.


I may break open the return pipe fitting on the baseboard and see if its clogged?? or I can cut the return pipe in the basement and see what I get. I have a steam rated ball valve on the feed side so Isolate this baseboard if I have problems.

again this baseboard does get plenty hot but I do think the return is hampered in some way as its never hot.

thanks again

"John"