Old Steam Boiler - DF

Mt. Falls Mikey

he worked in D.C. until 1917,as a steamfitter, then he moved to Wauchula Fla. Started out as a truck farmer,became on of the first mechanical contractors in south central Fla..Kinda makes you think..

Dan Foley

Steamer

I looked at this job yesterday in the Kalorama section of Washington, D.C. It is an old c. 1915 apartment building with a one pipe steam heating system. The original coal boiler was left in place when the replacement boiler was installed approximately 30 years ago. Here is the building:


To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Dan Foley

The Boiler

Here are several photos of the coal boiler. Note its size in relation to Bill, my ace service tech.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Dan Foley

Relief Valve?

This is what I believe was the relief valve, a cast iron wieht hanging on the lever arm. I assume you could adjust the stting by sliding the weigth along the length of the arm.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Dan Foley

Replacement

This is the W-M LGB that is currently serving the building.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Dan Foley

What is This?

This was on the wall adjacent to the boiler. It has long since been disconnected. By best guess is that it was some sort of pressure regulator for the original gas lighting system in the building.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

patrick linhardt

nice pix

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the pictures. How is the system operating? Any uneven heat, high fuel bills, noise, etc.?

Best regards, Pat

[Deleted User]

Ahem.

Top steam take offs. RA890 MH Control. Round jacket corners. Camlocks on the front doors. Methinks that's an MGB.

Bldg has 49 Apts. 750,000 cube. Have fun.

Constantin

Thanks for sharing!

If the current gas and oil prices keep going the way they have, then these boilers might be a good insurance policy! :-P

But seriously, that's a beautiful system to behold. What are you going to do down there? Replace the MGBs?

Dan Foley

MGB

Ron, you are correct - it is an MGB. It sounds like you've spent some time in this boiler room? I would love to pick your brain over a beer or two sometime. -DF

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Steamhead (in transit)

It also may have been

the damper regulator for the boiler. Wouldn't take much to operate that large diaphragm. Is this a Vapor system?

You are right, that was the original safety valve. I wonder who Zellers & Co. was? They don't appear in any references I have.

If you decide to meet up with Ron, better figure on several beers. I have had the honor of doing so.

Dan Foley

Boiler

Hi Constantin. I was just surveying the system and making recommendations. At this point nothing has been decided. The boiler is approx. 30 years old but appears to be in sound condition. The complaints are of high fuel bills and uneven heat. -DF

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Dan Foley

Complaints

You got it, Pat - high fuel bills and uneven heat.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Dan Foley

One-Pipe

Hi Steamhead. This is a standard one-pipe steam system with dripped risers.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Al Corelli

Reminds me of my youth, when my Grandfather would send me into a very warm chamber to hold the roller on the back of the firetubes.

What a great guy Grandpa was back then. He had the guys teach me how to weld when I was very young and still small enough to slide on my back down the chambers of the smaller scotch marine boilers (Mmmmm, #4 oil!), so I could weld refractory hooks onto the inside of the burner mounting plates.
He was also nice enough to teach me how to hammer the clay-like refractory onto those same hooks. I think the refractory was called "Ramset" or something.

Too bad I don't get to pick the nursing home...

patrick linhardt

check the venting

Hi Dan,

It is crucial to have proper sized vents at the end of the steam mains on one pipe systems to get even heat. And you know what, once the heat is even, the bills come down.

It could be plenty of other things, but I would survey the vents first. Mo venting, mo better.

Best regards, Pat

RonWHC

Dan.

The MGB installation @ the Mendota is a classic Warner installation from the Bud Register days. Never been in the boiler room.

A beer, or three, sounds good. I'll buy. How about lunch @ the Cactus Cantina. Wisconsin & Macomb. Best Fajita Steaks (or Tex-Mex) in the US of A. That includes Texas.

Frank. You're invited. Guaranteed to beat burgers & fries @ the Microtel.

Steam, Corona (or Modelo Negra), & Steak. Might start a tradition -- or a revolution.

Steamhead (in transit)

I'll \"Bite\"

When?

RonWHC

Dan?

Your move.

Dan Foley

I'm in

I just returned from a day of playing hooky. Three friends and I flew up to Boston for a day game at Fenway. What a treat!

Name the time and I'll be there. I have enjoyed many a fine meal and cold beverage at the Cactus Cantina. I'll be out of town Aug. 10-15 and Aug. 17-22. Any other day and I'm there. -DF

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

[Deleted User]

How about

Wednesday the 24th? Frank?

Steamhead (in transit)

That'll work

for me- what time? Around noon?

Dan Foley

24th

Wednesday the 24th is ok with me. What time? -DF



To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

[Deleted User]

High Noon.

Daylight Saving Time.

Dave Bush

WOW.

All I can think of is: WOW.

Grand old building.

Christian Egli

Hansel and Gretel, hot stuff

Just like the oven in the fairytale, I remember it warm. I too got involved in a job like yours, Al, when I was a little kid.

I was the only one that could fit inside the tight fire chamber to replace the brick lining. This saved my father from the massive job of tearing everything apart, and the turnaround time was the quickest ever. Since this job had become a big emergency, everyone was relieved. I am not sure everyone knew how my father pulled it off though... He had lots of secret tricks.

This kid, like the Superheroes of the comic strips, saved the day.

I clearly remember this event as a big accomplishment. It seemed to me this was a big time grown up thing to do for a little kid of 6. I also keep a nice vision of my father who was handing me the fire bricks through the small door. Somehow, I still think he can watch out for me from way out there... I miss him.

In any event, I got to stay up way beyond my normal bed time and, now that I think of it, my mother never got around to sewing a crimson cape and hood for me.

Dan, just a thought, with the price of natural gas as it is, maybe it's time to fire up those neat Zeller boilers... Need help from a guy in a crimson cape? Is there a phone booth near on Kalorama?

Best wishes for a successful job and thanks for showing the pictures.

Christian Egli

A banking system, a flash of carbide and beer, what a mystery

What's with the trailer hitch type grip on top of the squatty cylinder? Could it have been a remote release for shutting off the boilers. Are there pulleys on the ceiling?

The slender cylinder, with the selection of weights on top could perhaps have had something to do with a time delay. Pressure from the slender cylinder flowing into the squatty cylinder at a controlled rate.

This way the engineer could have gone to bed at night, like everyone else, and then find his boilers, the next morning, properly banked and ready for fresh coal. Otherwise, by leaving the dampers open all night, the fire would have burned itself out.

I am guessing, on a cold night, you would remove weights. You would add them on warm nights to make the shut off come at a quicker pace.

Or

As far as the gas supply, I can see how this mechanism could have regulated gas pressure by dropping and lifting, through the hooks and pulley mechanism, a basket full of calcium carbide in a tank of water.

Are there traces of the messy white goo that comes out of those old acetylene generators?

Or

What do I know, maybe it's just a fancy beer bottle opener, I reckon it gets quite hot near the boilers.


Just something for archeologists to talk about. Let us know of new developments.