Drop Header on Mouat 2 pipe gravity steam too low?

Steam Bunny

from water line?

An attempt to install the drop header on a WM LGB 10 was made today. A big brute (8” x 8 ½’)it’s presently dangling approximately 11” above the water line. 6” Header is a healthy 26 ½” from water line at it’s lowest point.

Contractor wants his people to disassemble everything in order to raise both header & drop header – a daunting task & a lot of extra work if it's not necessary. Figured I'd check with the best to see if there are any minimum height specifications. System has a gravity return & we're doing everything we can to get the condensate back into the boiler & avoid a boiler feed pump if at all possible.

Last week I disconnected some of the wet returns (estimated installation approx 1950) and, much to my pleasant surprise, there was virtually no rust. Likewise, when the boiler was removed (1913) there was very little sludge accumulation. (I may have cleaned it twice in 35 years and before we moved in, the condensate drained directly into the sewer with new water continuously supplying the boiler) The returns are steel (& not stainless). Would anyone know what kind of steel would defy deterioration? Or could there be some other factor at work.... Perhaps something we could all bottle & sell??????