trane vapor heating

patrick linhardt

Hi David,

Glad to hear that the boiler is not leaking. Also glad to help, sounds like you are on the right track. Let us know how it works after the vent upgrade.

Best regards, Pat

David P.

trane vapor system steam heat

I have a Trane Vapor steam heat system in my newly acquired old house in central Wyoming. I have several questions. The boiler is controled by a pressuretrol. The lowest setting is 1/2 pound. Shouldn't this be replaced with a vaporstat?If so, where do I buy one? Nine feet of 3 inch header feeds two runs of 2 1/2 inch main, one 58 feet long, the other 74 feetlong. One Hoffman #4A quickvent sits at the end of each main. Is this sufficient venting for the mains?

patrick linhardt

trane vapor

Hi David,

Love Wyoming! Yes, this system will work much better with a vaporstat control operating at ounces of pressure. But to keep it from cycling on the pressure control, you will have to restore the venting capacity. Vapor systems traditionaly had very high venting rates, Trane was no different.

I'm not sure about your options on purchasing the new equipment. Denver might be your best bet. See what brand you can get, then find out its venting rate. Try to get as much capacity as possible. Your mains have about 2 and 2-1/2 cubic feet of air. I can't find my chart for the existing vents right now. But you want to get that volume of air out in a minute or two, so the rate for the new vents should be close to 2 cubic feet per minute.

Best regards, Pat

patrick linhardt

more info

Hi David,

I was rushed and distracted before, but now after a slow commute, I realize that I didn't mention anything about the venting on the return side. The end of supply main vents are crucial, but on vapor, the end of the returns are critical.

What kind of vent(s) do you have at the end of the dry return? It needs to have a large venting capacity, since there is a lot of air in the radiation.Let us know what you have installed.

Sorry for neglecting to mention this before.

Best regards, Pat

Bob W._3

And those 4A's don't vent much at all. Only .110 CFM at 2 oz. on the Gill/Pajek chart.

patrick linhardt

check the library

Hi David,

There is some wonderful information on your Trane vapor system on the "Library", part of this wonderful site. It is under the heading for vapor systems and explains some of the aspects of your system in more detail. I recommend you print it out and review it.

In response to your e-mail, it is better to reply on the wall so others can see it and be able to help. That said, the single Hoffman #4 on the vent trap is way too small. And yes, the vents on the radiators have to go. I suspect you have some bad traps that need maintenance, that is why there is a #4 on the vent trap.

I'm sorry to read about the plume of steam from the chimney. To check if there is a hole in the boiler above the waterline, turn off the boiler and manually overfill the boiler until you see water come out or it is well above the top of the gauge glass. Of course, if there is water present, you need a new boiler. Let us hope that is not the case. With the age of the boiler, it sounds like it might be time anyway. If your water usage is a quart a day, you may be able to limp through till the next warm spell. As an aside, I woke up in Jackson Hole to go skiing one day, temperature was 30 below. That came as a shock to a Cincinnati kid. But we got to the slopes, and under clear blue skies enjoyed a fine day of skiing. High that day I believe was 10 above.

When and if you do have to replace the sixty year old boiler, make sure it is properly sized. Have the contractor measure your installed radiation. The net output of the new boiler should exceed your radiation total. You do not have to oversize the boiler. Have you used the "Find a Professional" feature of this site? Sometimes the contractor search can be difficult.

David P.

Much appreciation for good advice

Thanks, Pat, for your generosity in giving me detailed advice and info. I flood tested the boiler as you advised. It showed no leaks. The local gas company tech came by this AM and told me the steam plume was not unusual for my size boiler in these low temperatures, given the amount of water vapor and CO2 released from normal combustion. I ordered Gorton #2 air eliminator valves for the ends of the mains and three of them for the end of the return, after talking to Ken Kunz at Gorton. Also, found a Honeywell vaporstat at State Supply. No hot leads on a good professional in the Lander, Wyoming area, yet, but it's all working out. Again, thanks for the invaluable confidence boosting advice and directions. David

Steamhead (in transit)

David, did you send in a question

to Fine Homebuilding magazine about this system roughly a year ago? It sure sounds familiar....

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

David P.

A year ago I hadn't yet been introduced to Trane vapor heating, or steam heat, for that matter. David