No money in the budjet for \"THAT\"

Mad Dog_2

You think you've got problems now? You did the right thing: notifying them in writing that the system has been neglected. DON'T compound the problem by trying work with a screwed up system. Why should you take responsibility for 35 years of neglect? Beeb there before, dude. Mad Dog

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FRANK_24

Two steam boiler replacement projects: one with two 132HP square box steel; and the other is two 200 HP scotch marine type. Both w/new vac. pumps, condensate tanks, boiler feed pumps, steam heat exchangers for DHW, 3" & 4" Holby valves, re-circ pumps. Most of the job is going to be OK, but the problem is both existing vacs are venting steam, and so is the cond. tanks, and feed tank. Owner doesn't want to know about change-out the rad. traps...talking about 550 apartments. Lots of $$$ being talked about here.
I was thinking of [God forgive me] a master trap at the vac inlet w/ master venting. This way I can at least protect the new equipment. The rest of the system has had minimal maintenance since the 35 year old buildings were erected. The few traps I inspected looked like 35 years of paint on the fittings has never been disturbed Is a band-aid fix better than none?
The owners have been notified in writting & e/m about the nullification of warranties with the existing conditions left un-attended. Did this to C.M.A., knowing it's not right, but where do you turn? What to do???

Blackoakbob

bad traps .....

point back to your new equipment and may cause you trouble
with increased return temps,increased enegy costs and may result in oxygen corrosion in the return because of the higher return temps. The best thing to do is start a trap replacement program, explain the value in energy savings to the building owners. Also check with the area utility, they may have a rebate program to cover part of the cost.
Last fall I started a 50HP unit and a bad trap in part of the building held back the condensate, shut down the boiler and caused an unnecessary service call. It was a good thing all the new safety controls worked as tested! So you see the single trap at the new equipment won't prevent a system trap from causing you grief.
Best regards,

FRANK_24

These buildings have individual rad traps w/o any others. If I install a master trap w/cooling leg, I'm not interfering w/ the existing flow of condensate, only preventing steamy water from entering "my" new vac and blr feed pumps. Cust wil save $$$ on fuel and use less fresh feed water. I think better to do this rather than nothing. Cust is adamant about no money in the budget for this project. It probably isn't the right thing to do, but doing nothing is worse.....master trap gets my vote.
[sorry Dan]

oil-2-4-6-gas

good luck - since you are aware of the condition and existing problem with the traps -and the owner is aware of the situation --you cannot warranty your pumps --unless you want to eat the cost --you will probably cause more problems with the master trap