weak steam flow in a two line branch

Patrick Linhardt, \"Linhardt's Field Guide to Ste

Hi Brad,

Thanks for the kind words, and keep sharing the knowledge.

Brother Crispin, if you are reading this, please contact me with your UPS mailing address. If you would rather I call, leave a number.

Best regards, Pat

Brother Crispin

increasing steam to a two line branch of th esystem

I am a Francsican Brother in Harlem, NY. Our friary is an old brownstone with a 110 year history of "do it yourself" renovations including the steam system. The system is one pipe over most of the house except for the original part of the house where the system was piped 10 years ago as a two pipe. The trick is that there are no steam traps and no main vents except on the radiators. The wet return is now dry because of the boiler installed 10 years ago. THE PROBLEM IS that this two pipe branch of the system never heats up. When I took the radiators off on the top floor and ran the boiler it took an 55 minutes for a dripple of steam to come out of the open valve on the top floor (3rd floor). In operating conditions the thermostat would have been long satisfied by the good running radiators on the single pipe branch where the thermostat is located.

The mains and the boiler are properly sized according to the info in Dan's book. How do we increase the volume of steam to this branch of the system so that the entire system heats evenly?

We were thinking about adding a false water line as one of a couple solutions. Would a vacuum pump improve the performance of this branch?

gerry gill

i think your going

to have to have a pro at least consult on this for you..sounds like alot can be wrong..some steam pro's will do paid consultations if your trying to do things yourself..course it would probably be best to let the pro do it themselves..

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

Steamhead (in transit)

The 2-pipe portion of your system

is probably set up as a "2-pipe air-vent" system. This was the "missing link" between one-pipe steam and the more-common 2-pipe with traps.

I suspect a problem with the way this part of the system is piped. There are plenty of good steam men in the NYC area, but the one I know best is Matt "Mad Dog" Sweeney, of Triple Crown P&H in Floral Park. Your problem sounds like it's right up his alley. Go to the Find a Professional page of this site to access his company's ad.

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

Patrick Linhardt, \"Linhardt's Field Guide to Ste

for the good of the church

Dear Brother Crispin,

I have helped the St Anthony Friary here in Cincinnati with their hot water system and I would like to help you with your steam system. I would like to send a copy of my book on steam to you at no charge as a way to better communicate what your problem might be. Gerry Gill, Steamhead and Mad Dog are all good steam men that can provide good and correct advice. Please e-mail me your UPS shipping address so I can get a copy out to you. My mother always said to do this kind of thing, "for the good of the church".

Best regards, Pat

Brad White_72

Is there any better way

to help one's fellow man than this? Wonderful gesture, Pat. I have your book also and use it to educate my Jr. Engineers. Make them into peers and make me a better engineer in the process.

And I second the team assembled, especially Mad Dog knowing his proximity. All great practitioners nonetheless.

And Brother Crispin, I think you will enjoy that book.