boiler replacement and piping materials

Al Letellier

How about using Sch 80 pipe for the wet returns. Unless you've got peach fuzz on your cheeks, you should never see a failure with that stuff.

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Bill Jirik,

piping materials

I have a customer with an 8 year old Weil McClain LGB-14 for a one pipe steam system (apt bldg)that has failed due to excessive makeup (30,000 gal a month). The building has 3 steam runs that are located in a low nearly inaccessable crawlspace they start as 4" and end up as 3-2" runs, the last 50 or so feet are returns with no radiators coming off them, there are main vents on the ends before they go into the condesate return pump.There are numerous water pockets or low spots in these 2" returns hence lots of leaks from the highly oxygenated condesate, little if any air is vented from the main vents due to the water pockets. Because of poor air venting the boiler was run long and hard, the original installer controlled the boiler with a time clock having it come up to pressure then cycling on return condesate temperature, of course he failed to install a make up water meter or correct the condensate leakage. As part of my replacement I plan to install a water softner(incoming city water 8-9 grains of hardness), control the boiler with a Honeywell Vision-pro TH-8000 thermostat with remote sensor located in furthest apartment, replace-repitch the leaking 2" return lines however I may not be able to eliminate all the water pockets and will install additional main vents ahaead of any water pockets, because of the possibillity of water pockets I am cosidering using something other then black pipe would galvinized pipe be a good choice, cost wise 2" sched 40 black pipe is $2.50/foot galvinized $3/foot and 304 stainless $25/foot, thoughts on pros-cons would be appreciated.

bob young

copper return

you might consider copper for wet returns.less labor intensive and will last longer considering field conditions that are not solvable

jeff_51

have used sch 80 once

for roof drains at the coal fired generating plant up in Dunkirk N.Y. cause of the obvious corrosive effects of a coal fired generating plant. Man is that stuff heavy, but will last foooooooreever.