Is this a relief valve?

Brad White_9

No vent nor outlet port. I do not know what it is but will guess that it is a bypass of some sort given the tridicator and what seems like a top adjustment. What does the gauge dial say?

Greg Hunsicker

This is an old gravity boiler and the device that looks like the relief valve is piped right back into the bottom of the boiler. It is an open system with the mercury honeywell heat generator. What exactly is this device and its purpose?

Big Ed

Guess

Wish I had a better look. Is there any levers or terminals...Could be a form of aquastat to control the fire and water temperature... I don't see the need for a bypass . maybe the piping configuation is used as a equalizer for delivering aquate boiler temperature to the top sensor... Can you add any more info or markings?

Rodney Summers

Need a better look

I would go out on a limb and say (if there weren't any other safetys) that it was the relief valve. Were it screws in, is that a hole (port) maybe?

As old as it looks, its still not "that old". I also love the regulator piped into the living space. I'd change that NOW! ;-)


Robert O'Connor/NJ

Brad White_9

Another thought...


EDIT: Going out on a limb, but because the connections are each at the same elevations as the supply and return boiler connections, I am surmising that convection is wanted within that device, either to denote the potential for gravity flow, to bathe the sensor in hot water or to bypass and regulate temperature.

Just a series of SWAG's but I sure am curious to find out what the heck it is.

My other guess is, it is a "**** valve". Used to see a LOT of those when first starting out in this business. Since then they seem to have acquired actual names.....

Unknown

Opinion

I`m not sure what this is either, but I lean towards Big Ed on this one. It maybe was some sort of "limit switch" at one time. Maybe that`s why the gauge was installed right there.

Steamhead (in transit)

Dave nailed it

This is probably an old Ideal gas boiler made by American Radiator Co. The device in question was a temperature-activated beam-balance that worked like the ones on coal boilers. But in this case, there was a tie rod that went down to the original gas valve that would close it when the beam balance tilted on temperature. You adjusted the high-limit temperature by shifting the weights on the beam. The beam was held in the bracket on top. Someone has removed it.

The basis for this design was that it would work without electricity. I don't think the pilot lights on the original setup even had any kind of safety shutoff either.

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Rodney Summers

steamhead

You D' Man!


Any archived pictures of this animal perhaps?


Robert O'Connor/NJ

Greg Hunsicker

Yes,it is an Ideal boiler made by American Radiator and the old Coal boiler is still sitting next to it. I figured sooner or later someone would come along and tell me exactly what that was. Thanks guys

Steamhead (in transit)

Not this time

I did run into one of these once with the original gas train still intact and working, but didn't have my camera at the time....

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