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Mystery Part ???

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Mike T., Swampeast MO
Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
in THE MAIN WALL
Sure looks like a pneumatic actuator of some sort.

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  • Shaun Anderson
    Shaun Anderson Member Posts: 164
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    Mystery part of a old steam system ......

    Can anyone help me identify what this is ? The center seat is made of wood and outer gasket is felt. Off a old steam heat system and ties into the globe valve somehow my contractor said. Any ideas what it is and how it works ?


    Shaun
  • Shaun Anderson
    Shaun Anderson Member Posts: 164
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    My main question is .....

    How do we adjust this thing ?


    Shaun
  • Empire_2
    Empire_2 Member Posts: 2,343
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    Just a guess,.

    Vacc break??? Spring loades, responsive to excessive vac, and if you notice on the top plate, there looks to be a valve to atmospheric. ?,?,?,? Like I said just a guess.

    Mike T.
  • S Ebels
    S Ebels Member Posts: 2,322
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    Which brings up another question

    What indicates that it needs adjusting in the first place?
  • Paul Fredricks_3
    Paul Fredricks_3 Member Posts: 1,557
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    If I'm seeing it right, the only threaded connection is that 90 degree piece on top, correct? Then it would have to bleed off pressure. And with the oriface in there I guess it would bleed slowly. All that said, I still don't know what it is. Hard to figure things out when there not in your hand. How about a main line vent.
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,538
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    Yes,

    that's what it is. Possibly made by Fulton. Used to zone.
    Retired and loving it.
  • Shaun Anderson
    Shaun Anderson Member Posts: 164
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    Could I find info on that in the library ?

    I'm just looking to get something to show my contractor since I have no clue what he is up to.

    Shaun
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,538
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    Need more info

    Ask him where the globe valve was. What was it serving?
    Retired and loving it.
  • ttekushan_3
    ttekushan_3 Member Posts: 958
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    Pneumatic control

    WOW! Thats the coolest old pneumatic actuator I've ever seen.

    Notice that the plunger is spring loaded into the chamber body. So this is normally open (in the absence of air pressure applied to the top fitting). But we're looking at less than half of the assembly. Below this should be the angle globe valve body. No rotating valve stem here. It has to be a simple up and down for modulation.

    The concept of adjustment doesn't really come into play here, methinks. The reason the pneumatic actuator is there at all is that its assumed that there's a pneumatic thermostat somewhere in the room and a compressor in the building somewhere to provide the valve actuating pressure.

    Is all that other stuff there? If it is, the actuator may be fine, but the big flat rubber washer at the end of the valve stem (on the valve that I presume is still attached to the radiator) is shot. A normal failure just like any other valve. Or everything is fine but no one knows what that broken air compressor in the boiler room is for!

    Side note: Am I correct to assume that this actuator does not have a rubber or leather seal but is actually a piston? Is the felt there to muffle the hissing sound from the piston's seal? Or is this all wrong and there's a diaphragm in there leaking away? That would also explain a total lack of valve closure. Nevermind. Now that I think about it, I vote for some kind of diaphragm in there. Thoughts?

    -Terry
    terry
  • Perry_2
    Perry_2 Member Posts: 381
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    I agree - Pneumatic Actuator

    I am not sure if it was a regulating one - or just open/close.

    The felt may have been adequate - and this may have been designed to leak a bit - especially if it was an open/close actuator.

    There are many similar pneumatic actuators out there today - with different materials; minus the nice cast patterns.

    Perry
  • Shaun Anderson
    Shaun Anderson Member Posts: 164
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    Bingo !!!

    After discussing with my contractor, thats exactly how the actuator is set up. He found the compressor and had that fixed and sounds like everything is back to normal.

    Thanks to Terry and all the Wallies.

    Shaun
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