Near boiler piping Q

Jim Franklin_2

It's a Dunkirk 3ES1.35. 117 MBH, 488 sf. I don't have the manual, but it seems to be a close cousin of the Empire II Series:

http://www.dunkirk.com/pdfs/Manuals/Dunkirk%20Empire%20Steam%20IOM%201305029%201.0.pdf

That manual shows both tappings rising up to the header. It says use 2" supply piping, and 2" recommended header for a 3 section which I have. So the piping is the right size, but might be plumbed incorrectly if the diagram is to be followed.

There are probably several things wrong with the system since It takes a while to make steam, and then it travels slowly down the pipe, but I'm starting with the big ones first. Main vent and most rad vents were replaced early last year, pipes were insulated and then the insulation mostly fell off (cheap Home Depot crap) but none of that seemed to make much difference. .

jim

Jim Franklin_2

Near boiler piping Q

It's getting close to that season so I'm looking to throw a preemptive strike at last year's slow and expensive heat. I have a one pipe steam system with 2 tappings in the boiler. The front tapping rises straight up through 2" pipe to a bushing and into a 3" elbow that becomes the header. The rear tapping has an elbow immediately out of the tapping and T's into the front riser as soon as it leaves the boiler, also with 2" pipe. Shouldn't it rise straight up and then join the header? It seems to me that T is a bullhead. Also, shouldn't the pipe size increase to 3" at the exit of the T instead of up at the header? Or is this not that big a deal?

thanks,
jim

Steamhead (in transit)

Sure doesn't sound right

what make and model is your boiler? Have you checked the instructions to see what pipe sizes are specified?

If the heat is slow to respond, there can be other causes too. Are your main vents properly sized? Are the steam pipes insulated?

thfurnitureguy_4

Check for sagging pipes. I had a bunch of pipe hangers that broke off (pipes expanding and flexing the hanger bolts)caused a big sag in the pipe that was filling up with standing water. The pipe was hard to see because it was hidden under the celing tiles. It was not obvious until I was up right next to it to get a close look down the run.