New Steam Boiler – Done at last

Unknown

Impressive!

That is a first class job. Well deserved for bragging rights!

Mark_35

New Two Pipe Steam Boiler – Done at last w/photos

Finished and fired up yesterday. Here are some photos. Key design points – Peerless 63-4L (150 MBH input, 383 EDR) replacing a 71 year old Ideal Model 12 (950 EDR!!!). 2-1/2” supply risers to 3” drop header which feeds the original 4” header. Boiler raised up 12” to keep wet return flooded. Thanks to Campito Plumbing and Heating for welding up the sweet long radius elbow on the 3”. This arrangement made the piping layout very simple and did not take up half the basement. Both Steamhead and Egli gave me good advice on this for which I am much indebted. Decided to risk the twin center feeds on the 4” header to avoid two large plugged Tees and pooling condensate. Differential expansion in that big "square" was a concern, but will keep fingers crossed. Seems to work great – very steady water line, even before skimming. Note the two, 2” equalizers from the new header and the old header.

It appeared that the Trane Return Trap was bad since we found a brass rod sitting in the Tee at the bottom its riser. Decided it has not been working for years and did not hook it up, but left it in place (just in case).

Thanks to Adams Heating and Cooling and John Pierone for a great (and fast) job!

Mark Bagdon, P.E.
Novus Engineering, P.C.
25 Delaware Ave.
Delmar, NY 12054

Ross_7

Nice piece of W!

Looks good Mark! Nice job on the header!

Dave_4

Mark B

Great looking job!

I've never seen anyone install a 90 degree ell quite like that before (welded, yet threaded on both sides).

The piping is indeed impressive, however I couldn't help but notice the pictures on the wall indicating to me that a child lives there. Make a point of capping that skim tapping, return and drain connection and/also/or directing it down to a "safe place" so that small hands don't get a surprise when curiosity seeks them out. And few nipples on the LWCO wouldn't hurt either. Another "pet peeve" I have also is the high voltage attached to the gas line.

You will enjoy many years of service out of this properly thought out steamer install.

Great work!


Robert O'Connor/NJ

Mark_35

Caps and Handles

The handles are already off and the plugs will be installed today.

Thanks,

Mark

Weezbo

that looks beautiful

dont get mad at me buh look at the grade of that old headder! Wow! that is poifect

Ken_40

Keep lots of TSP handy...

Looks like you used oil-based pipe dope.

If she primes and surges after a month, clean it again and make sure you dump the "soup" completely.

One of the nicest dropped headers I've seen.

Outstanding job!

Brad White_130

Hubba Hubba!

That header arrangement is unique! Just has to dry out any residual moisture. Should be nice and quiet too.

Cast Iron

I notice you have two pressure gauges. I assume the one near the pressure control is a lower scale. I am about to get a new steam boiler and would like to have a more sensitive gauge, other than the 30#, so I can see what is going on. Where did you get that pressure gauge from so I can tell my plumber about?

Thanks

Unknown

OK , I have to know

how hard it was to match up the 2 sets of 4 inch flanges ? That is a very , very tricky situation - to get the flanges to line up in height , width , and level to each other . The drop header helps immensely in a situation like this . Did you start the pipework at the flanges ?

Beautiful pipework Mark . The 3 inch long elbow looks fantastic .

Al Gregory

Simply beautiful, I've always been afraid of leaving the old compainion flanges.

gerry gill

very nice

its impressive..don't you love it when a plan comes together..happy steaming

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

hvacfreak

You sand-bagged...

...so you'd finish on a Friday....LOL. Sweet looking work for sure.

Al Corelli

Really Nice.

We call that "double-headering" a boiler.

As Ron Jr. said, that is pretty tough to line up flanges like that.


NICE.

frank_25

Very nice....

...that's what I'm talking about. Now, no "hack" could produce that. Ya get what ya pay for. Keep up the great lookin' work Mark.

JOHN_103

looks great. One question i've installed many steam boilers but I have not used a drop header yet. On my headers after the last take off I always run at least 6 inchs full size then use a reducing 90 faceing down for my drip,is that not needed in a drop header,because it is drier?

Mark_35

Answers to Your Questions

Been away for the weekend. Here are some responses to questions about the job

We started work at the flanges. Had to test several nipples to get the vertical alignment correct. The first ones were way off. Don't know how John and Marc got the horizontal alignment to work - but they had a bit of play with the flanges. They do appear to be aligned nearly perfectly though. The original header has just about the right pitch, so we tried to mirror it with the new header.

The gages - one came with the boiler and the other was my combination gage from the old boiler. I don't really need both. Mine is just a combination gage (minus 30 in to 30 psi). Not very sensitive on the positive side. In fact, the needle has moved and it is off a bit. It does show when the system goes into vacuum at the end of a cycle. It holds a vacuum for several hours until the end-of-main vents open up. I wouldn't mind a more accurate positive pressure gage either.

The drop header was recommended by several people on this site. I noted that it is not shown in Dan's books at all or any of the hookup diagrams that come with residential boilers. I then realized that virtually all large commercial and industrial scale steam boilers I've seen use them. It turned out to be necessary to get the 24" rise on the supply lines out of the boiler and still get enough clearance to use the old flanges. The drop header gives means to adjust the distance between the drops when piping into the boiler threads; it reduces thermal stress on the boiler; and I believe that it helps dry out the steam by blasting the steam down into the header so that the condensate sticks to the bottom of the header (sounds good, but who knows).

Thanks for all your nice words. I will say that it took alot of thought (and input from others) to work out the piping plan. I am sure that the pros on this site, who do it every day, could have mentally gone through the options faster than I did. I had to draw up each one. When I finally got it, the light went lit up and I could then sleep!

Mark Bagdon

Christian Egli_2

The double-decker header

It's quite nice to see our sketches put into live piping. A steam show to be sure.

Long life to you and your boiler, Mark. This beefy set-up turned out to be quite attractive. Thanks for finding the advice and comments here to be useful.

Christian

David Sutton_6

Hello Mark

I have to say thats one fine looking pice of work !!!very well done !!!

David

Steamhead (in transit)

I agree

nice job.

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