syphon loops, guage glass valves, main vents

Charles G.

> I know it looks "strange", but I`m sure by now <BR>
> you figured-out we are two people with the same <BR>
> name. LOL! <BR>
<BR>

Dave_110

syphon loop, guage glass valves, main vents.

Hello all,
I am an HVAC technician working in lower NY, just started working for another company where we have a lot of older houses with steam systems. I used to work in a much more rural area where steam was a rarity, but now I'm running into it more and more.
The last three steam no heat calls I've gotten were nearly identical. The boiler was overfilled, the guage glass valves were plugged up, and the syphon loop ( I believe that's what you call that thing that the pressuretroll sits on?) was full of muck, as was the T that it comes off of where the pressure guage is located.
So, the first thing I'm wondering is, does all this need to be cleaned out on an annual basis?
The second thing I'm wondering is, even with a probe type LWCO, should you still be draining some water off the boiler regularly just to keep it a little cleaner in there?
I've noticed that on the rare occasion when I ran into a steam system with my last employer, the boilers mainly had the float type LWCO, which the homeowner was draining regularly, and the guage glasses were always working and pretty clean. Now it seems the boilers aren't getting any attention and things are all plugged up, but I don't want to be telling homeowners to go draining water off the boiler if it's not going to help matters.
And lastly, the Honeywell PA404A seems to be what's on all the steam boilers locally. If you set the cut-in and the differential as low as they go, is this as low as they go or is it OFF? I have yet to see a vaporstat.
And none of these jobs had any vents in the mains. These were all one pipe systems. One with a wet return, one with a dry return, and one was just one pipe, but no main vents. Is it worth the trouble to put in main vents, or is there a reason they're not on there?
I realize this is kind of alot all at once, but I think I know just enough to be dangerous here, and I don't want to go telling homeowners they need all this work on their boilers if they don't.
Dave

Dave_111

Hi Dave,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The first thing you should do if your gonna be working on these systems is get a copy of Dan`s book "The Lost Art Of Steam Heating", It`ll help you-out alot! You must have came-by some really neglected systems, the "pigtail", or syphon-loop and the guage glass, should not be plugged at all! The customer should blow-down a system this dirty every 2 weeks at least, until it comes relatively clean, then once a month after that. The dirt in the water is caused by corrosion, so try to keep your PH up in the system. You will also have to establish what kind of operating pressure the system was designed-for, if it`s vapor, a PA404A may not allow a low enough setting to get into the "zone", for reduced fuel consumption. One pipe steam should have main vents, but ask you customer how the system heats-up, after it gets cleaned-out. Again, get youself a copy of LAOSH, it`ll really help! Hope this helps you a bit.

Dave_110

thanks

Ahh, it IS in there. I was looking for it in the book section a day ago and I didn't see it in there. Got one coming, thanks.

Brad White_143

Schizophrenia on The Wall

Dave! Intervention time! One side of you has a question, the other the answer so I suppose it works out.

I used to be schizophrenic, but we are OK now

Brad

and Brad

Unknown

Brad.............

I know it looks "strange", but I`m sure by now you figured-out we are two people with the same name. LOL!

Charles G.

> I know it looks "strange", but I`m sure by now

> you figured-out we are two people with the same

> name. LOL!

Charles G.

What's in a name

That may work for you. Sometimes I'm one person with 2 names.

Dave_110

Dave

Ya, I always type in Dave for my username and it's always gotten thrown out till now, thing is, I can never keep track of what number comes after it. Maybe I'll change it to Borat. I don't think that's taken.
Dave

Unknown

Hey Dave.....................

your a blast, I guess we`ll have to make due Huh? (or if your Canadian I should say EH)