Steam boiler piping

Christian Egli_2

Well, it's not like you can go anywhere else with the spill trap discharge, is it? Pouring it down the drain would be a shame.

Is this a single boiler setup?

If you have more than one machine all connected to the same header, the spill trap is necessary, and has to pour into the return system.

If it's only one boiler you have, then I don't see the point of the spill trap at all. If you're having overfilling, it's only because the condensate pump deliver unwanted water. [I'm also assuming you've beaten all the dirty water avenues]

To reign in the ill-mannered condensate pump, try first playing with the on-off level switch, making it run more often but shorter. Or convert the pump to a feeder pump, command it from a boiler level control. In this last case, you'll also need to observe the tank capacity itself, it might need to be increased and it might need a place to spill. All this should be real easy.

Also, is the condensate pump really necessary. Could some piping modifications make it totally unnecessary?

FredR

Steam boiler piping

Smith 28A Steam Heat
Is "overflow trap piping" (to the condensate tank) always a good idea? I am considering this per Smith I/O manual. Presently the systems experiences high water levels in the boiler. The water makeup is working correctly.