Concentric fittings on Steam Header?

Long Beach Ed

...that the header size reduced from 2-1/2 to 2" just after the drop, there wouldn't be a problem. The liability of a reducer on the horozontal is that it would trap water. Since all the header's water is draining away from the small end of that reducer, there's no problem.

I'd like to see the header remain a full 2-1/2" through all the tee's, but it may not matter in this case.

See what the manufacturer specifies. If they permit the 2" header, then fine.

Long Beach Ed

Jeff_74

I've been following ...

a post by 'Dave' regarding gurgling/surging in his radiators. He posted
a picuture of his near boiling piping and is was the consensus that
the piping is incorrect. The topic of a concentric fitting on the header came up.
I recently had our steam boiler replaced. I asked the contractor to use a dropped header...which he did. But... he did use a concentric reducer from
2 1/2" to a 2" to make the header 2" just prior to the take offs to the steam mains. I've included a picture (though the insulation prevents seeing the fittings). Our system works great, no noise, no hammer, just a nice warm house...but after reading Dave's post, the concentric fitting on the header
has me concerned. Am I in trouble?

RonL

Header

Jeff

It is hard to tell with the insulation but it looks like the 2 1/2 to 2 reduction is either a concentric reduction on the vertical or a 2 1/2 to 2 elbow. Both would not be a problem. If it works fine, I would not worry about it. In steam, concentric reducers on a horizontal are problematic.

Jeff_74

I checked the installation instructions and they call for a 2 1/2 header. But as
I said, everything works fine. Just hoping that I don't have troubles down the line.

Boilerpro_3

Reducer on horizontal is bad

and I would get that pressure relief valve pipe extended down closer to the floor....most codes call for 6 inches or less above the floor. That looks like a little Dunkirk steamer. Here's a pic of that same boiler(probably) with our higher end piping installation. The piping right off the boiler (boiler risers) is 2 1/2 inch and the horizontal (header) is 3 inch into the 3 inch system supply riser.

Boilerpro

Jeff_74

To Boiler Pro

I did some checking on the contractors piping diagrams he left behind
and discovered that the concentric reducer is on the vertical side on the way
down from the dropped header before the EL joint. You're right, this is a small Dunkirk.

I wonder why my contractor only took one riser off the boiler and on your pictured install, you used two?

Boilerpro_3

It's moving beyond the minimums a bit further

I offer the option of two risers on smaller models as a way of improving performance, especially when conditions can get adverse...ie dirty water. This installation is near the premium end of installs and is a 150,000 input (140,000 on propane as shown here) model. The smaller 112,500 input model model works quite nicely with just a single riser (pictured below). While the manufacturerer does not require it, on larger models I assume two risers, just to help ensure better perfomance. On this series of Dunkirk boilers the larger boilers work much, much better with two risers.

Boilerpro

Boilerpro