intalling a drip (steam) should I pipe in a water trap?

John Lasky

good afternoon everyone

I hope all is well.

many thanks for all the help last year with all my steam woes.

the last thing I need to do on my system at home is to install a drip line to get rid of condensate from the one pipe rads on one side of my upsatirs (2 floor up).

the one pipe part of my system is working ok but the condensate is causing trouble with one of the 2 pipe baseboads on the first floor.

as the condensate from the second floor (3rd including basement) moves back to the boiler it finds it way into the feed for this one baseboard . the feed for this Baseboard is the first outlet the condesate passes on the way back to boiler.

all other rads and baseboards go to a wet return.


I installed a drip on the baseboard feed (header? Im an electrician not sure of lingo) I installed a drip on the baseboard feed and it helped a bunch!, but I now know where the water is comming from and would like to get rid of it altogether.

The problem baseboard still gurgles loudly if the boiler is running on overdrive (real cold) the 3/4 " drip line cant keep up whan its real cold.


installing the drip is easy as I have a good wet return.


the header/riser is 1 1/4"

NOTE: my boiler after a proper derate (thank you Mr Tim)is still a bit oversized by 9 cubic feet according to the math.

1) what size pipe for the drip , stay with 1 1/4" ?

2) Since my boiler is still a bit oversized should I let the drip also fill with steam? or pipe in a "U" water trap.

I piped in a "U" trap (per steamheads advice ) to keep steam from backfeeding the problem baseboard (it worked out great!! looks like a Dr suess rig though)

My cellar could use the heat but I dont want to waste BTUs esp with the gas prices were all expecting this year.

many thanks

have a great evening.

"John"

Steamhead (in transit)

If the drip will go

from a steam-carrying pipe to the wet return (which has water standing in it since it's below the boiler's water line) no U-seal is needed. The water standing in the return will seal the drip.