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advantage of a drop header

David Sutton_6
David Sutton_6 Member Posts: 1,079
in THE MAIN WALL
The drop header is for hight issues, yes bt also give the steam a chance to realy dry out give you much better steam. so there is a great advantage in having a drop header besides hight ...David ,7 year member of the dropheader club

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Comments

  • Jim_83
    Jim_83 Member Posts: 67


    On a steam boiler, what is the advantage of using a drop header instead of a normal header? Will my oil dealer or plumbing and heating contractors know what a drop header is if I ask for it on my new boiler?

    I don’t want to be hearing from a contractor that they never heard of a drop header or it’s not needed.

    I don't see the drop headers in the boiler manufacturers near piping diagrams. Will the drop headers void the warrantee of the boiler?

    The boiler will be a Burnham IN4 if I use gas or a Burnham IN3 if I use fuel oil.

    Which fuel is the better one to use, natural gas or #2 heating oil? I have oil now and am considering converting to gas because of a Keyspan incentive plan.
  • Ken_40
    Ken_40 Member Posts: 1,320
    Jim,

    The dropped header is unnecessary in all but the limited height (maintaining at LEAST 24" from the water line to the boiler header) issues we all face on rare occassions.

    But if your installer doesn't know what they are, and you don't need it - then I would not dismiss the installer on that basis alone. If however you do need one, you don't want some bozo "learning how to do it" on your dime.
  • gerry gill
    gerry gill Member Posts: 3,078
    i'm with you Dave

    we install drop headers on every steamer regardless of if they technically need them or not.

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  • Ken_40
    Ken_40 Member Posts: 1,320
    Drop headers are wonderful

    solutions to a problem that should not exist (unless there is insufficient height over the near boiler piping)!

    Oversizing the boiler riser(s) is a sure way to have dry steam - a lot less trouble and the better bang for the buck every time. If however, we do both (oversized AND dropped headers), we may have something to re-think.
  • Steamhead (in transit)
    Steamhead (in transit) Member Posts: 6,688
    If the boiler

    requires two or more risers between the boiler and the header, a drop header is MUCH easier to put together. It also allows for more expansion and contraction than a standard offset header does.

    Burnham does publish drop header diagrams for their V8 oil-fired steam boilers, see below. Not sure if they do the same for the Independence gas-fired or the new MegaSteam oil-fired steamers, but it wouldn't surprise me if they do. Glenn Stanton might weigh in on this, he's one of the industry's best and Burnham is lucky to have him.

    Keep in mind, the piping diagrams show the minimum acceptable configuration. Using larger pipe sizes or a drop header (or both) would ordinarily not be considered "not following the diagram" unless you happen to be an inspector that likes to harass people.

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  • Patrick Linhardt, \"Linhardt's Field Guide to Ste
    Patrick Linhardt, \"Linhardt's Field Guide to Ste Member Posts: 152
    dry steam

    Hi Ken,

    The drier the steam the better, so anything to assure that is a good thing. Belts and suspenders, oversized piping and drop headers, its all good as long as it fits in the budget. Dry steam heats more efficiently than not so dry steam, so over the life cycle of the boiler, the extra cost of the deluxe header would most likely pay for itself and then payback the smart homeowner.

    Best regards, Pat
  • John_102
    John_102 Member Posts: 119
    Your secondary question

    "Which fuel is the better one to use, natural gas or #2 heating oil? I have oil now and am considering converting to gas because of a Keyspan incentive plan. "

    I'd suggest you do a bit of (re-) search here on the Wall. Seems to me the consensus is oil is the better choice - multiple vendor choices vs. (effectively) a monopoly. Gas is lower maintenance, I think; but that may only encourage homeowners to neglect routine (annual) tuneups. I'll say (as a lowly HO) that I'd like a lever to apply to my supplier (LPG, not NG).

    Nevermind the new Burnham boiler - oil is it, in that case.
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