Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

baseboard loop off steam boiler

ed wallace
ed wallace Member Posts: 1,613
stupid question time if a steam boiler has a baseboard loop off of it should there be a aquastats set up as ahigh limit and low limit

Comments

  • RDSTEAM
    RDSTEAM Member Posts: 134
    yes indeed....

    high limit is good to have, probably controlling the pump as well. this is so you wont circulate over 200 degree water. you probably wont have any use for a low limit, because more than likely your boiler will always be somewhat hot since it will be running to make steam, but if your using it for another reason and the temp will be lower, i would put in a low limit and keep it at about 145-150 range. you really shouldnt be circulating anything less than that through a cast boiler.  are you using a coil or just pulling off the bottom of the boiler. if you use a coil, your going to need to treat it as a hot water system and put an expansion tank, releif valve and so on.
  • ed wallace
    ed wallace Member Posts: 1,613
    baseboard loop off steam boiler

    its a 4 yr old boiler where hot water is being puled off the bottom of the boiler it has both a low limit and a high limit at some point the lo limit was disconnected and hi limit controller is strapped on to the header piping
  • ed wallace
    ed wallace Member Posts: 1,613
    baseboard loop off steam boiler

    its a 4 yr old boiler where hot water is being puled off the bottom of the boiler it has both a low limit and a high limit at some point the lo limit was disconnected and hi limit controller is strapped on to the header piping
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    The high limit

    should be in the boiler water, or at least the pipe supplying the loop right next to the boiler- not on the steam header.



    Here are a couple pics of Smith G-8 boilers with HW loops that we installed. One loop feeds baseboard and the other a SuperStor indirect. In both cases the high limit is an aquastat with an 11-inch probe, mounted in the run of a tee at the supply connection that allows the probe to reach into the boiler.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Haviara
    Haviara Posts: 30
    What exactly is wrong if you are circulating water while the system is steaming?

    Does it damage the pump or start to flash to steam in the system? Before I was steam savvy due to this site I had a zone installed but I have no aquastat.
  • RDSTEAM
    RDSTEAM Member Posts: 134
    ??

    why was the aquastat on the header?? should be place in the water piping like STEAMHEAD already mentioned.
  • ed wallace
    ed wallace Member Posts: 1,613
    baseboard loop off steam boiler

    It's a boiler I am trying to straighten out the heating problems its piped in copper the hot water loop comes off the rear near the bottom of boiler the original aquastat is in a well on the supply side of hot water loop so someone else installed an aquastat strapped to the copper header its a 9 section burnham gas boiler insted of 2 supply riser there is just 1 riser  i beleve the solution is going to be to remove a plug higher on the right side of boiler and put the well there using either the strap on or the aquastat thats in the well the boiler makes steam
  • Charlie from wmass
    Charlie from wmass Member Posts: 4,318
    Take a look at Steam heads Photos

    That is where you want the aqua stat. With a deep well for the probe. you also need a bypass so the returning water cools the pump a bit when the boiler is steaming. The boiling water will flash to steam due to the pressure drop at the circulator. this wears the pump , causes noise and can stop the water flow all together in the baseboard loop. I prefer using a tankless and having a closed loop for baseboard heat off a steam boiler.
    Cost is what you spend , value is what you get.

    cell # 413-841-6726
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/charles-garrity-plumbing-and-heating
This discussion has been closed.