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Ols steam system, troubles come my way?

GW
GW Member Posts: 4,691
I'm looking at this job, it's a combination of one and two pipes, older snow man type of sections (vertical), my camera ran out of battery juice before I could snap a pic of the whole boiler. This caught my eye, this is at the boiler and the 1" heads over to the chimney and apparently vents into the flue.



Any ideas what kind of system i am looking at?



New boiler going to be trouble?



It's 566 sq ft, probably stick in  a peerless 63-05



I already quoted it, packed in a few dollars for surprises.





Thanks, Gary
Gary Wilson
Wilson Services, Inc
Northampton, MA
gary@wilsonph.com

Comments

  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,691
    Relief?

    If that's a relief valve, that would be a 1st!
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,160
    More pictures, more description

    badly needed.  That 1" could be an old old main vent; the Dead Men sometimes did that for vapour systems.



    As far as the new boiler is concerned, if it's properly sized to the radiation, properly piped according to its manuals, and if it is set with the water level within an inch or two of the original, that shouldn't cause you a problem.  If any of the above are not done, you will likely have problems.  Do it right the first time; it's cheaper.



    Control the boiler with a vapourstat.  If it is an old vapour system, start at eight ounces cutout and play from there.



    Look everywhere.  How (and where?) is the venting?  How are the traps?  How are the pipe pitches?  etc.



    If you're starting with a snowman, the odds are that some of the rest of the system may not have seen much work in the last few decades, either...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,691
    Ok thanks

    Jamie ill get more pics
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • Dave in QCA
    Dave in QCA Member Posts: 1,785
    O-E Sytem Exhauster

    It looks like you have an O-E system.  The device that you show is the exhauster.  It vents the entire system and discharges vented air into the flue.  Here is a link that tells all about the system.   http://www.heatinghelp.com/files/articles/1380/78.pdf 

    It should not be a problem to install this system but you might want to read the system description very closely and also survey the system to see what is still there and what has been removed.  The guy installing the boiler is expected to make the heating system work.
    Dave in Quad Cities, America
    Weil-McLain 680 with Riello 2-stage burner, December 2012. Firing rate=375MBH Low, 690MBH Hi.
    System = Early Dunham 2-pipe Vacuo-Vapor (inlet and outlet both at bottom of radiators) Traps are Dunham #2 rebuilt w. Barnes-Jones Cage Units, Dunham-Bush 1E, Mepco 1E, and Armstrong TS-2. All valves haveTunstall orifices sized at 8 oz.
    Current connected load EDR= 1,259 sq ft, Original system EDR = 2,100 sq ft Vaporstat, 13 oz cutout, 4 oz cutin - Temp. control Tekmar 279.
    http://grandviewdavenport.com
  • Charlie from wmass
    Charlie from wmass Member Posts: 4,318
    edited March 2013
    Yep it's an OE

    It is a vent you will need to find a different way to vent the system. I would have guessed pressure relief for sure. Just do a proper piping job and vent the mains well and you should be fine.
    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
  • Charlie from wmass
    Charlie from wmass Member Posts: 4,318
    Gary you can always

    drop them my number if you would prefer to not mess with it. Just saying.
    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
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