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Increasing water capacity on steam WeilMclain LGB boilers

Abracadabra
Abracadabra Member Posts: 1,948
Does anyone have a copy of the tech service bulletin (I think it was a bulletin) from WeilMclain on installing an external large diameter pipe horizontally at the waterline to increase system water capacity on steam LGBs?

I remember having seen it several times, but tech support is not helpful in tracking it down.

TIA

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,455
    Don't know about Weil Mclain but Williamson had it. This is for an oil fired boiler .

    https://www.williamson-thermoflo.com/sites/default/files/field-file/OSB Boiler Manual 550110772_0816.pdf
  • The Steam Whisperer
    The Steam Whisperer Member Posts: 1,215
    Are you running short on condensate on a gravity return system? If so, I'd try getting plenty of main venting on the steam mains. The steam will travel much faster to the ends of the mains, and then the condensate will begin returning faster. This goes for systems with drip traps on the end of the mains. The venting in the traps is extremely slow...often about 1/2 that of a single Gorton #2.
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    ChrisJ
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,576
    This is called a reservoir tank, and a search here will give some results. I made one up out of 2 40 gallon hot water expansion tanks, but in the end I found they were not needed once I solved the problem of high pressure and inadequate main venting.
    Take The Whisperer's advice, and make sure the air can get out with zero back pressure, so that the boiler water is not pushed up into the returns, reducing the amount available for making steam. For every ounce of pressure, the water rises 1.75 inches in the wet returns, and that can be the straw which sucked the camel dry.--NBC
  • Abracadabra
    Abracadabra Member Posts: 1,948
    Thanks guys. Boiler is running at max 15 oz. pressure. Extremely well vented mains. Dry returns. Don't think i'm getting more than a gallon pushed back up into returns. There's 3 2" drops into the wet return manifold in the boiler room. At 2' rise in the return, it's a bit under a gallon of water.
  • The Steam Whisperer
    The Steam Whisperer Member Posts: 1,215
    Bummer. The only other thing I'd check is to make sure the feed controls ( or humans) are keeping the water line high enough when the boiler is off.
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