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can the equalizer reduce after the hartford loop to the boiler return?

just curious if the equalizer can reduce after the hartford loop to the boiler return?
"The bitter taste of a poor install lasts far longer than the JOY of the lowest price"

Comments

  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,416
    I guess it depends on manufacturers specifications but i usually never go smaller than the return tapping.
  • Lance
    Lance Member Posts: 265
    It sure can. Once you reach below the low water line the volume is less. You can even use copper. My best advise for flushing is make sure you can flush from two opposing sides, especially the very wide or long boilers. Like all good CSD1 jobs, piping that allows one to see into the boiler pipe tap is good for service. Sadly I see fewer cross tees.
  • New England SteamWorks
    New England SteamWorks Member Posts: 1,505
    Yes. But I do it the other way around. @Dan Holohan recommends always increasing the equalizer one size from the specs, so after I do that, the return is "reduced", -but always to specs.
    New England SteamWorks
    Service, Installation, & Restoration of Steam Heating Systems
    newenglandsteamworks.com
  • info43
    info43 Member Posts: 51
    If I may piggy back off of newagedawn’s question.

    200k BTH boiler, 4” header, 2 ½” boiler return tapping. While the manufacture recommends 1 ½” equalizer, I was going to use 2 ½" for both the equalizer and the boiler return.

    Is there any issue using the same size or using 2 sizes above recommendation?

    Thank you

  • newagedawn
    newagedawn Member Posts: 586
    you can always use the large size for the equalizer and return,will work better, if the boiler return is 2 1/2 then keep it the same but if the boiler return is 2" the obviously you need to reduce after the hartford loop at the tee, i think i just answered my own question,lol, thanks ,lol
    "The bitter taste of a poor install lasts far longer than the JOY of the lowest price"
    info43
  • newagedawn
    newagedawn Member Posts: 586
    dan's book " the lost art of steam" page 63 shows how to size eqaulizer
    "The bitter taste of a poor install lasts far longer than the JOY of the lowest price"
  • newagedawn
    newagedawn Member Posts: 586
    i only have a 100,000 btu boiler and the returns are 1 1/4, so i have a 3" header into a 2" equalizer connected to a hartford loop with 1 1/4 to the return of 11/4
    "The bitter taste of a poor install lasts far longer than the JOY of the lowest price"
  • info43
    info43 Member Posts: 51
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,452
    I have cheated the size of the equalizer a couple of times when re piping was costly. I am talking about an 1 1/4" equalizer when a 1 1/2 was recommended. Never had a problem. How you configure the drop off the header is important. I only do it when I am happy with the way the equalizer comes off the header

    I like to think of the equalizer as water falling off a waterfall with little to no resistance
  • Dave0176
    Dave0176 Member Posts: 1,177
    The smallest equalizer we run is 2” but then I increase to 2-1/2” into the boiler return because that’s the size of the tapping. I don’t like small piping.
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