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Iron pipe or copper

Col08
Col08 Member Posts: 5
On a 2 pipe system, I need to replace both of these pipes to an upper radiator. Heating contractor wants to use schedule "L" copper pipe, but would schedule 40 iron pipe work as well? Concerned soldered connections could fail and iron pipe would be like the original and be better in the long run. Also building a wall by these pipes,so future access will be limited. Thanks for the help. 

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,161
    Copper will work, but... the iron will work better. The copper will be noisier (expansion).
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Col08
  • Col08
    Col08 Member Posts: 5
    Will schedule 40 work? It's all I can find it my area. I read that schedule 80 is made for steam.
  • Gilmorrie
    Gilmorrie Member Posts: 185
    edited August 2022
    Sched 80 steel pipe is overkill. Sched 40 is fine. Where did you read that 80 pipe was necessary for residential steam heating systems?
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,713
    I am assuming that this is connected to a low pressure steam boiler that operates below 2 PSI. Schedule 80 is for high pressure steam that might be used in an industrial application. Schedule 40 is fine for your application.
    Edward F Young. Retired HVAC ContractorSpecialized in Residential Oil Burner and Hydronics
    Col08
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,583
    edited August 2022
    I would make sure the piping isn't rubbing against any wood or you'll know about it for the rest of your life there. It'll pop and make noise every time it heats and cools.
    Those cuts in the wood look awfully close to me.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    Col08
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,572
    Is this steam or converted gravity hot water?
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,452
    @mattmia2 with two pipes the same size that is a good question
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,713
    I must be steam! the original poster selected "Strictly Steam" as the group or category. And we all know that they never make that mistake.
    Edward F Young. Retired HVAC ContractorSpecialized in Residential Oil Burner and Hydronics
  • Col08
    Col08 Member Posts: 5
    Weil-McLain boiler that was installed in the fall of '21. Heating contractors installed an automatic water feed on this and it seems to add more water at times when it doesn't need it. Last heating season, I would have to drain between a half gallon to almost a gallon of water from it, to keep it at the proper level. I regularly did a blow down to make sure the water feeder was working correctly. I wasn't seeing any leaks in the piping or on the radiators. Also, all the steam traps were replaced at the same time as the boiler.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,161
    Two pipe system? If the water level is dropping enough during steaming to trip the water feeder, you have two questions. The most important one is does the water level eventually come back to where it started after the boiler cools down? if so, then the problem -- if it really is a problem (t may not be, if you can get the autofeeder to hold a high enough level, which may or may not be possible) is simply slow wet returns. If it's easy to flush them out, it wouldn't hurt. However, if it doesn't, you have a leak (or leaks) somewhere, and you should track them down and fix them.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Col08
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,572
    Wet steam either because of improper near boiler piping or oil in the boiler causing surging or dirty/over conditioned water causing priming and throwing liquid water up in to the mains is also a possibility. The returns are designed to deal with condensate from the steam, not liquid water thrown in to the mains.
    Col08
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    @mattmia2 has it
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el