Steam boiler but is it a vapor system?

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cunninghamzach
cunninghamzach Posts: 19
edited December 2022 in THE MAIN WALL

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  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Posts: 27,911
    Yup. Or at least it was... one doesn't see one of those damper controls all that often any more.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • cunninghamzach
    cunninghamzach Posts: 19
    One vent on entire floor of radiators, furthest one from the boiler, why is that?
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Posts: 18,978
    That's definitely Vapor. The equipment was made by the Vapor Regulator Co. The banana-shaped device was used to regulate the dampers when the boiler was coal-fired. You can read about this system in chapter 15 of @DanHolohan 's book "The Lost Art of Steam Heating Revisited", available in the store on this site.

    Vapor was the Cadillac of heating in its day and is still one of the best out there. Where is this system located?

    Co-Founder, All Steamed Up, Inc.

    Semi-retired

    Baltimore, MD, USA

    cunninghamzach
  • cunninghamzach
    cunninghamzach Posts: 19
    West Hartford, Connecticut.
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Posts: 11,644
    Assuming this is a 2 pipe connection to each radiator??

    Can you show us both ends of a radiator?

    Then all air would perhaps vent out the small vent at the boiler, on top of the "VRC"
    device.
  • cunninghamzach
    cunninghamzach Posts: 19
    JUGHNE said:
    Assuming this is a 2 pipe connection to each radiator?? Can you show us both ends of a radiator? Then all air would perhaps vent out the small vent at the boiler, on top of the "VRC" device.
    Is is a two pipe, don’t have any available pictures right now, but will post when I get them 
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Posts: 27,911
    Assuming it is working moderately well now, please don't do anything to it -- or let anyone else touch it -- until you really understand how it was intended to work. If you need something done to it, get someone who really understands it as well; I'd suggest @Charlie from wmass up in Springfield.

    The one thing you might do which won't hurt a bit is make sure that the pressure is kept low -- it probably will work best at around 2 to 5 ounces per square inch.

    Also -- don't mess with the venting, again until you really know how it is supposed to be done.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    cunninghamzach
  • cunninghamzach
    cunninghamzach Posts: 19
    Jamie Hall said:
    Assuming it is working moderately well now, please don't do anything to it -- or let anyone else touch it -- until you really understand how it was intended to work. If you need something done to it, get someone who really understands it as well; I'd suggest @Charlie from wmass up in Springfield. The one thing you might do which won't hurt a bit is make sure that the pressure is kept low -- it probably will work best at around 2 to 5 ounces per square inch. Also -- don't mess with the venting, again until you really know how it is supposed to be done.
    Won’t do much, just got into the trades saw it in my grandmothers basement really interesting. Even though the pipes are insulated, the basement is hot as hell. 
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Posts: 8,747
    A Steam heating Beauty.. never heard of that company but I'm sure Dan and Steamhead and Gerry Gill have!  Where is that installed?  Mad 🐕 
    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.

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