header and main piping configuration

replacing an older weil mclain boiler next week with a megasteam 629. the existing near boiler piping is incorrect and i plan to fix with the burnham near boiler kit and some custom nipples etc. question is: currently the house attaches to 1 single 2" pipe that once in the ceiling, branches to 3 separate 2" mains through bullheaded tees etc. so essentially, there is another header/manifold setup after the boiler's header. my plan is to eliminate this header and bring these mains down individually and tie into the 629 3" header using 3 separate 3" tees. (1 for each main). the problem is, I dont know how to justify this with my boss. I know what's there is either incorrect or at least not ideal but i don't have a good way to explain why….
Comments
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the piping up in the ceiling is the header from 3 boilers ago, it should have been removed when the coal boiler was replaced.
it has places for condensate to collect which will stop or slow the steam at that point so the mains won't heat evenly. it is very likely you will have balance problems and problems with water hammer if you don't remove the old header and pipe each main separately to the new header. each riser should slope toward the main so the riser can't collect water. the tees should come off the top or off the side at a 45 from the header and you should use 45s to offset to connect the mains to the header. If the mains aren't parallel flow they need to be dripped before the header and all drips need to go below the water line before they connect.
the header should be connected i the order of:
riser(s) from boiler
risers from header to mains
equalizer.
the equalizer should reduce in the vertical either with a vertical reducer or reducing ell so it doesn't trap water in the header
you may need to make the header a u shape to get enough space for the fittings for all the mains.
2 -
You need to check the load on those branches on each pipe and add them up to see if the pipe feeding them is large enough. This should be easy to do if you measured the radiation to size the boiler.
Sizing the pipe for the attached radiation is your justification.
You may be doing a lot of extra piping for no reason
or
Those branches need to be brought to the boiler separately.
You won't know until you check.
It is likely that the one 2" main is not large enough to feed everything.
1 -
justification equals labor equals money. That’ll be a curious conversation if he already threw a price at the job.
1 -
Best explanation is "Hay Boss! Do you want it right the first time, or would you like to go back several times over the next year or two, to solve banging, and uneven heat issues for free, while still paying us our wages?"
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
4
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