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Risers

magewick
magewick Member Posts: 10
in THE MAIN WALL

just had new system installed - one riser is one inch shorter of the two - plumber says thats normal to allow proper drainage. Please advise

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,599

    riser to where? show some pictures or something.

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 3,042

    If it is the risers from the boiler toward the header pipe it is to create pitch for the header pipe toward the equalizer pipe it is normal. Pictures would help for better clarification.

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 2,752

    If you are describing a gravity drain, then yes, it's a good thing to have one shorter, provided it's in the correct direction.

    But what does this question apply to?

  • magewick
    magewick Member Posts: 10
    IMG_5448.jpeg IMG_5446.jpeg
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,599

    That is for it to slope toward the equalizer. Check the size of the risers in the manual, they may have incorrectly reduced them where they come out of the boiler, see what the diagram in the manual says the minimum riser size is.

    The riser to the system should tee off and point up or at an upward angle before the equalizer connection, it should not connect to a tee that connects both to the main and the equalizer.

    Is this 1 pipe or 2 pipe steam? That return looks weird for steam, it looks more like a gravity hot water return main.

  • magewick
    magewick Member Posts: 10

    the system is a two pipe vacuum pressure system installed in 1926

    IMG_5451.jpeg
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 7,874

    The slope is fine if it's there, and it's fine if it's not there.

    @mattmia2 is right, the piping coming off the header up to the main isn't correct according to the installation manual, but in reality it should work fine even without perfect water quality.

    How did they size the boiler? (to throw another topic into the thread)

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,599

    If it is 2 pipe you can go below the connected edr and get closer to the actual heat loss, assuming the emitters are oversized.

  • magewick
    magewick Member Posts: 10

    all the radiators were measured to calculate btus plus the uninsulated basement piping.

    ethicalpaul
  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 3,042

    Kind of wonder if it is counter-flow also and the drips were removed.

    image.png
    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,599
    edited October 23
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1869003#Comment_1869003

    Original coal boiler had 2 risers.

    The small plug could have been a drip but more likely went to the vapor specialties that are missing.

  • magewick
    magewick Member Posts: 10

    This is from installation manual - it appears that it looks my system.

    IMG_5454.jpeg
  • magewick
    magewick Member Posts: 10
    IMG_5453.jpeg

    is this correct for my vacuum pressure system

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,599

    This part is wrong. The drop to the equalizer should be after the connection to the system so that water tends to head straight toward the equalizer and steam turns up to the main.

    image.png
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,828

    The piping while not textbook will be fine if the sizing is correct. The pressure control is et way to high. The main should be set to 1 1/2 -2psi and the diff should be 1 1/4 psi to be verified with a low pressure gauge.

  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,498

    Ed, that is a vaporstat……ounces shown.

    EBEBRATT-Ed
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,828

    @JUGHNE

    Yeah. I was a bit hasty on that one ty.

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