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Things You Should Know About Steam Traps

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HeatingHelp
HeatingHelp Administrator Posts: 722
edited August 2024 in THE MAIN WALL
imageThings You Should Know About Steam Traps

Here are some lessons learned about steam traps on heating systems.

Read the full story here

Comments

  • Long Beach Ed
    Long Beach Ed Member Posts: 1,836

    A field mechanic can warm the seat of his truck for 20 years and not learn what Dan teaches in five minutes of reading. Why don't people read? Such valuable information in these words.

    CLambLarry WeingartenMad Dog_2
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,710

    Thanks, Ed.

    Retired and loving it.
    Mad Dog_2
  • murphyc122265
    murphyc122265 Member Posts: 3

    I love reading this stuff. It's fascinating. I'm not even in the profession. I just merely own a couple of multifamily properties. I had a boiler guy / friend, who has sadly passed away, who would occasionally share his wisdom with me. That sparked my interest in and appreciation for this kind of work.

  • dlampe
    dlampe Member Posts: 8

    I have a new boiler install with some water hammer issues on the dry return to wet return transition. The boiler is peerless series 63 613 sq ft of steam per rating plate 147000 btu/hr steam

    problem is transition from dry return to wet return some flash over of condensate is occurring the result is the one-way check valves are banging shut in a rapid fire like a short burst of an AR-15.

    My suggestion to the plumber was to remove the check valves and create a water loop below the wet return in a U shape. any flashover steam will only push water up into the wet return.

    I have additional pics of the system if anyone is interested

  • Fredric Goldner
    Fredric Goldner Member Posts: 3

    Dan,

    Hi! I hope this finds you doing well.

    Yet another great article. Thanks for re-sharing.

    Things I didn't know and learned from this:

    • why you’ll usually see thermodisc-type traps, not bucket traps,near PRV stations
    • In a typical year, a radiator trap will cycle about 175,000 times.

    And any day I learn something new is a good day. So thanks for making this a good day for me!

    Fred

  • michaelmiracle
    michaelmiracle Member Posts: 24

    I took over at a school here in Denver a few years ago, that has a 2-pipe steam boiler system circa 1924. The traps hadn't been looked at in well over 10 years. I changed them all at the radiators (45) and a few F&T traps in the crawlspace. The temperature of the condensate back at the boiler went from 180 degrees to 140 degrees.