Near boiler piping upgrades, recommendations

AndythePlumber · March 24

Hi guys. Hope everyone is productive and well. Curious to hear your favorite near boiler upgrades. I know at least one of you employs a stainless fitting at the Hartford connection for protection against galvanic action with a copper return. I thought that was mighty clever.

Personally, I don’t think an install is complete without a hydrolevel vxt or some way to monitor feed water…if money is not a concern for the job, how are we piping it?

ethicalpaul · March 24

I think a hydrolevel vxt leads to inattention to system leaks and keeps the water level at a disadvantageously low level for too much time. I greatly prefer a manual makeup water system, monitored and topped-off weekly to be able to understand and recognize water use over time so that any variation can be dealt with in a timely fashion.

mattmia2 · March 24

i would use a water meter if i really wanted to know how much water the system was using.

ethicalpaul · March 24

if only the vxt measured water…

You can easily log how much you add by graduating your gauge glass, and not have a low water level half the time

I get what you’re saying, separate actual water meter

AndythePlumber · 12:07AM

Meh, not was I was hoping for…what do YOU like to do? If you’re willing to share please do!

Paul, there can be no question that would be the most effective way to monitor feed water and keep levels consistent. Nevertheless, I can’t imagine a single client of mine willing or able to do so. I certainly don’t have the time to do that for them, perhaps a few special jobs I could swing that. I’ve always had good luck with the vxt as a reasonable substitute to that extremely accurate method you prescribed.

Considering the shortcomings of the vxt, they do in fact have a crude means of measuring feed water. I missed it the first time I saw one. Look close at the face and there is a window with a digital output of feed water in gallons. Look closer and inside the control you’ll see dip switches to adjust feed delay, rate, probably other important features as well.

What am I missing?

A water meter is a fantastic way to go as well!

mattmia2 · 12:13AM

the vxt only measures how long it has turned the valve on, in some environments that can be somewhat close, in other environments the feed rate can vary wildly. If you have a steam boiler you should be looking at it once a week or so even if you have a probe type lwco.

AndythePlumber · 12:32AM

never mind. Thanks anyways fellas. Have a good night

EBEBRATT-Ed · 1:27AM

JMHO but I agree with @ethicalpaul a feeder is ok……sometimes. Like anything else it has its place. But a building owner that has steam needs to know that steam is a little more of a hands-on system. Someone should be taking a peak at and around the boiler once a week and maybe more if it is cold out.

When I was a kid we had steam and it was my mother's job to check the boiler when she went downstairs to do laundry

4GenPlumber · 1:35AM

I wish I had more clients that cared about their steam heat, especially their boiler function and water usage...but they dont. The hydrolevel is a great resource for the guy that shows up to service the boiler when the customer cant be bothered. Would a meter be better? Sure, but thats assuming someone goes down to check or feed when necessary. Most of my clients dont call until steam is blowing out of vents or they have no heat. I usually recommend manual feed, but I also ask them realistically if they will monitor or not. To be honest, most of the people I work for just dont give a **** and want a feeder so they never need to enter their mechanical room until they see water flowing out the door.

4GenPlumber · 1:37AM

Best upgrades are a well prepped skim port and more importantly a vaporstat. Bigger main vents are always better (i cant think of a time they arent right now).

mattmia2 · 6:26PM

you can make the water seal for the vaporstat and the gauges out of tees and ells and nipples and plugs such that you can clean it out by just removing the plugs.

you can use a drop header although that is mostly unnecessary, it just makes it more tolerant of water quality issues unless you need it because you have limited headroom for a normal header.

mattmia2 · 6:27PM

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1892781#Comment_1892781

if one main is bigger than the other you may need to slow the main vents in the smaller main to balance the system.

ethicalpaul · 6:39PM

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1892781#Comment_1892781

They aren't better if they vent faster than the steam can move through the pipe and if they cost 3 times as much as the one that vents just as fast.

Bigger vent = bigger mass of metal to heat = ironically the bigger vent can cause a delay vs the correct size

Near boiler piping upgrades, recommendations

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