Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.
If our community has helped you, please consider making a contribution to support this website. Thanks!

If your system has two king valves, where should the return valves go?

Options
Ryan1981
Ryan1981 Member Posts: 2
in Strictly Steam

Hi,

I will probably need to post some pictures. But, if you have two take-offs with king valves, on a one pipe, dry return system, where is the best location to install a valve on the return(s) to allow you to test the Pressuretrol, or blow down the boiler for a cleaning? I read master Dans book, "The Lost Art of Steam Heating Revisited". But I wasn't sure the best location for the return valves. Should there be one on each dry return? Sometimes people place it on the Hartford Loop? My boiler is a Peerless 63/64.

Thank you all for your help ahead!

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 17,355

    you could put one in the wet return after the dry returns connect together but that would be where the mud collects and probably involve a lot of rework. you could put separate valves in each dry return as it drops down in to the wet return, they would probably live longer there and it would probably be easier to cut them in there.

    Ryan1981
  • Ryan1981
    Ryan1981 Member Posts: 2
    1000004215.jpg 1000004216.jpg 1000004213.jpg 1000004214.jpg

    Hi mattmia2, I appreciate your reply! Here are some pictures. If I understand you right, your suggestion is to place two return isolation valves on the two vertical returns, probably above the unions? The valves not being submerged in the wet return will probably extend their life. If I understand you right, this seems like a straight forward task. Thanks ahead!

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 17,355

    seems like that would work to me but i'd wait to see what others say.

    Ryan1981
  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 4,193
    edited 6:48AM

    Since your wet return is so short and there are no unions there, it may be simpler to use two valves in the drips as previously mentioned.

    image.png

    If your are good at pipe-fitting then one valve here would work too. It looks like there is good flushing resources.

    image.png
    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 4,193

    This is a nice touch. Could be tipped up if needed.

    image.png
    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 4,193

    If you put the valve here you could reverse the length of the nipples, probably not a big deal.

    image.png
    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 8,660
    edited 7:57AM
    Screenshot_20260611_035427_Gallery.jpg

    All steam boilers we install get a Gate Valve just before the last elbow in to the Hartford Loop Tee to make blowing out that low leg of the return piping easy. This valve also isolates the boiler from the system returns and is a grear help when doing pressure testing and full blown downs. Mad Dog

    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.

Categories