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Another One - DF

> "What's wrong with using copper for steam?" I <BR>
> will just show them this picture. There is <BR>
> something just so very wrong and disgusting <BR>
> looking about copper mixed with boilers and Steel <BR>
> steam pipes. The make up water pipe is the only <BR>
> thing that should be copper and only up to the <BR>
> valve.<BR>
> <BR>
> Many people defend the right to use <BR>
> copper w/steam boilers, just one look at this <BR>
> should be enough to convince most anyone. A <BR>
> picture is worth a thousand words. And to think <BR>
> some one got paid to do that........Low <BR>
> Bidder???<BR>
> <BR>
> P.s. I like the romex tied to the <BR>
> gas pipe and no service switch. Also the water <BR>
> feeder inches above the flue pipe. I would enjoy <BR>
> trying to service that late one cold winter night <BR>
<BR>

Comments

  • Dan Foley
    Dan Foley Member Posts: 1,258
    Steamer

    It seems that Steve and I have been seeing a lot of botched steam jobs lately. This is (was??!) a Broomell vapor system in Takoma Park, MD. The return trap is long gone. There are no main vents on the system. A well intentioned but ill-informed technician installed a couple of hot water bleeders on the second floor radiators. How about the Hartford loop? Hopefully we will be re-piping this one soon. -DF

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  • Dave Palmer_3
    Dave Palmer_3 Member Posts: 388
    you can use the scrap to buy a six pack

    what a waste of copper,Dave
  • chuck shaw
    chuck shaw Member Posts: 584
    reminds me of the one I'll be fixing next week

    Couldn't have been more wrong if he tried.

    Chuc

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  • chuck shaw
    chuck shaw Member Posts: 584
    reminds me of the one I'll be fixing next week

    Couldn't have been more wrong if he tried.

    Chuc

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  • kevin coppinger_4
    kevin coppinger_4 Member Posts: 2,124
    where does the ....

    smoke pipe go to? Any water hammer? kpc
  • Bill NTSG
    Bill NTSG Member Posts: 321
    If anyone asks..................

    "What's wrong with using copper for steam?" I will just show them this picture. There is something just so very wrong and disgusting looking about copper mixed with boilers and Steel steam pipes. The make up water pipe is the only thing that should be copper and only up to the valve.

    Many people defend the right to use copper w/steam boilers, just one look at this should be enough to convince most anyone. A picture is worth a thousand words. And to think some one got paid to do that........Low Bidder???


    P.s. I like the romex tied to the gas pipe and no service switch. Also the water feeder inches above the flue pipe. I would enjoy trying to service that late one cold winter night
  • clammy
    clammy Member Posts: 3,103
    how do you

    how do you talk these custermers into correcting these mistakes i,ve been on many who want there systems to work more eff. and despertly need to have the near boiler piping corrected but they do not want to pay there basement piping usually has no insulation and is 100 degree,s all the rads are slightly warm and then you give them the price to re insulate and re do there boiler piping and they look at you like you got 3 heads and i guess they just like give the gas or oil co. there hard earned money and in my area north east jersey every body says they do steam and then you look at there job it,s in copper and looks like s**t.or they just say they didn,t get the money to do the job in steel .i used to help some plumbers do there steam job from word of mouth that i knew how to do steamers now i don,t bother to even say i can they just want to do it cheap and let somebody else deal with it not working right.i,ve had a few who would listen and i have gotten there units to work as designed but it far and few between now most who call i ask do you have money set aside to correct it or are you just hoping there is some magic knob that will fix every thing .p.s. i,ve been doing steamers since the 80's old timer taught meit was years latter that i found out about dan he is the saint of this stuff just blowin off some steam
    R.A. Calmbacher L.L.C. HVAC
    NJ Master HVAC Lic.
    Mahwah, NJ
    Specializing in steam and hydronic heating
  • chuck shaw
    chuck shaw Member Posts: 584
    Smoke pipe

    goes into a chimney (unlined, 120yr old) behind that big rock. Customer called with complaint of little or no heat, lots of water hammer, a flooding boiler and through the roof heating bills last winter. The original gas inspection failed, due to no chimney liner. He can't get the guy who installed this to come back and fix anything. He says the guy is still in buisness, because he sees his trucks around. However, he doesn't call back. I'll be fixing it the 2nd week of September. The customer has no problem spending the money to fix it right. He is upset, for obvious reason, that it wasn't done right the first time.

    Chuck

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  • chuck shaw
    chuck shaw Member Posts: 584
    The least the guy

    could have done, was make neat, clean solder joints

    Chuck

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  • Not even for returns ?

    I know asthetically , copper returns do not match up with all the black pipework . Other than that , have you seen other problems with copper returns ? I've heard the flaking off of pieces or dissimilar metal theories , but has anyone had a real world steam boiler failure due to the return pipe material ? I can't say that I've seen it happen in all my steam boiler replacements .
  • tombig
    tombig Member Posts: 291
    Stone Foundations and Black Pipe

    When I saw Chuck's post last week I was looking for cave drawings on that wall. We don't see many of those in the midwest. I recently removed some ill installed (downfed monoflow tees) in the basement of a Hyde Park (Chicago) mansion.
    I added two perimeter baseboard loops for a basement chapel and TV room and couldn't bring myself to add a stitch of copper to a beautifully engineered (for 1920)system. Burnham baseray scribed to limestone walls.
  • tombig
    tombig Member Posts: 291
    Dead Men Didn't Use Copper....

    > "What's wrong with using copper for steam?" I

    > will just show them this picture. There is

    > something just so very wrong and disgusting

    > looking about copper mixed with boilers and Steel

    > steam pipes. The make up water pipe is the only

    > thing that should be copper and only up to the

    > valve.

    >

    > Many people defend the right to use

    > copper w/steam boilers, just one look at this

    > should be enough to convince most anyone. A

    > picture is worth a thousand words. And to think

    > some one got paid to do that........Low

    > Bidder???

    >

    > P.s. I like the romex tied to the

    > gas pipe and no service switch. Also the water

    > feeder inches above the flue pipe. I would enjoy

    > trying to service that late one cold winter night



  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    In the words of Ed Bratton (one of Dan H's many friends)

    "It takes a HEATING MAN to do steam".

    The last guy wasn't- but you definitely are. I KNOW that Broomell will sing when you're done!



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    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
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