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big problematic one pipe system

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tom_82
tom_82 Member Posts: 66
in THE MAIN WALL
OK,
I have asked some questions about this system in weeks past. Steamhead and some others asked to see pics.

Here is our beautiful building, our boiler and it's steam pipes. Built in 1929-30 originally fueled with coal. There is a separate building in the back that housed a HUGE boiler that heated our building the building next door and I am not sure if two more adjacent buidings were on the same system or not.

Rmain is the right main looking at the building from the street. It is the longest main with two wee hoffman 75s on the end.

I am missing pics of two more air vents. They are the same, Hoffman75s and are located 1/2 way down the building on either side at the top of els.

I have three pages of questions but will only ask three.
I know we are undervented. Steam head has responded(thankyou) suggesting WAY MORE venting.

question #1 the end of main area is tight. In (Rendofmainjpg) the vent is actually at the end of the runoff over the tempreader(thermistor?maybe?) the runoff is inches from the el going down to return, wher would you plece vents?

Question #2 When one opens the blow outs under the Y strainers a mix of h20 and steam come out, always and forever?

Question #3 See the dirty h20 in the guage glass. I was trying to show how high the water surges, it actually goes to the top pen mark and below the bottom pen mark. H20 spills down through the top of the glass also. We just replaced the LW float (all gunked up) well When I take temp readings(infared gun) from the header and that six inch pipe up higher in the back when the boiler is not on, between cycles, the temp on the bottom of the pipe can be 50, 60 up to 70 degrees hotter! Could this be water???
THANK YOU for all your help.

Comments

  • Tombig_5
    Tombig_5 Member Posts: 60
    Tom

    That's a pretty big building and a pretty big boiler you're dealing with there. This site excells at walking homeowners thru their steam issues but you really need to consult a pro. It's early in the season and your boiler needs some immediate attention. The water color, surging, the obvious flue gas leakage indicated by the overheated insulation....address these issues immmediately with a good steam man and then tackle the seemingly (but not really) neverending task of getting a neglected steam system to perform the way the dead men intended. This might entail repitching the mains, repiping the returns, rebuilding traps, changing all the vents, adding vents.... Not an easy proposition but when it's done you'll be soooooo glad you did it. Best of luck.
  • tom_82
    tom_82 Member Posts: 66


    I agree.
    Though this site and Dan's books I am trying to get some education. It is a buge boiler, huge job, huge undertaking. I am not sure we are getting all the information we need from our prsent service company. (I am not sure we are not, either) Having guyz like you look at the pics and make comments only helps me understand things a little more so when talking with the pros I can make an informed decision.

    If it wasn't for this site I would never have questioned the air vents, let alone understood that we need something in the neighborhood of twenty times the amount of venting we have.

    Thanks for your help
    TOm

  • flange
    flange Member Posts: 153


    thermostatic air vents on rads? these can offer you two benefits, individual temp control and increase ability to vent. what about cycling of the burner? you need on/off cycles to make this work right. is this a real job or a pipe screen saver gone wild?
  • Steamhead (in transit)
    Steamhead (in transit) Member Posts: 6,688
    Tom, as far as vents go

    you want to fill the main with steam before allowing any runout to get steam. That's why the vents should go at the end of the main. You could probably pipe around that tight area in the pic, but I'd have to be there to determine exactly how.

    The steam and water coming out of the strainers is fine, as long as it flushes the dirt out of them.

    The water side of the boiler needs cleaning. This has to be done right, it's not a simple matter of throwing chemicals in and walking away. See chapter 16 of "The Lost Art of Steam Heating" for more.

    The boiler looks like it either has flue gas leaks between some of the sections, or the cast-iron has rotted out in places. This is a job for a PRO. You don't want to do this yourself.

    To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"
  • tom_82
    tom_82 Member Posts: 66


    Is flu gas something to be concerned about? Particularly for the folks living above the boiler.

    WHat happens if the water side of the boiler isn't cleaned?

    We recently had that lw float (that swithches on the pump from the reserve tank)replaced. I asked that the technicians check the surging in water in the glass when they replaced it. Our property manager said they checked everything and we are fine. Should I be concerned...I am...
    Thanks
    TOm
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