Vapor System

Ken_40 · November 2006

Is it leaking?

The venerable 66 series was capable of 84% SS effeciency, with an AFUE not that far behind. A good cleaning, with brushes and water and addressing system problems may be all that's required.
The "system" may have originally been coal, but not a W/M X66.

By measuring the standing EDR and comparing it to a few nozzle options, installing a vaporstat and fixing leaks may be all that's required to make this thing "sing and dance"?

The chimney "mystery pipe" may have been anything from a pop-safety discharge connection, to a primative draft sensing connection. Then too, it could be an ash pit/rain-water discharge outlet.

How's the near boiler piping array? Proper? Sized right? Equalizer okay?

Warren Blake · November 2006

Vapor system

Looking at replacing a oil fired Weil Mclain steam boiler 466-E.This boiler was installed approximatley twenty years ago.Originally it was coal fired.Customer has major pin hole leaks on the supply and return piping in basement horizontals. Bangs really bad.
It appears to have had a condensing radiator in basement above boiler,no radiator but I see a pipe which has been cut off coming out of the chimney which no one knew what it was.Reading the lost art of steam heat it radiators have what appear to be "quintuple valves" feeding in to the top
of each radiator. There is no vapor stat on boiler. I just looked at this yesterday and I'm not sure what I'm getting into. If the boiler is replaced it will not take care of the leaking and the banging, would rather attempt to make exisitng boiler work properly first with what ever is needed then replace if need be. Are the quintuple valves salvageable or what would you suggest.

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Dan Foley · November 2006

Vapor

Hi Warren,

where is this one located? There are a lot of old Hutchison systems in NW that used the orificed inlet valves and originally used the chimney draft to vent the air from the system. I have had success running these at low pressures (6-8 oz.) using a vapor stat and venting them using multiple #75's or Gorton #2's. Good luck! -DF

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BRIANJ · November 2006

Vapor System

The quintuple valves can be restored, it takes time but not hard to do. First are the valves leaking? If so you'll need som new stem packing. Are the valves marked BROOMELL or VAPOR? They are constucted differently but each relies on the disk which has the holes to monitor the amount of steam to each radiator. If the disk is damaged from corrosion it should be replaced. I found a great machinist who made beautiful copies. Let me know if you're interested?

Brian Reynolds

Steamhead (in transit) · November 2006

This is definitely Vapor

could be Broomell, VECO, Vapor Regulator Co, Hutchison, Mouat or any number of others. We would need to see the radiator shutoff valves and whatever is on the radiator return connections to be sure, also whatever is left of the original equipment in the basement. Take some pics and post them here.

I bet the leaks are caused by acid condensate, from poor air venting. If this was a chimney-vented system and the previous butcher ripped everything out and did not install vents on the steam mains and dry returns, the CO2 in the system air can combine with the water to form a mild carbonic acid.

Where is this job located?

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Vapor System

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