boiler misinstalled?
Hi. We just had a new 210 BTU Burnham steam boiler installed in our home. Our plumber installed one 2.5″ riser coming out of the top of the boiler, which is the way our old boiler was set up. Seems to be working okay. However, I was looking through the instruction manual and noticed that…
Hi. We just had a new 210 BTU Burnham steam boiler installed in our home. Our plumber installed one 2.5″ riser coming out of the top of the boiler, which is the way our old boiler was set up. Seems to be working okay. However, I was looking through the instruction manual and noticed that the manufacturer actually specifies two risers, each at least 2″ (the second riser is optional only for models smaller than ours). Now I’m getting worried. Can anyone tell me whether this is a big deal, or just standard practice? Are there implications in terms of safety, efficiency, etc.? Would you call the plumber back and demand to have the second riser added? Thanks in advance!
We got an opinion from a number of plumbers, and the IN7 seemed to be the consensus. Several wanted to give us an IN8.
Well….why would you “discuss” whether or not the boiler would be installed properly?
There’s nothing you can do that will ultimately have a positive effect.
In modern steam boilers, the piping is a part of its mechanical design. That is what allows them to be half the size they used to be.
I don’t want to comment on the cost issue, but for the system to ever run right, it needs to be repiped. And don’t accept copper tubing, it needs to be threaded steel pipe and steel or cast iron fittings.
While we’re at it, an IN7 is a large boiler. Was a calculation to determine that that’s the right boiler?
Thanks for the advice, Master Plumber. Yes, the installation was less expensive than any of the other estimates we received.
The boiler has been cycling frequently and we suspected that it might be related to the piping. Are there any other adjustments to the boiler settings that we could make to mitigate this problem until we’re in a position to have the pipes redone?
Also, do you think we should demand that the installer redo the piping or would you expect that we would have to pay him extra (considering this is not something we discussed when we hired him)? Is there anything else we should be looking out for in addition to the takeoff piping?
Thanks again!
At 210,000 BTUs you’ve got Burnham’s 7-section Independence Series boiler.
That boiler makes steam at a rate that requires two 2″ inch riser pipes to get it out into the system without creating too much pressure in the boiler which would make it turn off prematurely, short-cycle and increase the velocity of the moving steam to a speed that actually pulls water out and throws it into your radiators.
Short-cycling wastes fuel because it creates something called standby losses and it creates the need for more frequent service due to the constant on-off-on-off switching of the burner cicuit.
That boiler also requires the two risers be piped into a 3″ header (or common) pipe which allows the steam to slow down and lose some of the moisture it contains rather than carry it up into the system and create noise and inefficiency.
Following the flow of steam from the boiler and into the header, the take-off piping to the system MUST be after the two boiler riser connections are made.
In other words, if you have this fixed (you should have this fixed) make sure the piping to the system does not connect to the header piping BETWEEN the two boiler riser tees.
Actually, the manual for this boiler shows a better arrangement called a Drop Header (as alternate, fig 24):
http://www.burnham.com/PDF/IO/Independence.pdf
Installing this particular boiler the way you’ve got it is simply not smart, just cheaper.
Was the installation less expensive than other estimates?
Be glad you caught this.