Steam heat and circulating pump issues

I have steam heating off of a gas boiler in brooklyn. The steam heating heats the upper 2 floors of my row home. For the basement /garden level, the heating pipes supplying the heat to the upper floor is usually adequate, but not for the coldest days.
I had a circulating (hydronic zone) installed for the basement/garden level. Usually it works for one season and then the pump fails. I have changed 2 pumps over several seasons and I’m about to install a 3rd. But before i install it this time, I need a professional opinion. What has caused my pumps to fail. Is it the install or some other cause. Circulating pump was installed by my heating guy who does a lot of this work. He is saying that I might need more water to keep in the system and might need a bigger pipe coming off the boiler. I don’t have a reserve tank connected to my boiler. Any heating guys want to take a guess of what’s happening. Thank you.
I only use the circulating pump on the coldest days when I run my regular heat. No aqua stat installed. The pump is on a separate thermostat that I operate manually for the basement /garden zone.

nveygryozfsf

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nveygryozfsf | 3 years and 6 months ago

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Thank you guys for the feedback. Glad you guys saved me from having another burnt out pump. Keep up the good work. I will reach out to Eman offline. Thanks again.

nveygryozfsf | 3 years and 6 months ago

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Thank you guys for the feedback. Glad you guys saved me from having another burnt out pump. Keep up the good work. I will reach out to Eman offline. Thanks again.

Guest User | 3 years and 6 months ago

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thanks mp… OP drop me a line at errol832000@hotmail.com

Master Plvmber | 3 years and 6 months ago

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And there’s the smoking gun. The motor on the pump can ‘t be positioned that way. It doesn’t get any lubrication at the little bit of pressure that it’s under. Also, it’s sucking water from the bottom of the boiler which means it’s being asked to pump a bunch of sludge around the system. It can ‘t do that for long. You need a plumber who knows what he’s looking at. I’m swamped. Talk to Eman. He can fix this.

nveygryozfsf | 3 years and 6 months ago

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nveygryozfsf | 3 years and 6 months ago

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nveygryozfsf | 3 years and 6 months ago

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nveygryozfsf | 3 years and 6 months ago

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nveygryozfsf | 3 years and 6 months ago

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Burnham boiler. Front and back. Copper/ gold piping in the front is the hydronic line into the boiler. The separate pump pic is the last burnt out one. Thanks for all your replies. What can I do to remedy this problem. I want to get it fixed but I need to know that the solution will not lead to another burnt out pump or cost me a lot of money. @ eman or master plvmber, do u provide this service?
On the coldest days, I have resorted to using an electric space heater. As previously stated, the overhead steam and return lines are the main basement heating source.

nveygryozfsf | 3 years and 6 months ago

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Burnham boiler. Front and back. Copper/ gold piping in the front is the hydronic line into the boiler. The separate pump pic is the last burnt out one. Thanks for all your replies. What can I do to remedy this problem. I want to get it fixed but I need to know that the solution will not lead to another burnt out pump or cost me a lot of money. @ eman or master plvmber, do u provide this service?
On the coldest days, I have resorted to using an electric space heater. As previously stated, the overhead steam and return lines are the main basement heating source.

Guest User | 3 years and 6 months ago

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your piping schematic should look like this:
https://www.achrnews.com/articles/133812-how-to-run-a-hot-water-zone-off-a-steam-boiler

Master Plvmber | 3 years and 6 months ago

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Longevity of the pumps depends on three things: temperature (as Eman said) of the liquid it’s carrying, the water quality and suspended solids passing through the pump, and the resistance to flow.
1. there is a standard piping protocol for allowing cooled return water to mix with supply water from the boiler before being pumped out of a steam boiler.
2. the supply tapping from the boiler has to be from the highest effective point in the boiler that is still within the water level shown in the glass. Too low and it’ll suck up a bunch of sediment which will kill it instantly.
3. The pump has to be sized properly to handle the demand to which it is connected.
Other factors such as water pH, ambient conditions, etc have to remain favorable for the pump to last.

nveygryozfsf | 3 years and 6 months ago

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Thanks Eman. There is no thermometer coming off the boiler to the circulating pump. Water just loops from the boiler , then thru circulator pump and then feeds thru pex to the baseboards.

nveygryozfsf | 3 years and 6 months ago

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Thanks Eman. There is no thermometer coming off the boiler to the circulating pump. Water just loops from the boiler , then thru circulator pump and then feeds thru pex to the baseboards.

Guest User | 3 years and 6 months ago

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your hydronic line may be running way too hot, frying your pumps… it should be mixed down to 180 degrees max for standard baseboard heat. Is there a thermometer installed on the hydronic loop output?