# Wow....Have only read about this one. Now i have to fix it.



## Dtmack87 (Dec 1, 2017)

Ok steam heads.

Who knows what it is. Not just the name of the control, that is obvious. Tell me how this system operates. 

Do not look it up. Do not google it. This one is amazing. Read about it some 10 years back in a old steam book my wife found for me. I have the book at my office. Almost soiled myself when i walked into the boiler room and saw this. Only background information i will give is an issue with steam on 3rd floor of home. 

If you have a working knowledge of this, i would really love to bs with you on my idea to either remove the existing system, or attempt to recreate it. I know my course of action, but would love to be more certain.
Have fun!!!


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Looks like something I saw in Grossepoint once. Old house has five bathrooms, converted them from Sloan stools to gerbers. Just curious if it’s the same part of town. Other then that, I know nothing of the subject.

Edit, everything was painted white just like in your picture, and I remember a box looking like that. Odds? I don’t know the name of the HO, but MIL of one of my PITA customers.


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## Dtmack87 (Dec 1, 2017)

OpenSights said:


> Looks like something I saw in Grossepoint once. Old house has five bathrooms, converted them from Sloan stools to gerbers. Just curious if it’s the same part of town. Other then that, I know nothing of the subject.
> 
> Edit, everything was painted white just like in your picture, and I remember a box looking like that. Odds? I don’t know the name of the HO, but MIL of one of my PITA customers.



Would not surprise me to see this in G Pte. This one however, was found in a huge Birmingham home.

Trying to find parts now.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

Please Post what happens, would like to see more pictures


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## PLUMB TIME (Feb 2, 2009)

Come on RJ, where are you?:thumbup:


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Steam vapor vaccum system. . Suppose to work with OZS not freaking LBS'!!

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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

What a big help to those who are fascinated with boilers and have no clue about them. 

The oldest buildings in Lansing use steam heat provided by the BWL. I see some really cool... most of the time really hot.... things all the time and it bugs me to not know what I’m looking at.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Don't know what happens to my message again....


get the damn LAOSH book!!

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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

rjbphd said:


> Don't know what happens to my message again....
> 
> 
> get the damn LAOSH book!!
> ...


LAOSH? Help steer us in the right direction


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Lost Art Of Steam Heating.... book written by Dan Holohan and that's where I got my Phd* from... 

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## Dtmack87 (Dec 1, 2017)

rjbphd said:


> Lost Art Of Steam Heating.... book written by Dan Holohan and that's where I got my Phd* from...
> 
> Sent from my SM-G386T using Tapatalk


The lost art of steam heating is an amazing book. Make sure to get both part 1 and 2. He has multiple other books that equally entertaining and informative.

The system is a Dunham Vari-Vac system. It definitely works on ounces, not pounds of pressure. Hence being called a vapor system.

The above controller has been damaged. I can get another one. This system uses a sub atmospheric pump to help lower pressure in the system. It is a marvel of engineering as it provides equal and even heating throughout the system and can be made to work differently based on needs from outside temperature. In addition, if you lower the atmospheric pressure in the system, you create steam at lower temperatures. (boiling water happens at lower temps in areas with less atmosphere, like Denver.)

The pump has been removed with returns capped. No heat is traveling to 3rd floor of. Steam traps and radiator valves are specific to this system. They have internal orifices, which will channel steam at very low pressure to the upper system more quickly.

I can either obtain a new vacuum pump, sized for this home and install a new vari-vac controller. Or, and this is speculation, remove the steam traps and valves. Install new. Take current control and remove. Reconnect supplies and returns to an area closer to the 4 inch steam mains with a bear trap. And increase pressure to .05-1.5. I think this will work. Otherwise, the vacuum pump and new switch are going to be very costly. As well as very tricky to install.

Thoughts from those who are familiar with this game are appreciated. For others who do not know much about steam, this one is fun as heck.


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## Diddle (Oct 24, 2012)

Here's a link to a read out that Dan Holohan did.


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## CaptainBob (Jan 3, 2011)

Hey DTMack, did you fix this system yet? Curious to see what you ended up doing, and how it turned out.

I am a plumber, not a steam boiler guy, so I don't have a good idea what should be done here. I am familiar with hydronic heating, have worked on a few systems, including older systems similar to this, but not steam.

My gut feeling is you should put a new vari-vac back in rather than do the re piping and changes you are thinking of doing.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

CaptainBob said:


> Hey DTMack, did you fix this system yet? Curious to see what you ended up doing, and how it turned out.
> 
> I am a plumber, not a steam boiler guy, so I don't have a good idea what should be done here. I am familiar with hydronic heating, have worked on a few systems, including older systems similar to this, but not steam.
> 
> My gut feeling is you should put a new vari-vac back in rather than do the re piping and changes you are thinking of doing.


 do you install pump on supply or return side of furance?

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