Posted by nate_warren on March 02, 2001 at 11:50:03:
In Reply to: copper piping extension from steel pipe steam system posted by David on March 01, 2001 at 21:27:25:
: We have a basement/1st floor steam system with steel piping. Someone added a back porch and installed electric baseboards. We will open up the porch to the house by removing the wall (two steam radiators will be removed with the wall). We would then like to replace the electric baseboards with steam radiators, by extending from the steel branch connections out to the porch area. We will provide the slope required, but is soldered copper acceptable. The extensions will only be about 15 ft. The main condensate return from the main header is steel. Advise anyone??
David,
I would recommend against using copper pipe for your steam system for two reasons:
1. Copper transfers heat about 9 times quicker that steel, so there is a very good chance that unless you insulate the runs exceptionaly well, that you may loose your steam before it gets to the radiators. It will cool down and change it's phase before it does it's job.
2. The transition between stee and copper is often a trouble spot for steeam systems. Remember that consensate runs back down the inside of your pipe, and if there is a taper in the joint, that might dam up the condensate as it returns to the boiler. People often end up with water hammer in this situation. Unless you can find a NPT to sweat concentric fitting you may have this problem.
Are your runs relitively straight? Why not just take your measurements, and buy your pipe cut and threaded?
Good Luck,
-Nate