The Steamboating Forum

Does it matter if the the center distance of my valves is less than the center distance of my water gage? Can i not use some 90's to get where i need to go?

Bart??? Explain how you got in trouble!

The upper connection can run to a variety of places as long as there isn't any significant steam flow through that penetration. Most of us have a direct connection but that isn't a big deal.

Where some of us have gotten into difficulties is the water connection. It's very possible to set up a sort of siphon where there is still some water trapped in the lower part of the glass when the true water level is lower. NOT GOOD!

Several solutions are possible.

If you are using a tubular gauge you can easily cut the glass to the right length for your boiler penetrations.

You can make the bottom connection direct and use various fittings to make the steam connection. Steam doesn't form much of a siphon.

You can make the lower connection direct and connect the upper end of the gauge to some much higher point.

Others will have more ingenious solutions. There are just the ones I've used and seen.

Mike

if i come out of the boiler and put a 90 going down, then a 90 going out with a valve then a "T" which would connect to the water gauge at the top side and a drain cock on the bottom, would be creating a siphon?

No, even worse, you would be creating a trap that would show the lowest water level as being the height of the boiler bush, while the actual level could be going down and down!

Please show some photos of your problem with measurements- water gauges are not instruments for guesswork.

Greg