Thermostatic steam trap repair in five easy steps

When your thermostatic steam trap needs to be repaired, the “Barnes & Jones/Edison Element” — called a cage unit — is a cost-efficient and easy-to-implement solution. The self-contained, one-piece cage unit is designed to repair thermostatic steam traps from a long list of manufacturers without taking the trap body offline. Available from Keystone Steam Supplies, these cage units are 100 per cent factory calibrated and tested under live steam and condensate to ensure uniform operation in the field. Another plus: there are no piping connections that need to be broken or multiple internal components to be removed. The body of the trap acts as a housing for the cage unit, which performs the steam trap functions.

The cage unit makes it easy to repair a steam trap — so easy that it can be done in five simple steps.

Step 1: Determine the make and model of the steam trap that needs to be repaired.

Step 2: Select the proper Edison kit and colour-coded spring (for repair using the Edison cage unit), or select the correct Barnes & Jones cage unit from the table (for repair using Barnes & Jones cage units).

Step 3: Take out the existing trap cover and all of the internal components.

Step 4: Add in the new cage unit.

Step 5: Finish by reinstalling the existing trap cover (or new cover if required).

Replacing a cage unit offers two distinct advantages over replacing an entire steam trap. First, it is much more cost-efficient to repair an existing trap rather than replace it with a new one. Second, it’s far easier to replace the thermostatic element instead of the entire trap body. In fact, in most cases there is nothing wrong with the steam trap body; it’s only the thermostatic element or seat that is faulty. Why go through the extra hassle of removing the trap from the line when a new cage unit is all it needs to work properly again?

Even if the existing trap seat is damaged by scouring, pitting or wire-wicking, the external gasket on the cage unit will expand upon exposure to moisture. This means that a faulty trap can still be repaired with a new cage unit.

These kits rebuild virtually all of the thermostatic steam traps ever manufactured by Hoffman, Barnes & Jones, Trane, Sarco, Warren Webster, Darling, Erwel, Dunham-Bush and many more. 

For more information on thermostatic steam trap repairs, contact Keystone Steam Supplies, a Canadian stocking distributor of Edison and Barnes & Jones steam traps and repair kits.

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