Heat timer vents

John_101

I have adjustable Heat Timer vents on a 1 pipe steam system.
Upstairs heats up with vent closed. Downstairs pipes are only half way heated. (Fin tube). Downstairs vents completly opened. Running about 4oz of steam.
Boiler on and off pretty frequenstly on preasure.
Thanks,
John

Ken_40

We found...

Heat Timer vents above average quality overall, but become "toasted" if there is even a small amount of "banging" in the radiation they are attached to.

Nonetheless, we also found, even at the "slowest" setting (shut closed) some leakage was typical. Be sure the one's atht "leak" have not been destroyed from a nearby "bang."

Make sure the feed valves are all fully opened! In case you missed the obvious, the Vari-vents MUST be dead-nuts vertical.

If the cooler rooms do not heat adequately with the Vari-vent wide open, and the over-heated rooms cannot be calmed down, one of three problems exist:

1. The Vari-vent is shot and should be replaced.

2. The basic output of each problematic rad. is improperly matched to the room it impacts, and regardless of what vent is used, a 50 s.f.EDR rad cannot heat a room that needs 60 s.f.EDR.

3. The main vents may be shot or improperly sized, impacting the entire syste's performance; and/or, a vent with far more or less capacity must be installed. Should the latter be the case, I cannot say anything more positive than: "Gorton Vents." Granted, they are NOT variable! But the tiniest (the # 4) is REAL tiny. And, the larger sizes (typically a #6 is as large as any single rad would need) are VEY quick/large orificed vents.

Let us know how you make out.

John_101

Ken,
Thanks for answering. I do have them vertical but had much water and hammering on all in the house last year. No enough pitch (all are steel fin tube). I will try the Gortons and play around with the sizes. I have eliminated the hammering. But it is so weird that the upstairs are blazing hot and downstairs only get half way. You can hear the air venting really slow when you put your ear to it.
John