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Only one convector not getting hot...

bob young
bob young Member Posts: 2,177
Try raising pressure to say 20 - 25 # and give it a day or two. it might push through

Comments

  • Pat Macdonnell
    Pat Macdonnell Member Posts: 10
    One convector not hot...

    Replaced 50 yo AmStd boiler w/ Burnham MPO
    1 1/4" h/w monflo loop w/ 1/2" risers. Water temp 180.
    Covectors in rooms on BOTH sides of my problem are hot. R/R old seized valve on right side supply and installed one on the return so I could isolate when I bled the convector.
    (As you're looking at it from the basement, mono tee is on the right with the flow going R-L).
    Proper pitch up to the bleedport,I can get h/w out of the bleedport, but it will NOT continue out the return.
    And you know...."IT WORKED FINE BEFORE YOU PUT IN THE NEW BOILER"!!!!!
  • Brad White_17
    Brad White_17 Member Posts: 17
    Pat

    Basic troubleshooting (dumb questions perhaps but gathering information). I assume all bleeding is done:

    1. Are you *sure* it worked before? (I had a reversed monoflow fitting installed in 1963 which I discovered in 1986 when I replaced the system. Nobody complained but it never got hot. Red ring upstream?
    Just asking on that one.

    2. Monoflow tee spacing to it's standard supply-side counterpart? Is as wide as the convector?

    3. Convector is above the main, not below the main? (You did say 'pitch up' but have to ask. Would need two monoflow tees if downfed as you know, red rings toward the middle.

    4. Might some crud or sludge loosened and deposited itself in the return line? Half inch can plug with not much effort. A little sludge, steel wool, boiler sealant, Jimmy Hoffa, anything can turn up.

    No telling what you loosened up with the replacement. Is there a drain valve at the problem convector to open for a force-flush? (I put drain cocks on S & R of each radiator.) This last point is all I can conjure if points 1-3 are obviously not at issue. How far down the return does it get hot if at all?

  • Pat Macdonnell
    Pat Macdonnell Member Posts: 10



    Yeah..it worked before, this rooms' TT actually runs a zone of 3 b/r and a bath...all infuriatingly hot.
  • Brad White_17
    Brad White_17 Member Posts: 17
    Can you

    isolate the other radiators so that you might force more flow through the prodigal radiator? Technique may not work as well on Monoflow (more for the main and a backup in traffic) but might be worth a try.
    I still believe in the crud theory though. I would cut this one open to check and force a hose through it at 50 psig...

    Bummer on the thermostat location....
  • Pat Macdonnell
    Pat Macdonnell Member Posts: 10


    Sizing is correct.Unit is above the main and the tee is going in the correct direction.... AND I removed and flushed the unit when I installed the new valves.
    I also raised the pressure to 28 and bled the bejeezus out of it for a half hour.

    Oh...and just to add to the absurity...husband & wife don't like each other. She moved in to this B/R 6 months ago.

    VERY happy people I'm dealing with. I cant'even charge T&M if I dont't know how much 'T' or what 'M'
  • mario & luigi
    mario & luigi Member Posts: 11


    I once took six five gallon buckets of water out of a coin vent on a convecteor (I'm assuming we are talking about the copper kind) before it worked. I remember it was a monoflo system but I don't remember the pipe size. it was from the fifties. It also took about an hour and a half and it was after replacment of the original boiler. Sometimes one'll cathch some air in just the right spot. After the sixth bucket this convector has been behaving ever since.
    I check it every time i'm in the house on service call.











    it also
  • will smith_4
    will smith_4 Member Posts: 259
    Pat-

    Sounds like the only difference is the return isolation valve. Is it sweat valve, and could it be possible that there could be a solder bugger hanging around it? Point being, with 1 1/4 main and 1/2 feeds, it wouldn't take too much of a restriction to convince your water it doesn't want to go where you want. Are you sure the husband doesn't know more about hydronics than he is letting on? From the sound of it, maybe this War of The Roses has some subtle battles taking place-lol! Just to be sure, I'd check the piping for crimps that weren't there before...
  • Brad White_18
    Brad White_18 Member Posts: 7
    Will-

    > Sounds like the only difference is the return

    > isolation valve. Is it sweat valve, and could it

    > be possible that there could be a solder bugger

    > hanging around it? Point being, with 1 1/4 main

    > and 1/2 feeds, it wouldn't take too much of a

    > restriction to convince your water it doesn't

    > want to go where you want. Are you sure the

    > husband doesn't know more about hydronics than he

    > is letting on? From the sound of it, maybe this

    > War of The Roses has some subtle battles taking

    > place-lol! Just to be sure, I'd check the piping

    > for crimps that weren't there before...



    Are you sure the husband doesn't know more about hydronics than he is letting on? From the sound of it, maybe this War of The Roses has some subtle battles taking place
  • Brad White_18
    Brad White_18 Member Posts: 7
    Will is really on to something...

    Who said heating and marriage counselling are mutually exclusive?

    "Are you sure the husband doesn't know more about hydronics than he is letting on? From the sound of it, maybe this War of The Roses has some subtle battles taking place...
  • Jerry_13
    Jerry_13 Member Posts: 11


    Make sure your circulator pump is running. I had such problem before. All radiators were hot but one due to gravity circulation.
This discussion has been closed.