Steam Rad Leaked 2 Quarts of Water this Morning

Daniel_23

They tend to sputter and spit and depending on the velocity of the steam in your system, they can easily be restrained from seating and let water dribble as you experienced. It could be at the angle valve where the steam is constantly pushing water out through the vent. One of these two scenarios could be to blame.

Do you have main line vents?

And if so are they properly venting the amount of air from the mains?

In some cases you don't want such high velocity venting. The best way and most proven way is proper venting of the air in the mains and slower more balanced venting at the radiators. If you have just one varivalve and other brands that rad will be most likely to receive the first slugs of steam and sludge making it an easy target for mis-seating and eventually death.

JohnG_3

Leaky Steam Radiator

Last weekend I replaced all my air vents in my one-pipe steam system with new ones. Things seemed to improve; formerly cold radiators got hot. The system was also eerily quiet. However, there is a problem.

Last night I discovered a small pool of water in the basement underneath a riser feeding a single first-floor radiator. I checked the boiler water level and it was about 1.5" low. So I put a bucket underneath the riser to catch any leaking from when the system came out of the nighttime setback this morning. When I checked the bucket this morning it was filled with two quarts of condensate.

I initially thought that I had changed the dynamics of the system enough to cause it to spring a leak in the steam pipe or supply valve since the water was leaking from the hole where the riser penetrates the basement ceiling. Now I'm not so sure. On the floor around the radiator, on the vent end, a cardboard box was partially soaked. The shims under the radiator legs on the vent end were also damp. So now I'm thinking that the two quarts of water may have leaked out of the new air vent.

Is it plausible that the new air vent could have leaked so much water as the system came out of its nighttime setback? The vent is a Heat-Timer Varivalve; I know these vents have received mixed reviews on this site.

JohnG_3

No Main Vents

I don't have main line vents, but it is at the top of the project list. This rad with its varivalve is the very last rad on one of the mains. I had the varivalve set to the full open position.

I replaced the varivalve with the vent I removed (Dole) just to see if the water source is the vent or something else like a pipe leak.

One other behavior which is not new is that there is no evidence of the system cycling on pressure. The boiler fires continuously while the t-stat is calling for heat. The 0-30 psi pressure gauge never gets above 0. I suspect the pigtail is clogged and pressure is not getting to the pressuretrol or pressure gauge. As a result I have no idea what the pressures are in the system. I have not had the system serviced in 10 years or so.

Daniel_23

Take care of the pressure issues by checking the pigtail and blowing down if necessary. Refill with water and watch during cycles whether the stat is satisfied before cut-out. To check limit and normal operating pressures you'll need a accurate low pressure gauge which reads in ounces. Make a U tube manometer if needed.

It is normal to have the boiler cycle constantly under lower pressures until the stat is satisfied. Sometimes the boiler cycles on/off until the stat is satisfied on limit. This will happen on colder days or longer cycles under normal conditions. This will also happen if your main vents are inoperable and there are dramatic pressure change issues under abnormal conditions.. First things first and get main vents on after checking the pigtail. If your pressuretrol has a mercury switch check the leveling.

mike jones_2

faster venting in the coldest room

For the sake of faster venting in the coldest room, does it make any sence to run a T right before the radiator valve and bush it down to add an additional steam vent there. Alternitively, is there any extra tap we can do the radiator to add an extra vent or an over - sized vent.

We recently had new main vents installed in the cellar and no longer have easy access dew to new finish cealings in the cellar. We have 1 small line of radiators off a riser at the end of the longest run. The top floor there is the coldest room and really isnt getting as much heat as everywhere else. That room already has a large radiator with a large vent hole.

JohnG_3

Cycle Time

Thanks for your replies. What is the approximate on time and off time when the boiler is cycling on pressure?