cast iron radiator

Daniel_3

There are many available on Craigslist and Ebay in Pennysylvania. That state is practically the home of the cast iron radiator. Look at scrap yards. Look at salvage and demo yards. Should be pretty easy.

bob eck

cast iron radiator

In need of a cast iron steam radiator. can I use a regular cast iron water radiator for a steam radiator?? what is the difference. I am in allentown pennsylvania anyone in this area that would have some old ones in their stock??
thanks

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Any standing iron radiator can be used with steam, but not all standing iron radiators can be used with water.

If the sections are connected at the bottom only, the rad can only be used for steam. If the sections are connected at the top AND bottom, the rad can be used for either steam or hot water.

If the rad is fairly tall--say over 30" and of the later thin fin tube variety (these are ALWAYS connected at top and bottom) it's possible for steam to shortcut through the upper connection and close the air vent before the rad is fully filled with steam. Special air vents used to be made to stop the problem, but I believe that they're long gone.

For that reason, if you need a taller rad, I'd look for one of the column variety as opposed to thin tube.

If you don't know how to distinguish between the general types of standing iron rads, just think of the description. "Column" and "thin fin tube".

Column rads are often have fancy decoration in the casting. Each section is fairly wide and almost always forms a sharp corner at the front and back. Even a three-column rad will be rather deep. Thin fin tube rads on the other hand have sections made of quite a number of roughly circular "tubes". A five-tube rad will be about the width of a three-column.

Steamhead (in transit)

If you can't find anything

in Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton, try OldeGoodThings in Scranton.

http://www.oldegoodthings.com/

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