heat to end of steam run--update

Jay Beuoy

I haven't got this figured out yet. I am having problems on the third floor of an older home. Steam heat--two pipe system. I've changed some of the thermostatic units in the traps and have checked the others with a laser thermometer. The third floor radiators have not pitch or are slightly angled toward the supply side. They are newere radiators and very narrow compared to old radators on lower floor. Steam gets to the radiators but doesn't seem sufficient to push the cold air through. By the time the downstairs is boiling they are barely warm. Does anybody have additional ideas. I live in Kansas and I cannot find a true expert nearby.

nicholas bonham-carter

experts in kansas

the experts are now in colorado and with the present state of air travel they may be hitch-hiking through kansas on their way home to the east coast--maybe they can stop off and check your system.
dan always says to analyse the system as a whole [do you have his books?]--maybe other traps [than those you checked] are preventing the steam from getting up-or is the pressure too high?
at any rate there must be something different from the others in the non working rads--are they all pitched the same?--good luck--nbc

Jay Beuoy

All the radiators on the third floor were put in during the 1990s. They are very narrow compared to massive older rads. Also, they have a different valve, a spring type deal, compared to the mechanical type of old valves on lower two floors.

Also, they are not pitched correctly. They are absolutely level or pitching back toward supply side. Does any of this seem like a suggested cause of our problem?

Steamhead (in transit)

I think

the problem might be that the air can't get out. Follow the return lines from these rads and see how they connect to the original system. The air should go to the overhead ("dry") returns. The water can go there too, or to the lower ("wet") returns. There should be no "pockets" where water can collect and block the air.

The original rads have traps too, correct?

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rjm

boiler

Does the boiler build pressure(go off on pressuretrol)? If so check for venting issues.. If not, the boiler may not have been sized large enough for the load. Insulating the near boiler piping and mains can make up a little for undersizing, but not alot.

gerry gill

yup, i'm kinda leaning toward that too..

try this..take the cover off the trap..does the radiator now heat? if so its either a bad trap element or as steamhead says a sag in the return pipe which will have to be repaired..obviously you'll have to put the cover back on after the test unless you want to turn your house into a plaster removing steam bath..

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