Main Vents - What's wrpmg w/ this picture?

Steamhead (in transit)

with no problems.

On the one by the garage valve, is the pipe pitched down from the valve to the vents? If not, water will back up at that point.

If the boiler is making wet steam, that will cause spitting.

"Steamhead"

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Tumbler

Main vents-what's wrong with this pic?

I know you guys like pictures so two are attached -
Original main vents were painted closed when I bought this house. Finished ceiling so no room for Gorton 2s. I went with 3 HeatTimers with verticle stems on a tee(pictures attached)

Problem is they are spitting water - Is there something wrong with the way I built this tee? Or might it be something else? One of the vent stems is on an elbow at the end of the main. The other is just before a shut-off valve that if open, would in theory heat the garage. (have not been brave enough to try that one yet)

Thanks!


Thanks!

nicholas bonham-carter

spitting vents

the tapping for the vent manifold is pretty low on the section of the main, so it probably picks up water from the bottom. most of the time they are mounted at the top of the pipe.is there another location for those vents? if that is a preexisting hole it could be the remains of a vapor setup, so keep the pressure as low as possible--nbc

Brad White_191

Side take-offs

for one thing. Coming off the top is far preferable and if you do come off the sides, some height is needed to allow entrained moisture to drain back to the header ("main").

Tumbler

Wet steam

the main should be pitching down as the vent is between the valve and the boiler, but I will double check with a level.

This may be a kind of stupid question, but how do I know if the boiler is producing wet steam? I have wondered about that as some of my radiator vents do quite a bit of hissing and burbling even though I have replaced them all with new Gortons.

Tumbler

When you say "height is needed", do you mean extend the verticle distance between the elbow at the end of the side take-off and the branch of the tee? Or am I looking at having to get a new tap put in?
Thanks!

Tumbler

Thanks

Thanks - there is probably room in the top of the main to drill new taps if I stick with something short like the HTs I am using.

Brad White_191

Height needed

The ideal situation is a top take-off held back from the end of the main by at least 15 inches and with the vents extended at least six inches above the main.

That said, there are lots of variables in play which conspire to cause mischief. For example, if you do have wet steam (say from a combination of too small or too few boiler risers, lack of insulation, a "side equalizer" versus a "straight by the take-offs equalizer"), even an ideal installation can be challenged.

Key is to take care when you can for as much as you can.

Now, if Steamhead says that a side take-off can work, I would believe him. It is just not ideal and for that reason, dry steam and some added height would be of benefit to you in my opinion.

Unknown

Try a nipple and a union first to try and get more height. Just might work.
Unions work great on vent trees as you can build the tree on the ground and get them much higher than if you try to do them in place, piece by piece. Also if you have a finished ceiling you are a lot less likely to get handprints and wrench dings. I have to thank Brad for the tree/union idea.
Saved my head a few lumps from falling parts/wrenches too.

Lyle {pheloa} Carter

vents

Although Heat-Timer is a great rugged valve it will not close against water as it only contains a bellows set to close on temp. Select a type cotaining a float it will close with the water and reopen right away provided the steam hasn't reached it yet.

Tumbler

Problem solved

Thanks to all for the help - In the end I tried first using nipples and unions and raise the vents all the way to the ceiling, but still had problems. I then followed Lyle's advice of switching to a float type vent - (went with a string of Gorton #1s as I did not have room for a #2) So while I am substantially poorer for having had to buy a whole new set of vents to replace all of the heat timers - the spitting has stopped and I am happy.

Hopefully this will be helpful for anyone searching the archives in the future for problems with main vents leaking or spitting water.