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Weird vent found

I fixed the problem from yesterday with my radiator that was heating up oddly. I got a new dole valve (1a) and added it in, leaving it on a fast setting. That radiator now heats up, as do the other ones above in now in the house. Yay!

I also got a few new vents at the same time, and one of the ones I removed is a Dole 2B VeriVent Vacuum (dated Nov 1938). I don't know if there is a reason that this can't be swapped out for a new Dole 1A. I googled the dole 2b and got zero information on it.

Not sure if this was just some oddity, or some reason for this type of vent on the system.

Thanks.

Comments

  • Steamhead (in transit)
    Steamhead (in transit) Member Posts: 6,688
    Dole 2B VeriVent Vacuum

    Back in the Coal Era, all of your radiators would have had vacuum vents to let the air out, but not let it back in. As the coal bed burned down and produced less heat input, the steam would condense and the system would go into a vacuum and thereby cause the water in the boiler to produce vapor at a lower temperature, and thus extracting as much heat from the coal as possible.

    Since it is unlikely that you are still firing with coal, it is best that you replace any "vacuum" style vents (there were different manufacturers) with "regular" vents, as they can cause intermittent problems as you discovered. Save the vent as an artifact.

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