help with 1 cold radiator

weezey

Well, I hope someone can help me on this one.  Through out my older home I have many radiators 7 are 1 pipe tall steam radiators and 1 two pipe baseboard style.  I have replaced all the vents on the 1 pipe radiators and they warm up nicely and evenly.  The two pipe baseboard style only gets warm on the first 1' of the 12' run.  I took off the shroud from the unit and I assume that one side is the vent and one side the valve.   The side I assume is the vent when I took it off it says Taco on it, it is small and has holes all around the end above the threads.  Should this be screwed all the way in or not?  The other side is a Dunham valve but I am not sure which way that should be set.  The setting right now on both is the "vent " side is exposing all the holes and the valve is turned all to the left.   

If you need more info please let me know.  I hope some one can help, I hate being cold in my living room.

Charlie from wmass

Picture please?

Are you sure it is piped 2 pipe?  Baseboard on one pipe is ussually under 4 feet long.

weezey

I'm sure it is a 2 pipe radiator

I apologize that I can't supply a picture right now, but may be I can better explain my radiator.  On the left is the "vent" that says Taco and looks like a large screw with holes above the thread.  The radiator is in two sections with a union in the middle, it is 1" pipe with the fins on it. It runs approx 12' the length of the wall.  The right side had a "valve" that says Dunham on the top black round handle.  It looks like there is an arrow on the black handle under side but the arrow doesn't point to anything.  There is defiantly two pipes on this radiator one on either end.  The pipe on the left is the supply side and on the right is the return.  '

I hope this helps.  I wish I would have thought of taking a picture before I put everything back together this evening.

Steamhead

That's probably

a Taco hygroscopic vent. These don't work well on steam.



Is your baseboard cast-iron or fin-tube?

weezey

Fin tube?

My guess is that it would be "fin tube"  it is approx. 1' dia pipe in the center with very thin metal "fins" extending 4-5" in height.  The "fins" are approx 1/4" apart.



The Taco "vent" should that be screwed all the way in or out? If I should replace it what would be the better kind to get?

Also the Dunham valve should that be all the way to the left or to the right?

Charlie from wmass

Weezy what does the left side do?

The right side has a pipe going up into the valve from below. What does the left end do? The taco is less than ideal for this setup. I am thinking the valve should be counter-clockwise. I am wondering if it is a water or steam valve. WHat happens to the pipe dropping off the left end into the basement?

Steamhead

Since that fin-tube

is installed in a system with cast-iron radiators that have a radically different thermal mass, I doubt you'll be comfortable in that room. The fin-tube cools quickly whereas the cast-iron holds its heat. If that were my house I'd change to either a traditional radiator (which doesn't have to be "tall") or cast-iron baseboard.



Depending on how much room you have, you may be able to fit a standard vent like a Hoffman #40 (angle pattern) or #41 (straight shank) into that baseboard, as a stopgap.

Charlie from wmass

cast iron base board.

To keep the system low profile castiron baseboard may work for you.  Whether 12 feet is enough or too much for the room is a question.

weezey

The left side

The question on what the left side does, it seems to be the feed side of the radiator, it comes up from the basement and this is where the "Taco" screw in item is.  The right side is the return and I have researched more and found out it is a Dunham "trap" I thought it was a valve, but it is a trap.  This just confuses me more.  I have no idea how to set the trap and whether I open left or open right or vice versa.  And if the Taco is a vent should it be exposing the holes or be screwed in all the way.