Radiator Headache

fjcruiser105

 My prior postings have been responded to with great results, so I'll try again. I have a 2 pipe system with steam traps on every radiator. The whole house works great but for one radiator. It's the first vertical riser off the main Horizontal feed. Its not getting any heat...but if I unscrew the top of the steam trap (Marsh 1N) steam rushes up the feed and through the radiator and water runs out of the radiator return and down the steam trap. I left the top of the steam trap a little loose to try to let it vent and got plenty of heat but a puddle of water in exchange. I changed the steam trap diaphragm but no help. I even eliminated the guts on the old steam trap and scewed it back on thinking maybe that will help, but no help. I'm thinking about drilling and tapping for an air valve and leaving the guts out of the steam trap so water will return. Is this a good idea or should I be doing something else.

jpf321

no ...

there was a thread on here last week i believe .. oh no .. maybe it was in Dan's book .. do not add an air vent to a trapped rad .. i don't know enough about traps to help, but i do know that's the typical knucklehead .. will cause more problems than it solves approach.. i wish i remember where I saw that .. hmm 

jpf321

also ...

dan said at steam school .. it's the rad that has heat that has the bad vent .. that guy never complains and never wants to let anyone in to fix it .. 

DanHolohan

Bad trap has heat (trap fails open)

Bad vent = no heat.

nicholas bonham-carter

no air vents on a 2-pipe system

it was on gerry gills site--nbc

[url=http://www.gwgillplumbingandheating.com/webapp/GetPage?pid=260]http://www.gwgillplumbingandheating.com/webapp/GetPage?pid=260

jpf321

thanks!

i knew it was around here somewhere ;-)