radiators vents get water in them

JIM W.

WE HAVE USED DIFFERENT STYLE VENTS, THE LAST WERE HOFFMAN1A STYLE.  THE VENTS GET WATER IN THEM AND STOP VENTING.THE CUSTOMER REMOVES VENT, DRAINS WATER FROM THEM PUTS BACK ON AND THEN THEY GET HEAT.  THIS IS THE MOST COMMON ON 2ND FLOOR RADIATORS, BUT HAS HAPPENED ON OTHERS FROM TIME TO TIME.  WE INSTALLED A VAPOR STAT FOR CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE AND HAVE IT SHUTTING OFF NO HIGHER THAN 1.5 PSIG.  

WHERE SHOULD WE BE FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS?

BobC

Water in a steam radiator

I assume this is single pipe steam.



Make sure all the piping and radiators allow the condensate to return to the boiler, don't depend on your eyes - use a level. Make sure all the radiator input valves are fully open, partially closed valves trap water in the radiator.



Is there any banging going on and if so, when? At the start, middle or end of the heating cycle? What is the near boiler piing like, is it per the manufactures spec?



Post some pics of the boiler, the near boiler piping, and one of the problem radiators 9include the valve and vent).



Bob

Dave in QCA

strange problem!

Here is a link to the Hoffman Specialty website that has a picture of the 1A vent.   http://www.hoffmanspecialty.com/pdf/hs900/HS900-1A4070A.pdf

The little tongue part that protrudes from the threads is intended to channel any water that naturally forms as a result of condensation, back out of the vent and into the radiator.  In order for this to work, it must extend past any surrounding material.  So, if this vent is installed in a coupling on the end of a pipe nipple, it will not drain.   It must be threaded directly into the cast iron radiator threads.

Can you provide a picture of a typical installation?

I had a radiator in a building I bought, that someone had installed a Hoffman model 41.  That is a vent that has the threaded nipple on the bottom.  They had it installed into a common radiator, so it was laying sideways.  Of course, it didn't work so well!

Again, more information and pics would help a lot.

JIM W.

Thanks for your response,

Yes it has the tounge and is directly into the radiator.  When

We installed the 1A vents I thought this feature would help with the issue.

Previous vents were a style that did not have this.

Patrick_North

Same problem...

I had the same problem with the 1A's in a big way before we replaced our boiler. A new boiler - and with it much drier steam- greatly remedied the problem, but not entirely. On the radiators where this was most troublesome I've replaced the Hoffmans with Gortons- problem solved.

You could repipe your header to help dry out the steam, but I'm guessing that's a bridge too far. Despite it's design "features," it's my experience that the Hoffman 1A just does not handle water very well.

Good luck,

Patrick

FJL

Water In Vent

I have had this problem in my apartment.  New boiler was installed in 2008.  Gorton valves on all radiators.  Some vents have a moist hiss.  One radiator, connected to the riser farthest from the boiler, about 55 feet away, has the most moisture.  It doesn't spit water, but water will collect on the top of the Gorton vent, right outside the hole.  I'd like for it to be dry but no water is spitting out and onto the floor, so I just live with it.  The rads are properly tilted back toward the valve, the valves are all open, and I've even shimmed the rads so they don't tilt one way or another.  I can't think of anything else to do.