Dismantling a radiator

Tom21

This a beast.  And oversized for the room. 

 I wanted to take half off this radiator.  I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty and have repaired black pipe.  Should I get a pro or is this doable?  It has threaded rod. 

 If it is possible, what would I need and what are the steps?  Thank you guys for any help or insight.

icesailor

Dismantling a radiator:

Anyone that says that they can easily do this may be sorry. That radiator is older than dirt. Probably older than you.

Maybe someone knows more than I do but I wouldn't guarantee sucess and to do it right, you need to take the middle leg out.

I would wish this project, health, happiness and long distance.

kcopp

If it were me....

and I really needed it smaller I would just look for a smaller radiator. Sell that one. Look at craigslist.... where you near?

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)

by how much oversized

Before I'd tackle that, I'd do a room-by-room analysis to gauge each room's heat loss and its radiator's EDR. Then I'd calculate how far each one was oversized to see if it makes sense to trim just this one and by how much it must be trimmed to mate with the rest of the system.



Loosen both unions, (don't forget to drain the system first!), lay it over on its side on top of something to protect the flooring, cut the rods, pry sections apart (I use a digging bar) until you get a matched set of push-nipples and section ports, gently clean mating surfaces, apply form-a-gasket sealant, re-assemble, squeeze together using 4x4 lumber and 1/2" all-thread rods in holes drilled through the 4x4's, install 3/8" all thread rods in radiator to hold sections together, install washers and nuts, set upright, measure new gap, alter piping & re-fill system,



Or - install thermostatic radiator valve.



Might as well add a modcon too if you really want to conserve energy, improve comfort, and reduce operating costs.   

joe_94

Try wood wedges?

Did this once.

After I decided the needed length, I pounded  in wooden wedges from top and bottom at that point. Factor in that you  also have to salvage the end and add it. Carefully save push nipples. Good luck. At least it is summer and you can mess with it.

meplumber

Good Luck.

I will tell you that more are broken while trying to do this, than are actually successfully shortened.



Take the advice of trying to sell it and buy another one.  Or put a thermostatic radiator valve on it.



Best of luck.

Tom21

Dismantling a radiator

Thank you all for the help.

It seems it has been done with mixed results, correct?  Sometimes the radiator cracks on separation is what I'm guessing.

Would anyone have a picture of what the push nipples and section ports look like on the inside?

How did those old timers build these things to begin with?

I'm assuming they cut the bolts, retapped them, screwed them together, and all of this cast iron was new at the time.

Interesting process.

JStar

Hmm.

Judging by the air bleeder, this is a hot water radiator? Just crack the service valve halfway closed.

icesailor

Radiators

I guess I'm an "Old Timer". I never heard the old timers I worked with when I started out, talk about taking radiators apart to shorten them. It had a huge failure rate. The only time we/I ever took a radiator apart was when it froze and an end section split. Then, we took the end section off and replaced it is it was a new modern slender tube radiator. If it was in the middle, it was toast.  

I was always told to never use push nipples over. They were supposed to squeeze into the shape of the opening and the change in shape would make them possibly leak. Radiators usually leak in the push nipples first. With Cast Iron baseboard, I NEVER used push nipples over. Always new ones and I had leaks. After carefully cleaning paint from the ends, carefully cleaning the inside of the sections, carefully cleaning the nipple, I still had an occasional leak.

David Yates has a successful way. I always used pipe clamps and a ten pound hammer/top mall. They don't always snug up tightly. I never liked the possibility of spending a day doing this and have a failure, leak. Most customers aren't too happy about it even though you told them of the hazards. I'm not perfect, I'm not God, and neither are you. Anyone that tells you that this is easy, does so at their own peril.