Vapor steam

steamy ray vaughn

I have 2 dunham vapor steam radiators that will not heat past the half way point of the radiator.  all crossover trap were changed 02/11 and all radiator traps were changed 10/10 any suggestions main set at 12oz diff at 6oz

Steamhead

Have you checked

the main air eliminator to see that it's not restricted? 

Dave in QCA

Questions

Tim, did they heat up fully after the traps were changed, or has this been an ongoing problem? 

Does the system have orifices?  Have you checked the valve on the radiators that won't heat.  I was surprised to find that one, and only one of my radiators had an orifice in it... and it wouldn't heat very well. 

Were the valves ever changed and are the valves on these 2 rads the same as the rest.  Dunham had a valve called and oriflex, and if it is on a system with normals valves, it will not heat well because it is essentially an orifice type valve.

What are the sizes of the supply valves to the rads?

Where in the system are these half heating rads?  Last on the main, upstairs, 3rd floor?

Any pics?

steamy ray vaughn

dunham

repalced the air check and oiled the float all valves are operating properly

steamy ray vaughn

sorry dave

 2nd floor out of three 3/4 pipe coming to all radiators tore down every ceiling tile in the basement looking for the illusive crossover trap none found

Dave in QCA

Small Supplies are good

The 3/4" supplies to the rads tend to provide good distribution. 

I am sure you have checked for a slope issue on the take off. 

Do these rads make any unusual sounds?



Have you reopened the traps to check for globs of pipe dope?

Sorry... I do not mean to insult... but found a wad of it in one of my traps.  I discovered why they advise to put pipe dope ONLY on the male threads.

steamy ray vaughn

nope no dope

I have one room in the baement that has been rocked over and told the customer that if the changes to the vaporstat did not help we may have to take down the ceiling to find that waskily trap

Dave in QCA

Traps

Is there a main that does not have a crossover trap... that you suspect is above that ceiling? 

If the pressure is building to 12 oz and all of the rads are fully steamed but these 2, it seems very strange that these 2 rads are not fully heating...   12 oz of pressure, once you build to that should overcome a venting issue on the main.

However, if we are talking about partial steaming and not building any pressure other than the 2-3 oz that the boiler will produce as it is pushing the steam out, and during this condition these 2 rads heat less, then it sounds like a distribution issue which could certainly be affected by a bad crossover trap.

Of course, the hidden trap could have failed open and would be impeding flow to the problem radiator.  How are the temps of the return lines?

Dave in QCA

Oriflex Valves?

Are you sure that the problem rads don't have this type of valve?