air vent location

ERO

I have a Weil-Mclain Raydiant radiator and I need to install an air vent. Should it be 1/3 of the distance from the bottom or 1/2. Would this distance be calculated from the bottom of the leg.

The radiator originally was installed with the air vent along the top in the front . Apparently on Raydiant radiators this tapping is for a water vent since the radiators were used for both water and steam.

The tapping for steam is on the rear of the front panel which can be accessed through a removable front panel. If it is covered with paint you may not even notice it.

I cannot get the 1/8 plug to budge so I have decided it would be easier to tap a new hole.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Hap_Hazzard

plug

I would much sooner drill out the plug than drill and tap a new hole, but I've never seen an 1/8" plug that wouldn't come out. If you really can't make it turn, you might want to brush away the paint and take a close look at the threads. If you see red material in the threads, they used a thread-locking compound, and the only way to loosen it is to heat it up to 500° F. If that's not the case, and you really can't get that sucker out, drill it out. Chances are the plug is made of steel that's softer than the cast iron and easier on your drill bit.

Paul48

Last Resort

Only as a last resort drill it out. You're left with getting it out without damaging the threads if you drill it anyway.Shock it....hit the wrench with a hammer.

ERO

air vent location

Thanks for the input -all ideas are welcome. The problem with the Weil-Mcclain RAYDIANT radiators is that the steam vent plug is inside the radiator on the reverse side of the front. Unless you disconnect the radiator and remove it from the wall - the RAYDIANTS are installed in the wall - you cant get any power drills or large wrenches inside the radiator to access the plug. The plug also is slotted.

Hap_Hazzard

Pictures

Can you post some pictures of this radiator? I can't find any literature on it from the manufacturer.

crash2009

Raydiant

I copied this from Dan's book EDR. page 171

This is a picture of a circa 1950 Weil McLain Raydiant Concealed Radiator.  Is this the model you are working with? 

Hap_Hazzard

Previous thread

There was a previous thread on this subject back in April.



http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/141126/Radiator-question



There's a picture and a little background information.



So, on the one Raydiant where the air vent is opposite the inlet, is it the inlet or the air vent that is not where it is shown in the picture?



Did you ever find a boss in the location Steamhead described in the previous thread?

crash2009

None described

in the book.  I don't know if this is what he meant, but there are 2 three quarter inch tappings (one on each side) described as Orifice Vapor Tappings 6.5" up from the floor.  Now I see that slotted thing, it's about one third up.  I'll scan it and post in a few minutes.

ERO

air vent location

Thanks again for input.

The diagram from Crash 2009 is the RAYDIANT type radiator I am inquiring about. One of the pictures enclosed shows the access panels removed. There is a threaded plug next to each access panel on the backside of the front grill. Apparently the reason for two access panels is because the steam inlet pipe can be plumbed either on the left or right on the RAYDIANT. There is no boss on the front of the radiator other than the air vent seen at the top and the sides are not accessible because of being built in. That boss is supposed to be used for a "coin type air valve" for hot water installations.

Because of the difficulty in accessing and removing the plug I thought it would be easier to drill and tap a new air vent hole on the side opposite the inlet pipe. If this is OK how far from the bottom should I locate the air vent hole.

ERO

air vent location

Apparently my pictures did not make it. I will try again.

crash2009

That's exactly

 how I had yours pictured ERO.  Likely, that radiator is only half heating at best.  The vent should be about 1/3 up from the floor, on the opposite side from where it is.  If you drill it, and it breaks, you could have a big problem.  Taking it apart, like you suggested previously might be the only way, and that might even be risky.  Just a secondary thought, is that enough radiator to combat all the heatloss through the other window (the one to the left) In the old days they would have had a radiator that wrapped the entire corner.

Hopefully one of the pro's has an idea for you that will work good for the great view that you have.

crash2009

Just had an idea

  What if you leave the rad just where it is, and open the plaster on the left side, then install a vent where the coin slot is.  I think this is what Steamhead suggested in the first place.  Wood and plaster is easier to replace than cast iron.

ERO

air vent location

Hey Crash--you are correct that the radiator is only partially heating. It is probably less than 1/2 because the RAYDIANT uses what W/M calls a vectant which is a finned component in the middle of the radiator. The vectant is important to the efficiency of the RAYDIANT. In the current configuration the vectant is not even getting warm.

The windows are all energy star and that radiator actually does warm the space OK.

Thanks for your input.

ERO

air vent location

Hey Crash--you are correct that the radiator is only partially heating. It is probably less than 1/2 because the RAYDIANT uses what W/M calls a vectant which is a finned component in the middle of the radiator. The vectant is important to the efficiency of the RAYDIANT. In the current configuration the vectant is not even getting warm.

The windows are all energy star and that radiator actually does warm the space OK.

Thanks for your input.

crash2009

I wonder

 how many times Weil-Mclain has been contacted in the last 50 years regarding this exact situation.  Have you tried them yet?  http://www.weil-mclain.com/en/weil-mclain/support/contact-us/

ERO

air vent location

I did contact Weil-Mclain when I was trying to figure out the EDR on those radiators. They sent me some info. which included some diagrams, that is how I learned about the threaded plug on the inside. I did not think to ask them about this problem--- good Idea--I will give that a try.

crash2009

Any chance

 of scanning those documents (the one with the threaded fitting) into this post.  Maybe someone in the future could benefit after you discover the solution.

ERO

air vent location

Scanning those documents is also a good idea. I should be able to do that in the next couple of days.

crash2009

Any idea's Gerry

Stumped

crash2009

Nope

that won't work.  Looks like I was suggesting to drill through the push nipple from the outside. 

crash2009

What about

 using the 3/4" tapping, just below the push nipple.  Is this the one you say is slotted, and you can't get to it?