no baseboard heat

mrsteve0924

i have one loop feeding 7 baseboard units.  they all get hot except for the second one in the loop.  i checked and both the supply feed and return feed to the baseboard both have piping hot water in them.  not sure how the baseboard unit will not produce heat if it seems hot water is getting through.



i bled it anyway and cleaned the fins of dust. it gets ever so slightly warm now, but not hot like it should. 



could there still be air in there? i wouldnt think so since every baseboard unit after it gets hot.



thanks

Zman

Mono Flow

It sounds like you have a Monoflow system. Do you have a main loop with tees for each baseboard. Purging air from these can be difficult.

Carl

mrsteve0924

pictures

carl,  i assume i know what a monoflow system and tees are, but in case i'm off i posted pictures.



...of the baseboard

...of the supply side feed up off the main loop



thanks

Zman

Tee

I don't think that is a monoflow. Does the other tee tie into the same pipe? Either way you are probably air locked.When did it stop working? What changed?

Carl

Steve Whitbeck

Zman

Need to see the other T.

They don't both need to be monoflow style.

I agree it is probably air or sediment in the loop.

Zman

Agreed

Steve,

I agree. That is why I was asking the location. I think it is a moot point. It is not a series loop so it is likely locked.

Carl

Alan Welch

sloped wrong?

The bleeder is on the right side, but it looks like the left side is higher. put a level on it, it should slope up to the bleeder or at least be level. otherwise the air will get trapped at the high end and stop circulation.

billtwocase

besides air

this wall convector also needs a good cleaning. What does the cover look like? I would also try bleeding it without the circ

mrsteve0924

return flo-tee

yes the other tee says RETURN FLO-TEE and ties into same pipe



i will check the level as suggested and clean and bleed again without circ.



thanks

HDE

Basement heat?

You mention it's basement heat, so the convector is below the monoflo pipe and tees?



These downward flow connections almost always require 2 monoflo tees., installed properly spaced in reversed connections

mrsteve0924

Basement heat?

Nope not basement heat. First floor above basement.

HDE

I need to find my reading glasses

LOL

Steve Whitbeck

pump

If you can't get it to circulate You could install a stronger pump and make sure it is on the supply side of the boiler.

Working on one right now that has too small of a pump and it is installed on the return line.

icesailor

Pressure:

Before you get nuts and start moving circulators, try running the system pressure up to 20# and see if it starts to flow. The higher pressure will "squish" any air bubbles in the convector and it it starts to flow, keep the pressure up.

If that is an automatic vent on the convector, and the expansion tank isn't right, when the system cools, and the water shrinks, it will suck air through the automatic vent. If all the convectors have auto air vents, and that is the only one that is bad or the worst one, the air will go in there.

From the photo, it looks like the element is pitched wrong. If it is, try to get it pitching properly. Usually, it worked once. Why doesn't it work now? It wasn't installed last week. or last year. I haven't seen a Monoflow installed like that in over 50 years.

mrsteve0924

little luck

well i turned up the pressure and did get a little warm, but not nearly hot like the others.



i guess at this point i need to swap out that unit.  after all it is original to the house which was built in the 50's.