Radiator cracking

heatpro02920

I am pulling out my hair with this service call....



Last year I replaced a cracked radiator with a used similar radiator no exact but close...



I changed the boiler about 3 years ago, its a well maintained system...



The new radiator cracked about a month later, so it was used but I checked everything to be sure it wasnt an issue with the system.... We replaced the radiator..



Now its cracked again!!!!



What is going on? 1 radiator in the same spot cracking 3 times, what should I be checking? the pressures are perfect, pipes are installed correctly and pitched, vent is new and working, what am I missing? What should I look for, I am going to install another radiator next week for free, but I can not keep doing this... I have only seen a few actually cracked radiators and now to see 3 in one spot is out of the norm to say the least...

icesailor

Cracked:

Were the radiators (the old and the used one) actually cracked or just weeping?

The replacement old radiator has no history of how well it was taken care of in the old system, the handling or the removal and storage, or how well it was handled during the installation. But if the last one was new and cracked, that shouldn't have happened.

Are they all actually "cracked"?

STEAM DOCTOR

Crack

Was the crack in the same spot on all three rads? What type of rads? Are the rads in a very cold spot? Maybe thermal shock(not likely) . Also so they have cracks or holes or leaks between sections etc?

heatpro02920

cracked

the first radiator leaked, I didnt closely inspect it, it was a good leak.. I had one so replaced it, that on had a visible crack, then another visible crack... not in the same spot but both cracked...



She said they shut that one off and on a lot, I am going to have to say that is doing it.... What else can it be? They dont hear any noises, its the last radiator on the system has an adjustable vent....

Pumpguy

Is it...

bolted or fastened down in some way?  One pipe or 2 pipe system?  Any possibility pipe strain might be putting an uneven load on it?

heatpro02920

single pipe system

no pipe strain,.. I am going there later on today to take another look...

Jamie Hall

It is so rare

for a cast iron radiator to crack that having more than one go -- in the same setting -- is really peculiar.



First question: is it really the casting that has cracked?  It isn't one of the nipples?



If it is one of the nipples, there are two thoughts which occur to me: first, if this is a really long radiator, are the tension bars drawn up tight enough, if it has them?  One doesn't want them too tight -- they can go sproing, which is annoying, but they must be tight enough to prevent movement between sections.  The other thought is a little odd -- is the floor this thing sits on sturdy and really a plane?  If the radiator is sitting more heavily on two diagonally opposite legs, it would put a twisting stress on the nipples, and one might quite easily decide to leak.



Or it could just be bad karma...

heatpro02920

Jamie I think you have it

The floor is really wonky, I went there today and I have to say I think the floor is the trouble..



It is hardwood and its a good size radiator, the legs hit on different boards and the radiator is supported but when you walk by it, it moves... Weak floor, some of which is due to this radiator leaking so many times...



So I am thinking, rip out the radiator and install a furnace and duct work through out the house, it will dry the wood and fix all the issues.... Just kidding, I am going to call them tomorrow and recommend getting the floor repaired and then installing 1 last radiator, also shutting it off and then turning it on when its really cold can not be a great practice, it was my first thought for failure, but to actually crack it, I dont see it...



The piping its self is done very nice and new.... there is no pressure there, but I think because its a long rad, with unstable footing, its causing it to crack, I never noticed the floor was so bad... Good news is they have all summer to repair the floor...





thanks for the help, it could be karma for all the steam systems I sent to the recycling center, but in my defense it was 20 years after their time anyway...

leebfree

The Perfect storm to a Broken Radiator


I recently had an experience where one Cast Iron Baseboard radiator sprung a leak, Then another.

The pressure Gauge on my OIL fueled Boiler showed normal.

If your experiencing Cracked, Leaking, or Failed Radiators check these Items:

Check your Temperature & Pressure emergency vent valve. These are USUALLY corroded and not working. This wont create an over pressure scenario in your boiler but since this valve wont open the pressure goes to the weakest spot. Your cast Iron Radiators. Replace this Valve. They cost about $25 and are easily accessed on the exterior of the boiler.

Also check your Pressure & Temperature Gauge on your furnace. In my case the temperature portion was working perfectly but the pressure gauge portion was stuck at a value that indicated normal. Yet when the boiler was shut off the indicated pressure did not change. Although this pressure gauge did not cause an over pressure condition. It really caused a problem trouble shooting. as it kept telling me my boiler was not in over pressure when in fact it was. This Gauge replacement was about $25 for the gauge and its easy to change from the exterior of a boiler.

Now we get to what really caused the over pressure condition resulting in cracked radiators. When Water is heated it expands. In a closed system of water running in radiators this expanded water must go somewhere. In most cases it should go in to an expansion tank. This tank hold some water and mostly AIR and is a AIR Tight container. As the water is heated and expands it flows into this Expansion tank, compressing the air in the tank. The water expands into the tank and the compressed air push back on the water so as the water Shrinks when it cools it leaves the expansion tank and goes back to the radiator circuit.

IF you have leaking , new leaks or cracks in a radiator I would recommend checking these 5 things

• Is Emergency relief Valve Free of corrosion and working properly
• Does Pressure and Temperature Gauge function properly and show a change from a cold boiler to a Boiler in operation
• Is valve to Expansion tank open and operating correctly
• Does expansion tank have proper amount of water and AIR
  
• Is expansion tank leaking? Is it air tight and holding compression
  

At the end of the day;

if your seeing any damage to radiators. Make sure boilers expansion tank is function properly AND your boiler is operating at the correct pressure and temperatures.

Generally about 10 to 20 pounds of pressure and 180 to 210 in temperature however that does vary boiler to boiler and application to application to check your system specifications.

JUGHNE

Did you notice that this post is 5 years old and is referring to a steam system?

Please respond that you got this message.

EdTheHeaterMan

@leebfree just returned after being away from earth for many years. Did not realize that he went through a time warp. He is just responding to the post from HIS Yesterday!

reference: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8421350/