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Old baseboard steam radiator cold

Furnacelady
Furnacelady Member Posts: 29
in Strictly Steam
Big old home, 2nd floor, front bedroom, outside wall and 18 feet long. Absolutely no heat. Replace the vent which was stuck in the end of the enclosure, very tight. It was 1 inch tall type coin vent for steam. Located one and replaced that. I had gotten some air through it before, but not now. Cracked the union at the 1 1/2" valve and the valve got hot and there was much steam. Can't find any radiator that resembles this that has a baseboard enclosure like a slant fin. What could cause a blockage. I am thinking that that house settled in the front and the radiator is tilted away from this one pipe system and it filled with water. However, no water came out when valve union was cracked. I bet this thing weighs a ton. Any ideas?

Comments

  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    Radiator

    The coin vents are made only for hot water systems. Do you have a picture of the vent?
  • Furnacelady
    Furnacelady Member Posts: 29
    Steam radiator vent

    That's what I thought. Now they have a combination vent - water or steam.
  • Furnacelady
    Furnacelady Member Posts: 29
    Short steam vent

    Watts Water Technologies 0950108-HAV-1/8'' Automatic Air Vent Valve.
  • Furnacelady
    Furnacelady Member Posts: 29
    Baseboard steam radiator

    This radiator appears to have a large round casing with fins on it. At the end is 3/8" piping off of it and a 1/8" fitting on the end to put the 1/8" vent into it. I put a level on it and it is slightly pitched the wrong way. The 3/8" pipe on the end of the radiator that appears to be welded on to an end cap, does not connect to the top of the main pipe of the radiator so it could be half full of water blocking the vent hole at the end cap. By the time we got to this point a whole bunch of furniture needed to be removed to see more and it was the end of the day. I have not seen this kind of set up before. Any other ideas?
  • Furnacelady
    Furnacelady Member Posts: 29
    Item description from amazon

    Watts Water Technologies 0950108-HAV-1/8'' Automatic Air Vent Valve

    by Watts Water Technologies

    8 customer reviews | 4 answered questions

    Price: $8.74 & FREE Shipping on orders over $35. Details

    In Stock.

    Sold by Woodside Distributors and Fulfilled by Amazon. Gift-wrap available.

    Want it Monday, May 12? Order within 16 hrs 19 mins and choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

    Auto hav air vent valve

    HAV Series automatic vent valves are used in commercial, residential, and industrial hydronic heati

    It consists of a 2-piece, chromed brass body construction, stainless steel check valve, brass disc b

    Cartridge can be easily maintained or replaced without system shutdown

    It is ideal for use with hot water and low pressure steam systems
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    Vent

    Don't use that vent. Find a GORTON or MAID-O-MIST.
  • Furnacelady
    Furnacelady Member Posts: 29
    1 inch Steam Vent

    That is all the room there is in that enclosure. I should still get heat without a vent and I don't.
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,502
    Blockage

    If the 3/8" pipe that the vent comes off is blocked by water you will never get the air out of the radiator. Try removing the vent and find a way to blow air into the pipe and clear the water. Then see if steam starts to come out of the open 3/8" pipe.



    If that works you have to find a way to correct the lope of the radiator.



    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • Furnacelady
    Furnacelady Member Posts: 29
    Baseboard Steam

    Good idea1 That got me thinking. I will put a vynil condensate tube over the fitting and blow into it. If I blow bubbles then it is water, if not it's something else. Since this baseboard is totally different then the rest (all cast iron) it must have been added later in a remodel many years ago maybe by a person not knowledgable with steam. I can't get back in this place until the end of the month. I WILL report back.
  • Furnacelady
    Furnacelady Member Posts: 29
    Steam baseboard cold

    It was about 18 ft long, over the years of being hit by carpet cleaners the wood used to raise the radiator to drain back fell out. It was bowed in the middle so the end filled with water and blocked the vent. Thus no where for the air to go. Raised it up with some metal pipe and wire wrapped them added a vent outside of the housing. Heat within 6 minutes of boiler starting.
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,502
    Good news

    I'm glad to hear you got it working, it's nice to hear the outcome of something like this.



    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge

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