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Radiator connections - cast iron

Drewser
Drewser Member Posts: 34
in THE MAIN WALL
Hey folks,



I was down in the Twin Cities this weekend to visit a friend and he had an old radiator in his garage. He had pulled it out of his bathroom during a remodel and installed a towel rad.



I have been contemplating a towel rad but this is free, so....much more appealing! It's a American Radiator Co unit, 7 section, can't remember the exact height, but its among the shortest I've come across. Too much for my application but that's okay.



Anyway, the rad still has the nipples installed, and I managed to get the hand valve with it (that still turns...with a wooden handle!). My question is this: What kind of fitting do I use to connect to these nipples? The hand valve will connect to one, but the other....not sure. Some pics pirated off the web included. What I have looks like the radiator in the first pic, what I need is on the right in the second pic.



Any ideas where to source them, or at least the name? I'll go measure the dia on it.



Thanks!

Comments

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,402
    edited September 2014
    Matched

    I suspect you're going to have to remove the connections that are there and buy complete sets as they are matched.



    If you try to use a piece from another set it will leak.



    Other than that I am afraid I cannot be of any help. I've only worked with my own radiators in a steam system and I know the valves are matched to the connection on the radiator which I believe is called a spud.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • Drewser
    Drewser Member Posts: 34
    Matched set...

    But they are a matched set, eh? Bummer. I was hoping I could get away with just buying the union and using the half I needed after cleaning up the radiator side and using some lapping compound to seat them together. The hand valve that was on the rad is actually in decent shape, and I might just replace the stem packing and reuse it (since it apparently has to be a matched set).



    I did find the appropriate parts on SupplyHouse.com (pexsupply), so maybe I'll cut the nuts off the union stubs and wrench em out and install all new. This may all be a moot point as I still have to pressure test it...it sat in his unheated garage all winter (it WAS completely empty, but you never know).



    One last question...do they make a straight version of that radiator ell, or would I just use a straight piece of pipe into the rad with a standard union? My lower return pipe is exactly the right height for the bottom rad connection, so no elbow required.



    Thanks again, folks, and enjoy your Labor Day!



    Andy

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