Steam trap vs. Gorton #2 for main vents

Abracadabra

I'm pretty sure I used to have a table for venting capacities of radiator vents, which also included main vents and steam traps. Of course, now that I'm looking for it, I can't find it.

Anyone seem to have theirs handy? Looking to replace some #2s with some steam traps on some mains.

Thanks!

Abracadabra

Duh.. never mind.. found it.. it was the charts that Gerry Gill put together. found them in my email!

Strange how a mepco 1E won't vent as much as a Gorton #2.

Anything I can do to the 1E innards to make it vent more? Maybe drill out an orfice or something? Looking to replace about 35 or so main vents on a big job, and I can get the mepcos at about a third of the price of the Gorton #2s.

Steamhead

Nope- the OEM MEPCO trap parts help make that trap one of the fastest out there.

Also remember, a trap does not have a float that will close against water, but the Gorton #2 does.

nicholas bonham-carter

Several people, including Jstar have used traps with success in replacing Gorton 2's, so maybe a search of trap + gorton in the old posts would bring up the particular traps he used to replace the Gortons.--NBC

agurkas

This is definitely interesting topic for me too. Gorton #2s are wee bit expensive, so I would love to find a solution that can replace 3 of them with bit lower cost.

JStar

I've used Monash #38 traps to replace vents. They have the highest venting capacity on the Balancing charts. As mentioned, the one drawback is the inability to stop water from exiting the trap.

As far as cost goes...one Monash #38 is the equivalent of two Gorton #2's at twice the price of one. In other words....no cost savings. Although, I like the fact that the traps can be repaired instead of replaced like a broken vent. I believe that SARCO makes a modern version of an Air Eliminator that will vent air and stop water, when used with a steam vent or trap.

Abracadabra

Frank, I'm not worried about stopping water, as any steam trap will have it's outlet piped down to the floor. All main vents are currently located in unfinished space where some water on the floor is not a problem.

Jstar, Looks like a Monash #38 is 3.08cfm at 3 oz, nice! Unfortunately none of the suppliers I deal with carry that model. A gorton #2 does 2.2cfm at 3oz. 3 mepcos will do 5.7cfm if I antler them off a 3/4" opening on the return. So I'm getting almost 3x the venting for about the price of 1 #2. Labor and material should be pretty similiar since I'd have to antler the #2s as well to get the venting I'm looking at.

I've used steam traps before to replace gorton #2s. I was just hoping to up their performance a bit.

agurkas

Maybe I have been getting my Gortons from wrong place. I've been ordering from SupplyHouse (since I am mere mortal and plumbing supply place, Johnson Supply, won't sell to me). Monash #38 I looked up was selling for only like 20% more than one Gorton

Abracadabra

Even at supplyhouse Gorton #2 comes out to about $65ish in volume. I can get the mepco 1e for about $20 and change.