Was I sent a used (not new) Gorton vent from this online plumbing supply place? Has telltale signs?

Jack M

I purchases a few new Gorton vents to try on some steam radiators. Unlike the Maid-o-mist vents that I picked up and the Orange Big Box store these Gorton vents all look used. The threads show signs of use and the inside has the classic greenish-blue residue from steam coming in contact with copper or other metal. To a more experienced eye does this Gorton steam vent look used? Or maybe Gorton tests each one at the factory in New Jersey for several months before shipping and they all look like this?

Steamhead

IIRC, they do test some samples of their vents. That would explain what you see.

Fred

I would say it is a used vent. Maybe a return from someone who didn't like it after they tried it??

AlCorelliNY

I buy MANY vents from the online supply house. They all look like that and are not used. Literally hundreds of them all look like that. Where would they get so many used vents to sell as new?
Looks to me that they are not processed to look shiny new on the inside. Probably because there is no need to do so.

gerry gill

I believe Gorton factory tests all the vents. They generally do look that way as Al said.

Jack M

I spoke to Gorton and as AlCorelliNY noted "all new Gorton vents look like this." The end threads are not plated because that portion of the vent is threaded to a holder during the plating/coating process. The inside of the vent has a blue/green residue because that is what remains from a chemical used to flush and clean the vent.