Steam to Hot Water Coversion Noisy Convectors

TinkerBell

Recently changed a steam boiler(two pipe) to hot water. The system has wall style convectors. Upon start up the radiators are making a high pitched whining sound. Upon inspection of the "Trane brand" convectors I found a red tag that indicated there was an "orifice" used. I have not seen this before so I'm not sure positively sure of its possible location. Although the noise does seem to be on the inlet indicating a place of pressure drop? I'm looking for advice.

vaporvac

You can't convert to HW if you have orifices without drilling them out or replacing them. There are entire posts about not converting these systems which by the way are the Cadillac of steam systems capable on their own merits, of achieving all those you sought through a conversion. I've been there, but glad I didn't make the leap.

Jamie Hall

Every single one of those convectors has an orifice in the inlet side, which was used to regulate the supply of steam so that it exactly matched the heat delivery capacity of the radiator.

This gave one an extremely high efficiency and a beautifully operating, simple, quiet, reliable system.

Which you have destroyed. I won't ask why.

So what you need to do now, is take every one of those radiators, take the valve off and remove that orifice plate. That should quiet it down.

You still won't get the heat from the convectors you would have on steam -- about 2/3 rds of the output, running 170 to 180 degree water into them with a delta T of 20, roughly, but it should be quieter...

vaporvac

Sometimes they are integral to the valve and must be drilled out.

Jamie Hall

vaporvac said:

Sometimes they are integral to the valve and must be drilled out.

True. Sometimes you even have to replace the valve... and union... and spud.

KC_Jones

So basically the installer that converted it hasn't finished the job and needs to come back and finish....on their dime.

Mark N

You might be in trouble. Trane convectors can have the orifice right in the casting of the convector. Check out the System Help Center under Steam and System Conversions. There is an article about the Trane Convectors and converting to hot water.

Jamie Hall

Mark N said:

You might be in trouble. Trane convectors can have the orifice right in the casting of the convector. Check out the System Help Center under Steam and System Conversions. There is an article about the Trane Convectors and converting to hot water.

True again. Hadn't thought of that. But then, it would never have occurred to me to try the conversion in the first place... nothing gained, a lot to lose.

Steamhead

Change it back to steam.