Help balancing steam system (W/ PICS!)

Fred

The varivalve is just not a good vent, period. IMHO. I don't thing it will close when turned upside down. Are you 100% certian that the Pressuretrol is working? Excessive pressure will also create those symptoms. Has the pigtail, the Pressuretrol is mounted on ever been taken off and cleaned? It may be clogged and the Pressuretrol can't see the actual pressure.
Also, what type Thermostat do you have on that system? How old/new is it? If it is programmable, it has settings for the various types of heating systems, steam heat being one. Thermostats come from the factory with a default setting of 5 cycles per hour, for forced air. It needs to be programmed for 1 or 2 cycles per hour for steam. "1", in your case is probably preferable. Do get those main vents installed. With no main venting, the boiler runs much longer getting the air out of the mains and in that time, it is probably pushing steam out into some of the shorter radiator runs, with the larger vents on those radiators (path of least resistance). All of those little nuances add up to a very unbalanced system.

grye

@fred @Ironman

One pipe at the radiator.

Attached photos. Including the pressuretrol.

I never cleaned the pigtail. We had a tune up done last year where they changed the filters, I don’t know if it’s common for them to have done it. The boiler is only 3 years old. Not sure how to clean the pigtail. I’m sure I could figure it out if need be.

Fred

Yes, from what I can see, the piping under that Pressuretrol doesn't look like it has been off for a while. Three years and with steel piping, it is very possible it is clogged and should be cleaned. To clean it, take the Pressuretrol off, using the hex fitting that mounts to the pipe. Do not remove the four screws on the underside of the Pressuretrol.
Also, that Thermostat does have settings for the type of heating system. If you have the owner's manual for it, look at it and make sure you are programmed for steam "1". if you don't have the manual, get the model # off of the unit and goggle it and download the manual.
Until you get the main vents on, go to the hardware store a buy a 1/8" brass plug. Take the vent off of the radiator and screw the plug into the vent hole. That will prevent any air from escaping the radiator and keep it cold. Maybe one section might get warm.

grye

Will do. How do I clean the actual pigtail? And can I do it while the boiler is on/warm?

grye

And shouldnt the variable vents in the closed position be the same as a plug? I tried two different ones and it didn’t cool down at all

Fred

You definitely want the power OFF to the boiler when you clean the pigtail. You don't want the boiler firing with that pipe off. You can do it with the boiler warm, just make sure it is "warm" and not steam hot.
Once you get the Pressuretrol off, blow into the pigtail and see if you can blow into it and into the boiler. If not, unscrew the pigtail and take it to a sink where you can run a wire through it and then rinse it out.
To your other question, the answer is probably not. I don't think a A varivent will actually fully close 100% but I know a plug is fool proof. Clearly steam is blowing past your Supply valve or the rad wouldn't get hot. All things aren't what they seem, especially since we are not sure what your system pressure is running.

BobC

The varivalve does not have a float and the big box Durst valve probably has bubblegum in it.

Either use a Hoffman 40, a maid O Mist #4 or as an experiment a 1/8" NPT plug. A little teflon tape to seal thetreads and your all set.

Bob

grye

Brought a guy in to take a look. He recommended not adding the main vent. And that I only open the radiator valve half way to try to damper down the heat to the radiator.

I’m going to assume that advice isn’t going to sit well here?

Fred

This is a one pipe system, right? That guy is an idiot. With the supply valve only part way open, water can't get out of the radiator. Wait a few cycles until enough water builds up to start to hammer and/or the room gets no heat at all. Bring in a guy who knows what he is doing. I think we gave you several names.

Ironman

@grye
Some of the folks who contribute here are the top steam pro's in the world. I don't consider my self one, but I'm pretty good at it.

Why would you bring in some yahoo, who by those two statements has proved he's clueless, and then weigh his advice against these men?

grye

@ironman ... I wasn’t weighing his advice against people here at all. I was being sarcastic, once he said that I almost asked him to leave lol.

@Fred yeah. Nice guy... but that’s about it. I reached out to the three names you guys gave me, but two weren’t really local and the third hasn’t gotten back to me yet.