Steam System and Rust Inhibitor with Towel Radiator

marcl

Hi! I have an old Broomell vapor system with a Weil McLain SGO 7 It's powered by a Carlin (converted) gas burner. System runs perfectly, however, I'd like to replace a small sectional floor radiator with a 2,500 BTU hydronic towel radiator (details on the unit and manual below). Here are the questions I hope someone can answer. Greatly appreciate your thoughts, thank you.

1. The towel radiator manufacturer will not warranty the unit unless a rust inhibitor is used. How can I add rust inhibitor to the Weil McLain SGO 7 and is that prudent? I don't see it referenced in the manual.
2. Can this towel radiator work with a two-pipe vapor system? It works with water, so presume it will work with lower-PSI vapor, but would love confirmation on this. It also asks for a closed circuit, which I assume is no different than the other appliances I have on this system.
3. Should the towel radiator be installed (assuming positive answers to 1 and 2) pitched slightly so that the supply line is higher, allowing gravity to pull the condensation down the return line, and if so, what is the recommended pitch?
4. The towel radiator is rated at 2,500 BTU for water. Would vapor emit higher, lower, or the same BTUs? I appreciate that vapor is hotter than water, but would the density of water (and thereby heat) emit more BTUs?

Towel Warmer/Radiator - https://www.icobath.com/en-US/towel-warmer-4425?ref=H6083
Manual - https://www.icobath.com/en-US/admin/products/attachments/H6083, H6084 & H6086 - Technical Specifications.pdf

Jamie Hall

I can answer 1 and 4 for you -- but I have no idea about the other two. On 1 -- they're looking for the rust inhibitor to be circulating through the unit. That won't happen on steam, period. So that may be a problem... On 4 -- if it works it would emit a lot more heat -- about half again, at least. And would be steam hot. Those towels would be very warm indeed...

marcl

Thanks Jamie! That must be why I've never added a rust inhibitor to the system. But I think I'm at an impasse. I just noted this on the manufacturer's spec sheet; "Circuit temperature must not exceed 158° Fahrenheit." Without confirmation from the manufacturer that the radiator will support vapor, I'm concerned the assembly (gaskets) will fail. I'll contact them on Monday.

ChrisJ

> @marcl said:
> Thanks Jamie! That must be why I've never added a rust inhibitor to the system. But I think I'm at an impasse. I just noted this on the manufacturer's spec sheet; "Circuit temperature must not exceed 158° Fahrenheit." Without confirmation from the manufacturer that the radiator will support vapor, I'm concerned the assembly (gaskets) will fail. I'll contact them on Monday.

They're likely going to qoute their specifications and whoever you talk to will likely have no idea. I doubt you'll get anything more than that.

Jamie Hall

If the circuit temperature must not exceed 158 F, you're out of luck. Vapour steam, like any other steam, condenses at between 212 and 215.