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Old convector that was converted to steam eighty years ago!?

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Kuertchen
Kuertchen Member Posts: 5
in Strictly Steam
Anybody can do the easy ones! Here is a steam convector that appears to originally have been a hot water convector; it appears copper tubing was brazed on the steel end to make a trap. It appears the trap had hairline cracks on both sides, so I tinned it with 50/50 (GASP!) and backed it up with lead safe solder. I think the expansion may be too great for the solder, and was wondering if I would have luck if it was brazed instead of soldered. I slowed the drip down, but no cigar.


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  • AMservices
    AMservices Member Posts: 610
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    That pipe is a condensate drain for the convector.
    If the original installer was not able to get enough pitch for condensate to drain back out through the pipe it entered as steam, then the converter can drain out through the line connected to the opposite side.
    The trap leaking underneath is a water seal preventing steam entering that side of the convector.
    If I had to fix that, I would take the whole convector out and put in a new run trap.
    Is that a union on the service valve?
    Do you have a wide pic of the whole convector?
  • Kuertchen
    Kuertchen Member Posts: 5
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    Hi! Thanks for your input! I understand why the trap was installed. There is a union on the supply side, but as you can see, it is on the upstream side of the valve! It could have been installed with radical pitch, to assure the condensate drained. Maybe there was water hammer after the installation. I do not have a photo of the entire convector....only the leak ;)

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