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Best vent for Baseray 1 pipe steam

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gfrbrookline
gfrbrookline Member Posts: 753
in Strictly Steam
I have one unit in our Condo building that has an 8' section of Baseray that replaced an 8 section Rocco style radiator some time in the last 40 years. The previous owner had a Ventrite #1's on a verticle L and was happy. The current owner had Honeywell TRV's installed which caused a water hammer that somehow only the two units blow her could hear. I was able to replace the TRV's with a Hoffman 41's but she is claiming her unit is overheating but will not let me install any sensors to qualify the complaint. I know Gorton makes a straight No. 4 but fear that would be too slow. She also shuts the floor valve off when she gets too hot and then complains about it being too cold when she forgets to open it back up. Since she is a difficult person to deal with and access to her unit is very limited I likely have one shot.

Thoughts?

Comments

  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,704
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    Hmm, too slow? What would be the concern there?

    Baseray is not recommended for 1-pipe steam so you are always going to be struggling I think. But slower would definitely be better I would think.

    Can you have her just cover it with a blanket if it gets too hot?
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • acwagner
    acwagner Member Posts: 505
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    Long shot--do you know what the Ventrite setting was before all the changes?
    Burnham IN5PVNI Boiler, Single Pipe with 290 EDR
    18 Ounce per Square Inch Gauge
    Time Delay Relay in Series with Thermostat
    Operating Pressure 0.3-0.5 Ounce per Square Inch

  • wz25
    wz25 Member Posts: 22
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    Gorton #4 on our 5' Governale baseboard slows things down quite a bit. A Gorton #5 is about as much as it needs. I'd start with a Gorton #4 or a Hoffman 40 for fixed vents. Or maybe just go back to the Vent-rite adjustable?
  • gfrbrookline
    gfrbrookline Member Posts: 753
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    I would like to go back to the ventrite but when she had them she would turn them off and then complain she wasn't getting any heat, so I need fixed vents. Did I mention the vent can't look like a bullet and she doesn't like silver.
  • acwagner
    acwagner Member Posts: 505
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    What....is she a werewolf?

    Well, with those restrictions....you're probably limited to using a straight Gorton. The straight ones are not chrome plated like the angled, they are a painted. The #4 is probably your best bet for venting if the Hoffman 40 is too much.
    Burnham IN5PVNI Boiler, Single Pipe with 290 EDR
    18 Ounce per Square Inch Gauge
    Time Delay Relay in Series with Thermostat
    Operating Pressure 0.3-0.5 Ounce per Square Inch

  • gfrbrookline
    gfrbrookline Member Posts: 753
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    No, not a werewolf , she has legitimate MH issues, and the only way I can get into the unit is with the help of her family, sad situation, but very frustrating for all of the other unit owners. We have attempted to install a sensor in her until to work with the Vision Pro but it found it's way to my door step the next day, she thought we were spying on her.

    My fear with a #4 is it is a large radiator and it is located on the 3rd floor. The radiators below have a Vetrite set to 6 and a Gorton 5. She has a child and I don't want him to be cold.

    I put a toothpick in the top vent and a sponge in the bottom to paint the Hoffman 41 brown to match her radiator to make it acceptable.

    The Danfoss Trv has landlord settings, any thoughts?
  • wz25
    wz25 Member Posts: 22
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    No experience with TRVs, but if a Hoffman 41 was too much, I would expect the same with a Gorton #5.

    I have some experience using varivalves on our baseboards; I know they are generally considered to be overly aggressive and prone to spitting water, but they can work, and their adjustability and physical shape may be advantageous here. At least with my system, where the steam is (now) dry, the varivalves function like a #5 at maybe 1/5 open, and like a #4 when barely open. They also happen to work just fine at full open, which oddly enough, doesn't make my baseboards heat up that much more rapidly compared to 1/5 open.

    YMMV, and I know it's counter to standard advice, but throwing it out there given the unique situation.

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