Waterlogged radiator vents

stevenknaub

Hello,
After ensuring that my boiler water was between a PH of 9.0 to 10.0, I still would experience waterlogged vents.
I decided to try a mechanical solution and am so glad to report a great reduction if not total elimination of waterlogged radiator vents!
It’s very simple and rather inexpensive. Purchase 1/8” 45 degree street els, one for each radiator or one for each problem radiator.
Unscrew the steam vent from the radiator, screw in one of the street els, and then screw the vent into the street el. The street el will allow you to position the steam vent so that it is “tilted” instead of exactly at 90 degrees in relation to the radiator. Ensure that both the el has a slope that encourages gravity to drain condensate back into the radiator and the top of the steam vent is closer to the radiator than the bottom. Experiment and use common sense. The idea is to use gravity in your favor.
I did have to replace 1-2 vents with new ones, but this setup has worked very well with no more waterlogged vents 

stevenknaub

My boiler is a Burnham Independence IN-4. Both main steam outlets are in use, and I reworked the near boiler piping after a very botched install.  Very recently I began to keep the water level much closer to the water level line established by the manufacturer and my heating is much more even.

Dan_NJ

I've used a 1/8" short nipple and 90 elbow pointed straight up, and changed the vent to a straight rather than angled, and seems to achieve good results. The 1/8 tapping in this radiator is not level so there's always some condensate at the vent, but this way it seems to sit in the nipple instead of the vent body.

ethicalpaul

After ensuring that my boiler water was between a PH of 9.0 to 10.0, I still would experience waterlogged vents.

Curious, what is the connection between boiler water PH and how waterlogged your radiator vents are? I can think of a couple possibilities but I'd like to know what you're thinking there.

stevenknaub

Foaming and water carryover also called wet steam can occur with a high ph

ethicalpaul

I agree (or possibly more accurate to say "with high treatment levels").

So why are your vents still full of water? Do you think you're still getting wet steam?

stevenknaub

Unsure, system is very quiet no hammer