Slow to heat all radiators - Trying to figure out venting.

Jeff__

Hello Good Folks:

I’m new to learning about steam, mostly from this amazing website!

I recently had a Burnham IN4 steam boiler installed. From a cold start (water in boiler at room temperature) it takes approximately a 35-40 minute call for heat for all my radiators to get good and hot. I’ve got a small house, 600 SQFT x 2 floors = 1,200 SQFT + basement. I’ve got 4 radiators on each floor (1st and 2nd for a total of 8) + a hot water baseboard loop in the 1st floor living room.

2 radiators off a branch at the begging of the main are quick to heat up, the ones furthest away on the 2nd floor are slower. I’ve got Vent-Rite adjustable vents on all the radiators and I’ve been somewhat successful at tuning the vents to balance the radiators out.

The main only has 1 vent (Vent-Rite #35). It's at the the end of the main at a T above the wet return (See Photo). From what I’ve read that vent is not enough venting. Also, ideally the vent should be back a bit from the end of a main but there are obstructions (support beam, wall, drop ceiling on other side of the wall etc) so I can see why perhaps it is where it is.

I took the Vent-Rite #35 off and ran a timing test to see how long it takes to get steam at the end of the main, HOWEVER before steam came from that direction, steam was coming UP from the wet return so I shut it down and put the vent back on.

Should I just get the largest size replacement vent available with a 3/4” male tread? With a larger size vent on, will steam come UP from the wet return (is that normal?) and cause a problem?

Any thoughts are much appreciated!

jhewings

More pictures of the boiler and piping from different angles would be helpful.

ethicalpaul

Time from cold start is not too helpful here.

Here are times to share. All times should come just after steaming so we aren’t timing the wrong thing. Stop the boiler mid-cycle, let the air return to the system for 5 minutes then start it again to get these:

- time from steam start to steam at main vent
- time from steam at main vent to steam at typical “fast” radiator
- time from steam at main vent to steam at “slow” radiator

Jamie Hall

Youve hit the obvious -- that VentRite as a main vent is too small.

However -- if there is steam coming up from the wet return, there's a real piping, or possibly water level, problem somewhere. As @jhewings said, more pictures, particularly around the back of the boiler...

neilc

we need to see how that wet return connects back to the boiler return

dopey27177

What is the circulating pump for?

Jake

jhewings

Is it possible you are mistaken the steam is coming up from the wet return? That would be very unusual. The water that should be in the wet return would block steam. That "p-trap" at the bottom of the pipe that drops to the wet return is unusual. It would act like a dirt trap for red muck. A tee there would be better and allow you to clean out the wet return.

jhewings

Although the location of the main vent is not ideal, there are many done like that. You seem to have a lot of space above the tee, so you could put a Gorton 2 or a big mouth as high as possible above the tee.

mattmia2

dopey27177 said:

What is the circulating pump for?

Jake

And is it dropping the level in the return when it is on.

veteransteamhvac

dopey27177 said:

What is the circulating pump for?

Jake

Doesn't he mention he has a hot water baseboard loop? I presume that's what that is for.