Trane traps on 2-pipe system

Steamer1928

My radiators all have these traps and most have this absurd arrangement with the valve and trap on the same side.  Anyone have any suggestions on how I can get the trap cover off without an impact driver?

mattmia2

Large box or open end wrench and second wrench to hold trap body. If the system is set up right it shouldn't need elements in those traps. Is the boiler controlled with a vaporstat?

Jamie Hall

Gotta love it when they do that... if you suspect a trap is failed open, and you are running your system at low pressure (say 4 ti 6 ounes), you can try closing the valve until the radiator just heats almost all the way across. You won't lose any heat input into the space -- the radiator is still hot -- but if it's getting only the steam it needs and no more, the trap isn't going to be doing anything anyway.

Steamer1928

No, it’s that most of the rads are only heating on the very top.  So I am suspecting that the traps might be failed closed? Pressuretrol, no vaporstat.  Should I be getting one?

Danny Scully

Take some pictures of the boiler and surrounding area. Could be a pressure issue, or a venting issue. Traps may not be bad at all. I suspect the rads wouldn’t heat at all if they were failed closed. 

mattmia2

Danny Scully said:

Take some pictures of the boiler and surrounding area. Could be a pressure issue, or a venting issue. Traps may not be bad at all. I suspect the rads wouldn’t heat at all if they were failed closed. 

Unless they cranked the pressure way up and it is just compressing the air in the radiator so some steam gets in. Of course condensate needs to get out somehow too.

Steamer1928

Danny Scully

K. I’m seeing an improperly piped boiler, seemingly unnecessary F&T traps, and likely undersized main venting. Additionally, you’re probably better served with a vaporstat. I would address these issues first.

mattmia2

So it is compressing the air that can't get out of the returns, not the air that can't get out of the radiator.

Steamer1928

Sounds like a warm weather job.  So I don’t need the f&t traps?  I guess I should probably check the pitch on the radiators too.  

mattmia2

Figuring out if the mains can vent to the returns and if the returns can vent would be worth it now.

EBEBRATT-Ed

If you take apart the unions on that radiator both at the supply valve and at the trap and move the rad a few inches you will get enough slop in those pipes to get that cap off the trap

Steamhead

@Steamer1928 , where are you located?

clammy

From the piping on your boiler I would say you are in need of a new installer . Aside from a possibly bad trap part of your issue is a mis piped boiler ,possibly unnecessary f and t set up. From the looks of the near boiler piping the piping is undersized and the riser to the system piping has been reduce another’s sign of a poor boiler install . Find a pro to straighten out your boiler piping before you start replacing traps and such when there’s always system issues when boiler are not piped correctly . Always start out w a correctly piped boiler especially on side outlet boiler ,a 2 pipe system w a poorly piped boiler will never perform properly and replacing everything except the poor near boiler piping will never improve anything just waste money and net zero positive results ,this is from close to 40 years in the business and about 35 of they doing steam so I’m not blowin steam up your butt ,just doing what I always do tell the truth it’s the easiest thing to do and usually not what anyone wants to hear. No arm chairing here .
Peace and good luck clammy

reggi

@Steamer1928  .. Water Level ?

Steamer1928

The water level is good.  The sight glass is just a little rusty.  I am in central ny -Utica/Rome.  Seemingly no steam specialists within a 150m radius. 

JUGHNE

For the trap cap I would try a good flat jawed wrench.

Break it free first then unscrew the trap union. There may be enough play to drop the trap riser pipe down below the floor a few inches.