Noisy radiators

vhauk

I’m trying to get our one pipe system to quiet down, and have a theory about gurgling or bubbling in a radiator. Is it possible that the slots are partially clogged allowing water to build up in the radiator?  With rust?  It doesn’t make noise until after the steam cycle is in full roar. Radiator hot and full of steam. My system is a counter flow piping. 1 1/2 pipe to two small radiators with good pitch. Thanks

EBEBRATT-Ed

If the rads and the piping is pitched well you could slow the venting a little bit and see if that will calm things down.

Also check and see if the boiler is building steam pressure. The lower the pressure the better. Are your main vents working? Lastly post pictures of the boiler and piping and a couple of radiator pictures.

It the boiler water line stable? It shouldn't bounce more than an inch or so when steaming.

clammy

Usually counter flow system operate better at very low pressure make sure your pressuretroll is as low as it can go. Install a low pressure gauge 0-3 psi and add to above your pigtail also make sure it is not clogged . Make sure all radiator hand valves are wide open and check the pitch of your radiators ,should be slightly pitched towards the supply valve .if your radiator vents appear to Ben old then replace w a quality radiator vent anything except a vari vent . If your boiler has not been cleaned or flushed out and the sight glass appears dirty then fill ,drain n flush it a few times ,would be a bad idea to remove the whole sight glass assembly and clean it and the valves . Do not over fill your boiler ,make sure it water level is correct .
Counter flow systems like a boiler that produces dry steam so check your piping w the diagrams of near boiler piping form the manafacture of your boiler to ensure it was piped correctly and on line you will a few different piping option for counter flow systems some better then others . Last but not least do a edr of your radiators to also ensure the boiler was sized correctly .usually counter flow system are piped w a drip to enable condensate to roll back to the wet return not back into the boiler header .
Getting a regular Pararell system near boiler piping correctly seems a difficult task for today installers and when it comes to counter flow and drips most don’t know and don’t care just have to get done . So remember to chk that near boiler piping and sizing on counter flows it’s a deal breaker between proper operation and just getting heat .

Peace and good luck
Clammy

vhauk

New main vent and good working radiator vents. The near boiler piping is awful. I’ll send some pics after breakfast 

vhauk

It’s quite a bit after breakfast here is the near boiler piping picture 

BobC

That boiler piping is not right. the hookup to the steam main should be between the two boiler risers and the equalizer.


It looks like your pressure might be set a bit high, it should not go over 2 psi and hopefully lower. try lowering that scale to 2 psi (make sure the white wheel inside is set at one) and see if that makes a difference.
Do you see a lot of bouncing in the sight glass when the boiler is making steam? If so a good skimming might help.

Bob

EBEBRATT-Ed

A shame the installer couldn't pipe it right. That boiler is pushing water up into the mains. That where your problem comes from.

I would have your technician see if he can down fire the boiler with a smaller nozzle.

It is not a fix but might calm things down a little and get you through the winter until you can get the piping fixed.

Post your city and check "find a contractor" on this site

clammy

There’s the usual issue ,for a counter flow that’s a no go . The reducer on the main is a no no and there’s no drip on that counter flow just the reducer no good . None of your issue will ever get better without correcting your near boiler piping unfortunately. Of course this would most likely call for you boiler to be re piped this would be the right thing to do to get it operating properly any other repair to improve system and boiler performance would be a waste . Any one offering any re do short of a repipe is pulling your piping and unless guaranteed to perform properly . Peace and good luck clammy

vhauk

this old house is 1880 vintage. The original whole house heating system was a chimney that started 4 feet above the bottom floor with 5 coal stoves exhausting through it. All 3 floors. Next was a coal fired boiler and then a Branford boiler. The original steam loop was still under the floor, 2”, but the same installer that put in the Peerless used a dresser coupling and bell reducer on the other end of the loop that feed the Hartford loop as well as just downstream from the boiler. Half of the radiators had been taken out. I’ve more than once come downstairs to find much of the house full of steam. There is a drip leg in the main but I didn’t get it in the picture. The pressure is set much lower than it was, which was max adjustment on the pressruetrol.  I’ve never seen the gauge move off 0. I’m checking the pig tail today. The original system was around 250 EDR but we are now less than 140. Sorry. TMI. Thanks for the insight. 

pedmec

That piping has got crack written all over it.

vhauk

Yep

Waher

pedmec said:

That piping has got crack written all over it.

The lack of swing joints oi vey...