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Steam radiator rusting below knob

Seebol
Seebol Member Posts: 1
in Strictly Steam
My steam radiator is rusting below the knob. Can I just tighten the nut the knob's stem goes through, clean off rust with vinegar, and then repaint?


Mad Dog_2

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,876
    Yes, but don't be a gorilla when tightening. It is possible that the packing is so tired you may need to replace it. I doubt that vinegar will do much for the rust -- but there are other cleaners which will.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Seebol
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 5,298
    If there’s room yes but it probably needs new packing and snugging. 
    Seebol
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,519
    Save the Vinegar for your 🥗 salad.  Shut steam  off at burner for safety (Pros would do it live) back off the packing nut (counter clockwise)  lift up on stem a bit...Wrap Teflon tape & dope around gland and thread, Retighten the nut.  Dont kill it..u can always snug it more if needed.  Restore steam to test.  Mad Dog
    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,519
    Use a nice wire wheel on a drill or 3 M pad by hand to clean up.  Mad Dog
    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,955
    If you crank on it too hard you can crack the packing nut.
  • neilc
    neilc Member Posts: 2,854
    not about your valve, but,
    what's the boiler doing for pressure?
    less is better, and pushes less leaking also,
    known to beat dead horses
  • AdmiralYoda
    AdmiralYoda Member Posts: 684
    Out of curiosity... if the packing is indeed toast, how does one re-pack it? Or at that point do you just replace the valve?
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,876
    Oh that's easy. Unscrew the packing nut and slide it up the handle stem. Using some kind of nifty little pick get all the old packing out of the space between the stem and the valve body. Put in new packing -- a good hardware store will have it -- to fill the space. screw the packing not back on... done.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,955
    Be careful where the old packing goes and you probably want to spray/drip some water on it because it was frequently asbestos, sometimes with some graphite mixed in too. it could be vegetable or animal fibers too. modern packing cord is usually teflon.
    CLamb

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