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Steam convector radiators

yes7774
yes7774 Member Posts: 10
in Gas Heating
I have recessed convector steam radiators in my house. Love the amount of heat that they give off. But recently 2 of them started leaking 
once the system was off and the return water was being returned. Does anyone know where I can purchase new ones? They are very hard to find online. Here is a picture of what I have now:

Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,387
    Where exactly are they leaking?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
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  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 2,200
    edited November 2023
    They might be repairable. Otherwise, you may need to replace them with a common fin tube radiation or high cap/ high capacity fin tube rad. The one pictured is hard to find.
  • yes7774
    yes7774 Member Posts: 10
    Looks like they are leaking from inside, can’t tell if the pipe is cast iron. I do have a video from under it leaking
  • yes7774
    yes7774 Member Posts: 10
    Are the common fin tube or high cap fin tube radiators easy to find? Where is the best place to look for them? I may have a plumber install since I don’t have shut off valves on the radiators and I’m guessing they haven’t been removed in a very long time. 
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 2,200
    yes7774 said:

    Are the common fin tube or high cap fin tube radiators easy to find? Where is the best place to look for them? I may have a plumber install since I don’t have shut off valves on the radiators and I’m guessing they haven’t been removed in a very long time. 

    Plumbing supply houses have High capacity also called high-intensity fin tube baseboard.
    Doing a heat loss calculation can help for the best amount of radiation needed.
    You might need to stack the fin tube in the box .
  • yes7774
    yes7774 Member Posts: 10
    edited November 2023
    Steamhead said:

    Where exactly are they leaking?



  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,878
    You may be able to find the actual leak. If so, you can probably do a good fix with JB Weld, if you take your time.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    yes7774
  • TwoTones
    TwoTones Member Posts: 52
    I had the same issue with a hard to find convector.  Check out Governale a company in Brooklyn NY.  They manufacture steam radiators and convectors.  They make convectors made of copper, steel, or cast iron.  Yours are currently steel, so that’s what I recommend.  If you email them they will send you a catalog of various sizes and set charts.  
          I got a long steel convector hooked to one pipe steam and it works great.   Don’t recommend the copper for steam.  If you have a chilly room you can get the cast iron that comes with support stands, this will heat up alittle slower and stay hot longer.  If what you have works good then get the steel which is comparable to what you have…
  • yes7774
    yes7774 Member Posts: 10
    edited November 2023
    TwoTones

    Thank you very much! I will check them out. Sounds exactly what I need. I have 11 of them in the house so I'm assuming more will go bad eventually.



  • yes7774
    yes7774 Member Posts: 10
    I called Governale this afternoon and unfortunately they don’t sell to the public. I will have to try a company that they sell to in order to find sizes and pricing. Does anyone know a price tag I’m looking at for them?
    I found cast iron radiators that would fit in the recessed areas these convectors are in, can I use 2 cast iron radiators and the other convectors without effecting the system?

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