Salvaged Radiator, cleaning and prep help?

kflory

I have a small radiator that I'd like to replace with one that was set out for garbage by a neighbor. This is the current rad:



and I'd like to replace it with this much more appropriately sized one:


However, I believe that the salvaged rad was setup for hot water and not steam.





I flushed a bit of water through it and got a nasty black chunky gunk back out in return. How should I proceed with cleaning and getting this setup for my system... tools needed, hardware bought? Any way to ensure that it is in working order before attaching it?

Jamie Hall

The replacement may have been set up for two pipe steam. In fact, it may have been a vapour system (are there any markings on the valve?). Doesn't look like hot water (that would have had the inlet low, as well as the outlet).

There is a zero step: flush the radiator out some more -- it doesn't have to be pristine, but gunk isn't good. Then cap both inlet and outlet and pressure test it at 15 psi. No leaks? Ok.

Now. There are two aspects to reworking that for one pipe steam. The first is the easy part. Have it stripped of all the old paint and powder coated. The second is not so simple. You will need to remove the spud for the present inlet and plug that opening. Hopefully, on that end, there will be a boss partway down which you can drill and tap to take the vent. On the other end, with the low opening, you will have to remove that spud and reducing bushing as well as the existing radiator valve, then use a new valve and its matching spud and an eccentric bushing to connect to the radiator.

kflory

Jamie Hall said:

You will need to remove the spud for the present inlet and plug that opening.

Will this be the tool needed?

https://www.amazon.com/Durst-B8618-Radiator-Spud-Wrench/dp/B001G2CSW4

More photos, looks like there is a boss, and one was plugged with what might be a bolt

Big Ed_4

It can be done you need to modify that two pipe radiator to a one pipe steam radiator . First the top supply needs to be capped and on that side you need to drill and tap in a 1/8" NPT thread 1/3 up from the bottom . Spud wrenches are good for installing and removing newer installed spuds . Reciprocating saw for old original installed radiators ...

kflory

Big Ed_4 said:

Spud wrenches are good for installing and removing newer installed spuds . Reciprocating saw for old original installed radiators ...

Welp, I had a pipe wrench I was hoping would work, but just ended up chewing it up. Got some proper sized wrenches and a cheater bar ordered, we'll see if those do it before I get the saw out

Radiator 1, kflory 0 at the moment.

Big Ed_4

Hundred year old iron and they use paint for thread dope back then. You also need a tap to clean the threads if you cut it out .

We all had to try .....

kflory

Big Ed_4 said:

Hundred year old iron and they use paint for thread dope back then. You also need a tap to clean the threads if you cut it out .

We all had to try .....

Cutting is definitely my last resort... I have a torch in line ahead of that

Before we get to heat though, I'll try the "I wasn't asking" wrenches in a day or two when I have some free time. I'll pop some penetrating oil in too and let that soak beforehand.

Grallert

Heat penetrating oil and a BIG pipe wrench. Or a sawzall

Long Beach Ed

Hope those Chinese wrenches didn't hurt you. By now you know you have to cut those fittings out.