Accumulated Condensate Water in Radiators

Steve_211

Is it normal for radiators to accumulate condensate water over time? Prior to this heating season, I helped my father-in-law and brother-in-law disconnect their radiators one at a time and lifted the opposite end up, pouring out accumulated condensate water into a pan and reconnected the radiators.

ethicalpaul

That same amount of water will reappear nearly immediately next time your boiler fires. The effort is futile.

109A_5

Hello @Steve_211,
What prompted this behavior ?

Waher

You need to shim the feet of the radiators so that they slightly pitch back towards the supply valve to drain in a one pipe steam system.

ChrisJ

Steve_211 said:

Is it normal for radiators to accumulate condensate water over time? Prior to this heating season, I helped my father-in-law and brother-in-law disconnect their radiators one at a time and lifted the opposite end up, pouring out accumulated condensate water into a pan and reconnected the radiators.

Yes, because it's impossible for it to all drain out due to the shape of the radiator and it's connections.

It's also the reason why you'll notice your boiler is slightly low after firing for the first time in the fall. Some of the water in the radiators evaporates during the summer and needs to be replaced.

The only reason I'd ever do what you did was before moving a radiator so it doesn't dump all over the floor while I'm moving it. Other than that, it doesn't matter and it's normal unless it's excessive due to bad pitch.

Steve_211

To ChrisJ and all: So, it is normal for radiators to accumulate condensate water, which raises another question. If radiators contain some condensate water, can this be a source for water hammer?

To ethicalpaul: I'll tell my father-in-law that his practice is futile. I don't know if he'll listen, he's rather stubborn, I guess he thinks it helps in some way.

To 109A_5: I don't know what prompted his behavior. I don't do it. I did it when I once had to move a radiator.

To Waher: All the radiators are pitched towards the supply valves.

mattmia2

because of the air vent the 2 meet each other slowly enough that the collapse of the steam and heating of the water is gradual enough to usually be gentle.

109A_5

Hello @Steve_211,
I understand draining a radiator of any condensate if it is to be moved, to not make a mess, etc. Simply draining it to just drain it seems pointless to me. The contour of the radiator bottom is usually lower than the lowest pipe that the condensate can drain through, so there will always be some condensate sitting in the bottom.

I've never had a hammer problem due to condensate in the bottom of my radiators.