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Single pipe steam. Inlet side hot. Vent side cold. Should radiator fins all heat up at same time?

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Comments

  • CoachBoilermaker
    CoachBoilermaker Member Posts: 338

    Last time, the LR vent was still painted over and clogged.
    Recall, after 35 mins, 11 of 20 radiator sections were hot.

    Now, the vent hole is unblocked.
    Tested the heat again today.
    This time, after 20 mins, LR Section 9/20 hot (Gorton D)
    After 25 mins, LR Section 11/20 hot (Gorton D)
    So, the LR radiator does seem to be heating up faster with the unblocked vent!

    I also swapped out the 2 defective vents that would not close.

    Also repacked the hissing inlet valve.

    System is basically silent.

    10:00 min

    LR Section 1/20 is hot (Gorton D)
    DR Section 1/16 is cold (VariValve)
    BR #1 Section 3/8 hot (Gorton D)
    BR #2 Section 2/7 hot (Gorton D)
    BR #3 Section 1/17 barely warm (Gorton C)

    20:00 min

    LR Section 9/20 hot (Gorton D)
    DR Section 6/16 hot (VariValve)
    BR #1 All sections 8/8 hot. (Gorton D)
    BR #2 Almost all sections 7/7 hot (Gorton D)
    BR #3 Half full. Section 8/17 hot. Venting sounds (Gorton C)

    25:00

    LR Section 11/20 hot (Gorton D)
    DR Section 8/16 hot (VariValve)
    BR #1 All sections 8/8 hot. (Gorton D)
    BR #2 All sections 7/7 hot (Gorton D)
    BR #3 3/4 full. Section 12/17. Vent now quiet. (Gorton C)

  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,293

    Umm. That's very fast venting.

    And no, unless it's design day, rads do not usually get hot all the way across.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
    ethicalpaul
  • CoachBoilermaker
    CoachBoilermaker Member Posts: 338
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1819272#Comment_1819272

    Which thing are you saying is very fast venting? Good or bad?

  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,293
    edited November 11

    Your venting is very fast. See Jamie Hall's comment on your other thread. Almost impossible to balance the system with those.

    Did you ever replace your main vent? That's where to start. You'll never fix bad mains venting with rad vents- although many try to.

    After that's done start with #4's maybe 5's , rarely 6's on the rads..

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,287

    Most think my venting is too fast but my balancing is fantastic.

    But even I only have one C and a few 6s. The rest are 5s and I used to have two 4s until I added Trvs.

    All Ds? I suppose there's a chance it could work but highly unlikely.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    delcrossv
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,293
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1819333#Comment_1819333

    Im not sure he replaced his main vent from several threads ago.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
    ethicalpaul
  • CoachBoilermaker
    CoachBoilermaker Member Posts: 338

    Latest test from cold start had all radiator sections heated up by the 30 min. mark

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,727

    On blowing through a vent. There are two elements in a vent — a float and a thermostatic element. If the vent is cold you should be able to blow through it when held upright — both the float and the thermostatic element are open. Turn it upside down and you shouldn't be able to — the float is closed. Heat it up and it won't pass air, but that will be steam hot so don't try to blow!

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • CoachBoilermaker
    CoachBoilermaker Member Posts: 338

    Here is an update on my radiator balancing. Recall, I wanted LR the hottest/first, as that is where I hang out. DR is connected to LR area. We sleep in BR#3. (BR 1&2 are empty). I kept Gorton D in the LR and BR#3. DR has VariValve on medium setting. BR#1&2 now have slow vents.

    Balancing appears to be working as desired!

    Thanks a ton to the good people of HH.com for their guidance.

    11/28
    Removed BR#2 Gorton D
    Switched BR#2 to a Dole #1A, at low setting 2/10

    10:00 min

    LR Section 3/20 is hot (Gorton D)
    DR Section 1/16 is hot (VariVent)
    BR #1 Section 0/8 hot (Hoffman 1A - setting #1)
    BR #2 Section 0/7 hot (Dole #1A, setting 2/10)
    BR #3 Section 3/17 hot (Gorton D)

    20:00 min

    LR Section 15/20 is hot (Gorton D)
    DR Section 9/16 is hot (VariVent)
    BR #1 Section 4/8 hot (Hoffman 1A - setting #1)
    BR #2 Section 2/7 hot (Dole #1A, setting 2/10)
    BR #3 Section 12/17 hot (Gorton D)

    Turned off boiler at 20:00

    30:00 min

    LR Section 18/20 is hot (Gorton D)
    DR Section 16/16 is hot (VariVent)
    BR #1 Section 5/8 hot (Hoffman 1A - setting #1)
    BR #2 Section 2/7 hot (Dole #1A, setting 2/10)
    BR #3 Section 17/17 hot (Gorton D)

    0:00 - LR temp is 63
    10:00 - LR temp is 63
    20:00 - LR temp is 64
    30:00 - LR temp is 65
    42:00 - LR temp is 66
    50:00 - LR temp is 66

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