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Dip Tube Replacement on Richardson

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rohan_1794
rohan_1794 Posts: 26
edited November 14 in Strictly Steam

Hello,

I took apart a radiator which was not getting heat. I wanted to be sure the inlet was getting hot while it was not connected (it did). Then I removed the union or whatever it's call on the radiator outlet. According to the history books, these types of systems should have a dip tube to facilitate air and water condensate back to the return.

See attached. Where can I find a replacement dip tube and black ball that supports the trap in the photos provided.

13846.jpg 13847.jpg 13849.jpg 13850.jpg

13848.jpg

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Posts: 18,416

    as long as you're controlling the pressure at the boiler to below around 8 oz/in^2 and you have the metering valve on the radiator you can probably leave the guts out of the return elbow.

  • rohan_1794
    rohan_1794 Posts: 26

    @mattmia2, What's a metering valve? You mean the valve that opens and shuts down the steam supply? I heard of orifice a lot on this site, not sure what that is either.

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Posts: 19,018

    @rohan_1794 , that's a later version that does not have the dip tube. The water seal is internal.

    Co-Founder, All Steamed Up, Inc.

    Semi-retired

    Baltimore, MD, USA

  • rohan_1794
    rohan_1794 Posts: 26

    @Steamhead whitepages or any documentation on this new type?

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Posts: 18,416
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1909580#Comment_1909580

    i'm not sure how the richardson valves work, if they have an orifice or a metering design, but the radiator valve on vapor systems is one way or another set up so it can only open to a precise size at most so it can't allow more steam than the radiator can condense in to the radiator if the pressure is kept low.

  • rohan_1794
    rohan_1794 Posts: 26
    edited November 14

    @mattmia2 ah I see, thanks for that explanation. Unfortunately this house has gone through multiple owners and each has done their own Jerry-rigging. The radiator now is not using that type of inlet valve but something similar to the below.

    https://share.google/YW3CGk1oYzEby3CYZ
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Posts: 18,416

    you likely will have to put orifice plates in the union for the valve. or put steam traps on the radiators without vapor valves

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