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Left hand radiator nipple/ell

John Koll
John Koll Member Posts: 4
in THE MAIN WALL
We believe we have encountered a left hand radiator nipple/ell. We need to remove/reinstall two such radiators and wonder if anyone has seen these. If so, is there a trick to disassembly (other than good piping practices)? In the event repalcements are needed, is there a source?

These radiators are part of a gravity system in a fine old home on Milwaukee's upper East Side, built in the 1920's. This part of the system is downfeed, with a left hand nipple/ell at the top of the radiator on the supply pipe, and a union radiator valve at the floor on the return pipe on the opposite end of the radiator.

THANK YOU, Wetheads!

Comments

  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
    Have only encounter L-hand/R-hand in

    (very rarely) in old plumbing to avoid the use of a "hidden" union. Tried to find in black iron (for same purpose) once to no success, but I didn't try too hard.

    I presume you would completely free the union (valve) end and get two people and three wrenches and carefully turn the nipple so that the whole thing spreads apart. Obviously you want to be careful.

    If nipple is too short to get a wrench on it then surely the left-hand threads are in the radiator reducing bushing and you can turn that--all the while praying that the joint you want "pops" before anything else. Can't imagine that anyone ever rotated a rad (or even an end section) to install.

    I've found this works great for breaking joints in old gravity systems: Silicon spray. NOT the "pure" silicon, but the cheaper stuff that is mainly petroleum distillate. Saturate, let sit, repeat about three times over half a day. I once had a 4' breaker bar on a 3' pipe wrench inside a joist space (12") trying to free a 2" elbow. The silicon was the ONLY thing that seemed to work!
  • Ray Liotti
    Ray Liotti Member Posts: 4
    left hand thread nipples

    Try www.mcmastercarr.com -- their online catalog lists pipe nipples with left hand thread on one end, normal thread on the other, so that it 'makes up' both ends while turning in one direction. I have to assume they carry companion fittins of some sort.

    This place is great, I get my order sometimes next day ( they are only in the next state).
  • eleft(retired)
    eleft(retired) Member Posts: 98
    Mechanic

    The mcmaster web is down, good tip, thanks


    al

    Sunday, October 6, 2002

    The McMaster-Carr web site is down for maintenance.
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