cast iron radiator repair

ralph

I had a couple of radiators freeze and break. They happened to match each other, and they were the type that are held together by thread rod. So I took the broken end section off of one and replaced it with the good end section of the other. I cleaned and applied lots of pipe dope to the cylinders that connect the sections, but still got a small drip at the seam between the replaced sections. Does anyone know the trick for sealing cast iron radiator sections? Is there some special type of sealant used (instead of pipe dope)? Any advice would be appreciated.

-ralph

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Guesses

The nipples are very easy to damage. Don't use anything abrasive to clean. If you suspect damage on a nipple you can get a "new" one by separating an individual section and forcing out a nipple using any method that does no more damage than hurting the VERY end of the nipple. You can also use a heavy sledge to shatter the iron around nipples--at least a few will be survive.

The original seal is strictly metal-to-metal.

Instead of pipe dope try pure silicon applied just inside the radiator section and just below the widest part of the nipple.

If you're testing under household "hose" pressure and you just get bare weeps at joints they will most likely disappear under system pressure.

ralph

thanks!

Thanks for the response. I may well have damaged the nipple - the one that is leaking is the one I had to remove. I will try to get a clean/undamaged one and re-assemble.

Dan House

Iodine trick

I have had luck in wrapping the joint with cloth and soaking it with clear iodine. It is a very good oxident and may rust itself water tight. Laugh if you want to be it works.

ralph

thanks!!

Thanks for this response - I won't be laughing if I can fix this radiator! I will definately give it a try. By the way - you would wrap the joint after the sections are connected with each other - you don't try to get the cloth on the nipple do you?

Dan House

Iodine trick

If your sections are already together then wrap the joint with cloth to assure a complete contact of iodine goes all the way around. If you can coat the nipples prior to assembly then treat both the nipples and the sockets.

Good Luck!

ralph

thanks again

Thanks again. I've got to take the whole thing apart, so I'll give iodine a try instead of pipe dope.

JM_2

I have this same prob

and came across this link to an article by dan H http://www.jcgbs.com/users/jft/cast_iron_rads_.htm

ralph

thanks for the article

I should have looked around more. Great info!

mp1969

Push nipple seal

Years ago when we put together sectional boilers and push nipple radiation we used to mix litharge and glycerin that we picked up at a drug store. We never had leaks. I don't know if this is still available at drug stores>

MP 1969

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