Main Vents

Marcus Mead_4

..if the resolution is okay. Basically, we have a long run that goes around the most of the house, and two short runs (ont about 15 feet before it drops to the return, one about 20 before dropping.) I ordered a #2 for the long run, and two #1's for the short runs (the 15' short run is currently unvented.)

Also, are these Hoffman 1A's prone to failing??? They are all new, but some of them seem to stick shut! Or perhaps it comes back to main venting, because the three I am having problems with are all on the unvented 2" main in the basement. they won't heat up unless I actually REMOVE the hoffman vent, then it goes pretty quickly. They also worked fairly well until I put a Gorton D vent on the huge radiator that goes off the other branch. Perhaps by fixing one problem I have created another...

Marcus Mead_4

Gorton Vents

Hello again!
I just replaced the Hoffman Specialty Adjustable vent on a huge radiator with a Gorton D vent with tremendous results. The radiator actually heats up now!

They also their #2 vents for my steam mains in the basement, which also have Hoffman Specialty Adjustable vents. They said it could help my system heat up faster and thus heat the house faster and save money on heating bills.

Anyone have experience with these? Thoughts?

Marcus

Unknown

Do it

you'll love it.

Fred Harwood

Gorton #2

Do it.

Steamhead

The Gorton #2

is the biggest main vent made today. It will get the air out of your mains in a hurry so the steam reaches the radiators sooner. However, if the old vents were installed in holes drilled and tapped into a pipe or fitting, you may need to enlarge the holes to 1/2-inch to use the #2 vents.

Let us know how well your system works with the new vents.

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Unknown

Fast venting

Gorton # 2 vents vent 16 Cunic feet of air per minute at 1 PSI. I doubt if the steam main in your house is that big that it will require all that venting.

I typically use Gorton # 1s in houses less than 3,000 sqft of steam.

The Gorton # 1 vents 4 Cubic feet of air per minute at 1 PSI.

If the steam main is not tapped for 1/2" and you need a fast vent The Gorton D vent is 1/4" threaded and that vents 4 Cubic feet of air per minute also.

The D vent come in angle or straight pattern and I belive it will do the job well.

Especially. When the boiler will not come up to operating pressure sooner than ten minutes.


Theree is nothing wrong with the # 2 Vent but I think thats a bit of overkill especially when yoiu need to add in the venting capacity of all the radiator vent valves in the system.


jake

Unknown

Define overkill, please

What will happen that is bad, Jake?

Noel

James W.Stamo

can't find Gortons

Where can I get these Gortons in Queens NY

Unknown

From Mad Dog

I wouldn't be surprised if he had a few in the box new within ten feet of him.

He can let you know where is close, he is on the edge of Queens/Nassau counties.

Noel

scrook_2

Gorton #2 and small mains

While that's 16 CFM at 1 psi it will only vent ~5.5 CFM at 1/8th psi (2 oz/sq. in). While the steam pressure will eventually reach 1 or perhaps even 1.5 psi before the burner shuts off, when steaming just starts and the piping is cool the pressure will be much lower.

Granted, if the main is short and/or small in diameter a Gorton #1 would suffice (about 1/4 the venting rate of a #2, right? -- I have also seen them described as "same as a Hoffman #75", which is listed as "approximately 0.75 CFM at 1/8 psi" on ITT's web site -- so about 2.1 CFM at 1 PSI or a little more than half the vent rate of a Gorton #1.

The sooner the air is out of the main though the sooner the steam can get to the radiators, the question is how big are the mains in question and how long are they?

Here's the ITT Hoffman link:
http://fhaspapp.ittind.com/askred/BGASKRED-RequestAllQandA2.asp?page=129

Steamhead

I think I remember

seeing pics of this system- he measured his mains and we came up with the G-2 as the right vent.

Marcus, if you wouldn't mind please re-post the length and diameter of your mains?

I find it helps to vent the mains at an even lower pressure than the radiators. So what looks like "overkill" may be just right.

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Steamhead

I think you'll be OK

with those vent sizings. Once they're on, you may need to adjust the venting rates of some radiators- but they will all get steam faster.

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