only top half of steam radiator heats...

john_31

a large room at the end of the steam run has 6 radiators...system is a veco-broomell.....all radiators heat evenly but only half way down....p traps were cold but small air hole(see "Lost Art") in top of p trap was clear....anyone run into this before?

Fred Harwood

half-way heating

The rads might be able to condense more steam than supplied by the feeder. Some more info about the system would be good.

steve_6

are you not getting enough heat?

there is nothing wrong with that as long as your getting enough heat to be comfortable. the most important thing is that you dont get live steam blowing through the water seal traps at the end of the radiator.

Steamhead

and

if you're not getting enough heat, check to see that the vent on the dry return (may be part of the old receiver/regulator if it's still there, and possibly piped thru a condensing radiator into the chimney)is working properly.

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john_27

further info

this system was the subject of a previous post on this site...three gorton#2's were placed on this system(a two pipe broomell)-two at the end of the dry return where the old pipe to the condensing radiator was formerly located(replacing a hoffman 75 and a 4a, and one at the end of an indirect radiator at the end of one of the two steam mains....I am thinking of placing 2 #2's additionally--one directly at the end of each of the two main vents because the system is still undervented...I hear air rushing out of the three existing gorton#2's...quite loudly in fact.I have not vented the mains because Dan's book says to place them at the end of the dry returns instead. The anticipator is set at 1 by the way if this helps. Steamhead's previous calc for this system was 24 cubic feet...2 110 4"mains...but...I have 8 indirect radiators in basement as well....since everyone is at wetstock in Baltimore and going to Burnham in Lancaster maybe we should have a Broomell visit since I am between the two...thanks for your help and thoughts...John

steve_6

gorton main vent location

are your gortons in a location that has a lot of ambient heat. If so these vents may be starting to close leading you to believe you need more venting. when they start to do this it can fool you . as these vents start to close they will hiss quite a bit. the're still trying to vent air but they are doing it through a smaller opening because the vents are starting to close, thus hissing a lot louder.

john_27

yes the vents are in the boiler room...good thought...however I pulled the vents to check the hissing and found a huge rush of air exiting the system, as one would expect...however...I will pulle the vents completely...run the system...and see if...entirely open...thr radiators in the far room heat more than halfway down....john

steve_6

sounds like those vents are closing

from ambient heat and not steam.when you pull the vents off try blowing through them. there should be no resistance. also move one of them to a cool place for a little while, then try blowing through that one , you should see a big difference. you may have to move them to a cooler location, or change to hoffmans.