Push nipples in cast iron radiators

Dave Stroman

I do a lot of work on cast iron raditors and have have perhaps 50 or more stock piled. I just sold 4 radiators to a man had some that froze. Most of the rads I have use threaded nipples between the sections and I have not been able to come up with a tool to even try to unwind these. Anyway, this man gave me the frozen rads and they all use push nipples. It does not appear that any of the sections are cracked but the sections are spread apart slightly on the bottom. I am going to try to disasemble the sections and reasemble. Should I be using new push nipples or can I dope them up and reuse them?


Dave in Denver

Ken_8

Living on the edge,

I would simply put the expanded bottom in a huge wood clamp and tap it home with a leather or ruber mallet; same with the tops.

A quick 30# hydrostatic test and you should be okay IMHO. If there are leaks, then you'll have to disassemble them, clean them up and dope them. I'd sure die-check all the bungs though if you go that far.



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