Vent Recommendations?

Dave_62

I have a one pipe steam system with 3 mains. One is 45' long 2 1/2" pipe; one is 15' long 2 1/2" and one is 5' long 2". The 45' main has a vent-rite #35. The others have nothing. Any suggestions for main vents? The system is way out of balance right now...

Dave_62

Any suggestions?

Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any advice. Just a struggling homeowner here, please take pity...

Steamhead

Here ya go

vent the long main with a Gorton #2. Vent the 15-foot one with the Vent-Rite, if that's not enough add another Vent-Rite or a Hoffman #4A. You can probably get away without venting the 5-foot main.

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Dave_62

Dave_62

Thanks Steamhead!

Steamhead - Thank you for your help. If I want to ditch the Vent-Rite (it's very old, I think) would one Hoffman #4A be enough for the 15' main or would you recommend something different? Also, if I were to vent the 5' main what would you recommend? Lastly, do you have any idea what type of vents should be on indirect radiators that are suspended from the basement ceiling in ductwork? Thanks again!

Steamhead

Start with

one #4A and add another if the main vents too slowly. If you have to vent the 5-footer, use a 4A.

Those indirect rads might take some experimentation. What vents are on them now, and where are they located?

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Dave_62

Indirect Vents

The indirects have Hercules vents # S45.3. I can't find anything about them online. There are pipes that come out of the ducts on each radiator with an upward facing elbow and these vents are 1/4" straight shank. The best comparison I can find is the Vent-Rite 33. Any ideas? Thanks again for all the help.

Steamhead

Those probably came from Sears

Gorton and Hoffman both make straight-shank vents, and of the two, I'd prefer the Gortons. Do you know how many square feet EDR those units are? If not, what size is the steam piping feeding each one?

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Dave_62

Indirect Vents

I don't know the square feet EDR. They are on a 15 foot long 2 1/2" main that serves only the 4 indirect radiators. The pipe feeding each radiator is 1 1/2". For what it's worth, I finally found a local "steam pro" (or at least someone claiming to be one) and he looked at the system today and suggests using the 4 Vent-Rite 33 vents that I already own and he also thinks that I wouldn't even need to vent the main if I used the 33's. Does that make any sense? So far he has passed the knucklehead test but this advice didn't feel right... Thanks for the continued help - it's greatly appreciated.

Steamhead

According to an old article by Dan

a 1-1/2" pipe was good for 80-100 square feet EDR on an indirect. You can double-check this: Multiply the length of the hot-air flue by its width. Divide the result by 1.5 to get the approximate EDR capacity.

Those VR33 vents might work OK, you can't lose by trying them. But I'd still put a vent on the main as discussed above. This will make sure all the indirects get steam at the same time.

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