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Barnes & Jones Big Mouth Vent

Today I received my Barnes & Jones Big Mouth Vent via Amazon. It feels solid and very well built, unlike the Gorton # 1 which feels tinny. Wish I could test it on my system but it is 80 degrees outside, and I am actually running the A/C so that is not happening. I have 4 Gorton # 1's on an antler for my largest main which the B&J is going on and they all spit steam and water and they were replaced under warranty for doing the same thing. This weekend the temp is going to drop into the 40's so I will install it then and run the test. Anyone out there who has this vent, what are your opinions? From what I read and researched on here, they are all favorable. I heard about this vent on here and also this vent came recommended from @Dave0176 who evaluated my steam system in the past few weeks.



Crown Boiler Bermuda Series model: BSI103, BTU output: 85,000, single pipe steam system
kcopp

Comments

  • Paul S_3
    Paul S_3 Member Posts: 1,261
    I have about a total of 8 out there so far and love them.....they also have an adjustable varivent its a little smaller i sometimes install on risers....heres a few pics


    ASM Mechanical Company
    Located in Staten Island NY
    Servicing all 5 boroughs of NYC.
    347-692-4777
    ASMMECHANICALCORP@GMAIL.COM
    ASMHVACNYC.COM
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/asm-mechanical-company
    ChrisJBrianT1077LionA29
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
    I bought five of them for my system, two on a long main, one each on two other mains and one on a branch off of one of the mains. I did have multiple Hoffman 75's on my system and I can't wait to see how these perform too. It's been in the 80's here too. They are extremely well built and they are rebuild-able if they ever need to be.
    SailahBrianT1077
  • Neild5
    Neild5 Member Posts: 166
    I put 2 at the end of the long and very under vented main, it cut the time for the steam to get to the end by 66%. I still need to find a place to add at least 2 more on that main and 1 on a branch off that main.
    SailahBrianT1077
  • BrianT1077
    BrianT1077 Member Posts: 108
    edited October 2016
    Thank you for the great responses everyone, I really appreciate the strong faith in the product that we the end users or your customers give. When I took it out of the box yesterday I felt it was a well made quality product.
    Crown Boiler Bermuda Series model: BSI103, BTU output: 85,000, single pipe steam system
  • gerry gill
    gerry gill Member Posts: 3,078
    no one else can touch the quality, that is for sure. We just got in another dozen of the big mouths and a dozen vari vents.
    gwgillplumbingandheating.com
    Serving Cleveland's eastern suburbs from Cleveland Heights down to Cuyahoga Falls.

    ChrisJBrianT1077
  • Sailah
    Sailah Member Posts: 826
    Thank you again for all the nice comments and testimonials. And let's not forget this was a collaboration of many on the Strictly Steam board to come up with a better product. None of it would be possible without the suggestions, brainstorming and testing of many of you.

    I welcome your feedback on Amazon, your comments and ratings help answer many of the questions in a central location.

    Peter
    Peter Owens
    SteamIQ
    ChrisJBrianT1077RomanGK_26986764589Erin Holohan Haskell
  • mookie3333
    mookie3333 Member Posts: 83
    Got a big mouth this week, going to try it this weekend. Not anticipating any problems, so, were can I dump my 2 gorton #2's??? Definitely spent over $150 on them..
    BrianT1077
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    The quality of the bigmouths is just so much better than any other vent out there.

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
    BrianT1077
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
    edited October 2016
    @mookie3333 I've been running my boiler for a week now with my Bigmouths. The first night I just wandered around the basement and marveled at them. :) They work beautifully. I replaced a bunch of Hoffman 75's. I'm sure you can find someone here that hasn't seen the light yet and will take those Gortons off your hands.
    BrianT1077LionA29
  • zackwatt
    zackwatt Member Posts: 81
    So should I replace my two Hoffmans with two big mouths?


    BrianT1077
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    The bigmouth has 4X the venting capacity of the 75 so if you need more venting, go for it. I have had two Hoffman 75's start leaking steam within 18 months of being installed, as far as I'm concerned they are junk.

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
    BrianT1077
  • zackwatt
    zackwatt Member Posts: 81
    BobC said:

    The bigmouth has 4X the venting capacity of the 75 so if you need more venting, go for it. I have had two Hoffman 75's start leaking steam within 18 months of being installed, as far as I'm concerned they are junk.

    Thanks for the info Bob. I can hear one of the 75's when it is venting the air, so i'm guessing that's an indication more venting is needed on that line.

    With a two pipe system like mine, where the condensate lines are vented though the condensate pump (as shown in the diagram below), what are the advantages/improvements I can expect with faster venting mains?


    BrianT1077
  • zackwatt
    zackwatt Member Posts: 81
    To follow up on my comment above:

    I do have some radiators at the end of the line that seem to take a very long time to heat up. I suppose the radiators can't begin purge the air down the condensate lines if the steam takes forever to get to them via the main line!
    BrianT1077
  • BrianT1077
    BrianT1077 Member Posts: 108
    The Big Mouth vent has been working great, I have not had to add any make up water yet.
    Crown Boiler Bermuda Series model: BSI103, BTU output: 85,000, single pipe steam system
    Sailah
  • tlowc34
    tlowc34 Member Posts: 75
    I pulled the trigger today and got 5 of these from Supply House
    with a last minute switch from Gorton #2s, but then I got to thinking - Will vacuum pull them open and allow air into the system? My 2 pipe trane system pulls a vacuum and I think it makes sense to keep it that way.
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,694
    Anecdotally I can say that mine breaks after my Gorton #1 does, but I'm not sure if it's breaking due to vacuum or due to temperature. I think my radiator vents and/or my Gorton #1 (on the same main) relieve the vacuum before the Big Mouth opens.
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
    tlowc34
  • hboogz
    hboogz Member Posts: 113
    edited December 2019
    Just converted a single piped systems dry return into a went return and added a big mouth. So far so good. Works great
    tlowc34
  • Sailah
    Sailah Member Posts: 826
    Vacuum won't pull them open just temp about 15 degrees below saturated.
    Peter Owens
    SteamIQ
    tlowc34ethicalpaulCanucker
  • adasilva
    adasilva Member Posts: 144
    I have two and they are the best upgrade I've done!
    NFER
  • mikeg2015
    mikeg2015 Member Posts: 1,194
    > @Sailah said:
    > Vacuum won't pull them open just temp about 15 degrees below saturated.


    Yes. On larger vapor systems, you can get a lot of whistling if you’ve sized down all the vents on the radiators... as you should.

    You can add a vacuum break to the end of the antler.