Water Spray from 1 radiator

dfo1553 · November 2019

New to steam system. One pipe steam system. New Boiler, original pipes and radiators. 2nd floor radiator, seems to be last on line gets loud knocking/hammering, can hear steam coming, then a shot of water, then steam. element heats well. replaces vents twice, the larger the vent, the more water is released. Could this be a problem with the water getting blocked from returning in this specific line? No issues with any other radiator, 7 in total in the house. Where should I start before going into walls, floors, ceilings. Renovated house, just purchased. Thanks in advance.

ethicalpaul · November 2019

If you are getting a shot of water into your radiator that is probably not the radiator or vent's fault.

It is likely a bad piping situation, often at the near-boiler piping. But maybe just a slope problem with that particular radiator's supply line.

Can you send some pictures of your boiler showing floor to ceiling from several angles?

Hap_Hazzard · November 2019

Where is the radiator located? (i.e. first of the main, last off the main or somewhere in the middle?) Is it in an addition or newly renovated part of the house?

Also, where are you located?

Jamie Hall · November 2019

You've got the problem OK. But... Don't start tearing the place apart yet. Your first step should be to check that the inlet valve for this radiator is fully open. Then see if you can figure out where the feed pipe might go. If you suspect that there may be a horizontal run of pipe under the floor, see if you can raise the whole radiator; if you can, see if raising it an inch at both ends helps (it may or may not solve the problem, but does it help?)(for that matter, even less of a raise may help). If that does the trick, stop right there. If not, you are going to need to figure out how to get more pitch on that line...

dfo1553 · November 2019

Here are some pictures. I will be able to take more later tonight. I am on Long Island.

I believe it should be the last radiator off main, at least it’s the last radiator the steam gets to.

Boiler is basement of two story home. Trouble radiator is located second floor directly above boiler.

ethicalpaul · November 2019

Those photos are too close-up for me. I would need to see the whole boiler and the near piping from floor to ceiling in the pictures.

I see a hot water zone coming off of it, and your radiator is not one I like to see used with steam but maybe it's OK with 2 pipe (I'm not sure, someone else will weigh in).

In none of the pictures do I see the steam supply pipe, but based on what I can see of the equalizer/hartford loop it won't be pretty. Edit: I reviewed all the pics again and I can see what @KC_Jones is talking about. It's not great.

Hap_Hazzard · November 2019

ethicalpaul said:
...your radiator is not one I like to see used with steam but maybe it's OK with 2 pipe (I'm not sure, someone else will weigh in).

Fin-tube convectors have huge EDRs. The supply pipe looks too small in that first picture, but it's hard to see. From the way the convector is slanted it looks like somebody tried to fix it that way, but the problem would be at the inlet.

ethicalpaul · November 2019

So with the huge EDR it would be condensing a lot of steam to water, which is having to compete with the incoming steam to get out that small supply. Is that the gist of a possible problem?

KC_Jones · November 2019

I would also suspect the side take off on the header to, at least, not be helping the situation. Coming off the side doesn't allow for proper function of the header to separate the steam and water.

In addition did they skim the new installation?

Hap_Hazzard · November 2019

ethicalpaul said:
So with the huge EDR it would be condensing a lot of steam to water, which is having to compete with the incoming steam to get out that small supply. Is that the gist of a possible problem?

Exactly. Not sure if that radiator is the one he's having trouble with, but when I saw the way that convector unit was slanted it had a look of desperation to it.

dfo1553 · November 2019

Great feedback everyone. Thanks. I am not sure about the skim on new install. I moved in and out the heat on and this is what I discovered. During inspection we heard the hammering but the house was vacant for a couple of years so we figured the kinks would work out. Again I appreciate all the feedback. I’ve had 2 plumbers and a boiler guy come but could not get an answer.

Jamie Hall · November 2019

The radiator in that first picture is the problem child? Oh boy. As has been said above, those are very difficult to get to work right for one pipe steam -- even if the supply pipe is big enough. What happens is they condense the entering steam very quickly, but the steam rushing in doesn't let the condensate back out, but pushes it to the far end (even up that much slope). There are creative workarounds for this, but...

dfo1553 · November 2019

@ethicalpaul here are some more pictures of the boiler

ethicalpaul · November 2019

There have been worse piping jobs on here but this one isn’t perfect. The header is nice and high but believe it or not water can carry up there and if it does that side feed out of the header isn’t great, as @KC_Jones said.

Water Spray from 1 radiator

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