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varivalve fail??

jj4cats
jj4cats Member Posts: 2
in Strictly Steam

I have a 3-storey house with varivalves on all the radiators. Some are closed completely, and yet the radiator is really really hot. Has the varivalve failed? Or is something else the problem?

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 25,624

    Is the vent really and truly closed? No flow? The radiator may get hot, but shouldn't be hot all the way across. However, if the vent is even slightly open and the cycle is long enough, the radiator will, eventually, heat up.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • jj4cats
    jj4cats Member Posts: 2

    I pushed the little lever all the way to the closed position.

    I did just have a problem yesterday that the boiler stopped because of a faulty gas valve, which was fixed (yikes, on SUNDAY). The house was not getting warm enough before that failure, and now it is roasting at the same temperature setting. OTOH, it is 15 degrees outside.

    Could the gas valve failure have caused wet steam, such as another user suggested?

  • Long Beach Ed
    Long Beach Ed Member Posts: 1,638
    edited December 2024

    The adjusting slides on Heatimer Vari-valves do not close completely. Even with the slide closed all the way, some venting occurs, so the radiator will continue to heat. I find the adjusting shutter on these to be less than precise. They are very quick venting valves, when they work.

    Remove a valve, blow through it while adjusting the slide. You'll see what I mean.

  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,741

    I found Varivalves do not do what they say they do and they burp condensate like Niagra Falls if the steams a little Wet. Mad Dog

    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.
  • Long Beach Ed
    Long Beach Ed Member Posts: 1,638
    edited December 2024

    Funny you say that Dog… I had one on a TRV puking water for the first time last night.

    "So sorry to be waking you up…."

    "What's wrong?"

    "All this water's coming out of the radiator! It never does that!"

    "Put a cup under it"

    Only quick vertical vent I had hanging around. Heat-timer Vari-valve on a 17-degree night.

  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 7,309
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1829260#Comment_1829260

    when MD and I forcefully agree, you can take it to the bank! 😅

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

    Mad Dog_2

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