Main vent hissing steam at end of cycle on new Gorton #1 vent
I replaced a vent at the end of my main line because the previous one was rusty. There was evidence of steam being hissed from the rusted stains on the walls.
Was wondering what the best way to fix this would be. I just had the boiler tuned up a month ago and the pigtail was blown out. Pressuretrol is set to lowest. (EDIT: actually, I properly checked it and it wasn't. Differential was set to 3. Lowered it to 0.5 for my 1-pipe residential system.)
I'm wondering if it's somethign to do with the piping or if it's just another faulty vent. I didn't have this issue with the rusted out Gorton I replaced, but I presume it was rusted shut…
Comments
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Sure it's not sucking air in as the steam collapses?
All Steamed Up, Inc.
Towson, MD, USA
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Consulting
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yes, I should have noted I visually saw steam being blown out. I took the pic after it stopped.
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those vents are notorioudly unreliable (and i mean ALL brands). you cxn expect 1 in 4 failure.
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Unfortunately, November3 and patrykeblsz are correct. When the steam pressure drops and there is not enough tension on the valve orifice to keep it closed, there will be hissing and the vent in question, has reliability issues. I address this in a discussion several years ago. Nothing to my knowledge, has changed. Also, how do you know that the pressure setting is the actual pressure. Buy a 3 or 5 Psi gauge.
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I have the same problem with a new Gorton 1 had it installed and it hisses loudly. Not sure if it’s because I didn’t tape it and only used pipe dope??
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May be the location , it looks like it was installed in a wet location …
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Nc23, this is the beginning of the 4th year that I am involved in steam heating and as a retied engineer at a defense contractor, there are two issues that drive me crazy. The quality of vents is one of them. This is what you can do, contact me using the heating help message and arrange to send the vent to me. I will test and adjust it so that it will work and send it back to you. I will give you the before and after closing temperatures at 0.5 to 2psi. Some of the vents that are in service have a residue in them so they will not close no matter what you do. If this is the case, I will give you one that works and return the defective one. I am considering manufacturing vents. I have had to repair or adjust over 60 in the last 18 months.
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The mud splatted on the wall is the tell-tail of a problem . That mud will foal up the vent .. You want a dry location for a steam vent..
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nc23, If you fear water is an issue, simply cover the vent so that it does not get wet. You need to verify: 1] the actual pressure 2] is the new vent defective.
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No, that's not why. Answer @steamhead's question about when the hissing occurs then we can help you more.
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/3sZW1el0 -
Thanks @ARobertson13 , I'll DM you. I don't have a low pressure gauge installed, just the standard 0-30 one.
Sorry, what do you mean by a "dry location" vs a "wet location"?
I've ended up going back to the OLD Gorton #1 vent I had installed. It doesn't hiss steam anymore.
I am still interested in getting additional vents; it takes about 6 minutes from header to end of main. Wondering if the Gorton #2 is better constructed or the Big Mouth vent. Or better off getting multiple MoMs for an antler? I don't have a ton of clearance for the #2 so I'd have to redo some of the vent piping anyways.
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Have you blow tested the old and new vents? Right side up you should be able to blow through the bottom of the vent, upside down you should not be able to. Would recommend doing it with the main vents when you buy them because sometimes they are bad from the start.
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nc23, based on what you have stated, as I suspected, the new vent is defective. You can send it back to the supplier or take my offer and send it to me. The big mouth vents are better than the Gorton #2. dabrakeman, the test that you mentioned, turning the vent upside down to see if you can blow through it. Is not a valid test. This test will only tell you that the valve pin or head will stop steam if it is in the seat hole. Not that the bi metallic strip will push the pin or head in position to close the hole when heated by steam. A properly functioning vent should hold the pin or head in position for several minutes when heated after the steam is off and the pressure drops. The only valid test for vent closing is to heat the vent up to a case temperature equal to that in it's operation or attach it to a radiator and apply steam.
PS: I do not care what the manufacturer tells you
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ARobertson, do you mind sharing your test set-up? i would love to find a more reliable way to test my vents than just put it on a radiator and pray.
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patrykreblsz, If you search on this site " Vent Testing and Repair" I go into some detail. It is not inexpensive if you do not have the equipment already in house.
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Your vent is installed in the condensate stream . A dry location would be tapped on the top of the main , past the last radiator and before it drops down to the return . It looks like your main was extended from that connection ?
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I skimmed through the comments and it seemed like no one noticed the vent was tapped in below the main. I thought maybe I was seeing things.
Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.
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Oh, I see.
I don't have any additional room to go "past" the last radiator — it would go beyond the walls of my basement. I can't really access the takeoff pipe to the last radiator anyways. Is it even possible to create a "dry" location with this piping setup? Or am I misinterpreting.
For what it's worth, the stains on the wall were there prior to my inhabitance of the property. I'm guessing a failed vent was there for too long. I don't think the system was well maintained before.
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Not sure on the piping there , thinking that section was repiped to add heat to a porch ? Also seems like the return is retuning back ? Thinking it may have a dry return ? I am thinking a King vent which is a main vent piped at the connection of the last radiator , but need more info ..
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Now that I really look at it I'm not super sure myself.
I only have one radiator up front yet there are two pipes. One goes through the wall; the other is insulated in asbestos and goes up. I'd thought this asbestos one (the main) went up to the radiator.
There is a riser to the second floor on the back side of the house.
Here's the view from the left side.
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The lower pipe that was added , we need to follow it…
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The literally lower pipe (the black one with the blue teflon tape) is definitely condensate return that goes back to the boiler.
The silver pipe before the main turns I have no idea how to follow, save for removing some of the old, potentially asbestos-ridden sheetrock above. It does get warm because I can see my thermal camera has it hot when the boiler is on. Any other suggestions?
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All I am saying is that it is quick and easy test to determine if a vent has failed, not prove that it is good. That is two different things. If it fails the blow test it is bad, either stuck closed or stuck open. I had one out of the box that failed this test and I sent it back and got a new one.
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The water line on the glass gauge maintain 1/3 full . Don't over fill and keep the pressure low.
The king vent will work there..
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dabrakeman, What I have explained on this site and to my clients and professionals in this industry is that you can tell easily if a vent will open under 2psi by blowing on it but you cannot tell easily outside of an actual system or test set up if it will close by turning it upside down and blowing through it. If you read my post on "vent testing and repair" I explain why. It has to do with understanding what a vent is supposed to do and the components in the vents. Also, Any vent that fails, is no good to me or my clients.
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Nc23, We have to determine if the pipe connected to the vent is below the water lines maximum level and has the proper tilt. It does not matter if it's function is for condensate or steam. I have a vent on the condensate pipe in my building 6 inched below the mains that I installed and there is no problem for two years. If the pipe is not above the maximum water line or is not tilted properly, then a new location has to be found for the vent regardless of it's condition.
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nc23, It was cold today. Any update on your system
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