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Steam main piping question

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TMS1980
TMS1980 Member Posts: 4
in Strictly Steam

Hi fellas I love this site and the knowledge is amazing. My question is if a radiator is directly over a steam main, what is the correct way to pipe the riser? Right now I have my last two radiators off the end of one of my mains just tee directly up to the radiator valve and connect to the radiators. Neither radiator heats all the way and I’m guessing the 1 inch riser is way undersized for both. Both radiators each have an edr of 45. That being said when the heating season ends I would like to correct my venting on this particular main and just wondered about the piping and what the correct piping arrangement might be?

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,791

    No reason why what you have shouldn't work — though the riser is a bit small. Is this single pipe? The radiator not heating fully may be simply due to the vent choice.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • TMS1980
    TMS1980 Member Posts: 4

    yes it is single pipe and you are probably correct about the vent. I have a cheapie Home Depot vent on there now and I never hear anything from it. Thank you for your quick reply . I’ll leave well enough alone and just have a new larger vent tap placed in the spring. Good holidays to all!!

  • dabrakeman
    dabrakeman Member Posts: 865

    Did you say you do not currently have venting on the main? Having adequate main venting just after the last radiator takeoff would be the first thing you want to take care of.

    mattmia2
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 15,444

    does the main have no vent or less venting than you think it should? if the main doesn't vent quickly the radiators at the end won't start heating until late in the cycle.

  • TMS1980
    TMS1980 Member Posts: 4

    The main has a tee at the end and it’s bushed down to 1/4 inch and i can’t get the bushing to budge. I was going to hire someone to add a new tap 15 inches from the end and add flush ports for the wet return at the far end.

  • TMS1980
    TMS1980 Member Posts: 4

    I have a nipple coming off the top of the tee as high as I can go and an antler with a few gorton 1 vents on it. This particular main is 60 foot long and starts out at 2-1/2 inches at the boiler and is 2 inches at the wet return drip. Carries 180 edr of radiators and I eventually want to maximize the venting.

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