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steam radiator leaking water from the vent

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tarek
tarek Member Posts: 4
in Strictly Steam

Hi all, we have a steam heater and turning it on for the first time this winter it started steadily leaking water from one of the radiators. The water is coming from the vent. Attached is a picture of it below. I replaced the vent and the valve pictured below with new ones and opened the valve all the way. When we turn on the water to increase the pressure in the system water starts leaking right away after some air/steams comes out of the vent. Not sure what to do at this point. Any ideas?

image.png image.png

Comments

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 3,377

    Are you sure it is a steam system ?

    If it is a steam system, why would you do this ?

    "When we turn on the water to increase the pressure in the system water starts leaking right away after some air/steams comes out of the vent."

    I almost suspect it is a hot water system with the wrong radiator vent installed.

    Pictures of the boiler would help us help you.

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
    bburdWaher
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,798

    If you can turn on a valve somewhere and the pressure increases in the system — it's not a steam system, it's a hot water system.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,907

    The piping on the convector definitely looks like a hot water system, definitely a hot water valve to my eye.

    Pictures of the boiler and piping in the basement would definitely help assess what you have.

    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 8,064
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1877898#Comment_1877898

    unless it’s the makeup water valve on a steam boiler. Eventually it would certainly increase the pressure in the system! Right about the time water started shooting out the vents 😅

    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

    old_diy_guy
  • tarek
    tarek Member Posts: 4

    Sorry, I think you guys might be right about it being a water heater. Clearly I'm new to this stuff 😞

    image.png image.png
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 8,064
    edited December 18

    you didn’t show the controls side of the boiler so I can’t say for sure, but that is a steam header on there.

    And I see a Hartford loop trying to hide 😅

    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

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,798

    Hmmm… certainly does look like steam boiler piping!

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 19,460

    Looks steamy to me. Lets have a picture of the sight glass.

    Although the supply way in the back feeding the header looks tiny to me.

    Don't know what they have but sure looks like a Hartford to me.

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 3,377

    Seems like you are way overfilling the system. The water line should be in the middle of the sight glass on the boiler, not with water spewing out of the radiator vents. You will probably have to drain the boiler / system down to the proper water level before there is any hope the system will work correctly.

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,798

    Does the boiler run at all? If it does, the pressure controls are almost certainly damaged or defective if you managed to get the pressure high enough to get water out of that vent…

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • tarek
    tarek Member Posts: 4
    edited December 18

    Thanks everyone! here's a couple more pictures of the controls, it seems like it's on and the flame under it is going. The pressure seems to be just a bit over 5. If i open the valve the pressure rises and that causes the radiator to leak water as I mentioned before.

    image.png image.png
  • AdmiralYoda
    AdmiralYoda Member Posts: 737

    What valve are you opening? And it looks like that steamer is in need of some love. What is the story behind this? How long has it been "yours"? When was the last time professional maintenance was done?

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,798

    Something just doesn't add up here. That is certainly a steamer, and what's more the water level is just about where it ought to be. It's even piped relatively decently.

    I doubt that the cute little built in pressure gauge is accurate — they usually aren't — but if it is, 5 psig is too much. But… I know of no valve on a steam system, other than king valves on the mains (which I don't see) which can affect the pressure.

    So what valve is being opened? How immediate is the pressure change?

    What I don't like. I really don't like. Is the rat's nest of line voltage wiring and the cover off the emergency switch. That's just asking for trouble.

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

    the valve i'm opening which I think lets water into the system is right next to the boiler on the left side. As soon as I open it the pressure starts rising within a few seconds. I fully agree about the state of the system, we just bought the house last winter and the heat worked fine back then but now it's not. We don't know when it was last maintained or when it was put in but the house itself was built 70 years ago so i'd assume it's very old.

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,798

    Where are you located? You really need a person knowledgeable about steam and boilers to come look at this. We may know someone reliable…

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 3,377
    edited 1:57AM

    Could the whole system be flooded and the sight glass is just rust stained so it just looks like the water level is at an appropriate level ? Adding a small bit of water should not raise the pressure at all.

    I would shut it down, let it cool down, totally drain it and start over with the water level.

    What does the sideways gauge above the pigtail read ?

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System

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