Richardson

rohan_1794 · April 23

I have a couple of these throughout my home, on the 1st and 2nd floor. The radiators get heat but quickly disapate.

Should these be replaced? I don't exactly know how these work. I have one in a bathroom that does not get heat at all, but I confirm heat is able to come from the inlet. We have a two pipe system.

Jamie Hall · April 23

There isn't much that can go wrong with those things… provided all the parts are still there.

HOWEVER

There is one thing that can go wrong: excess operating pressure. Anything over about 6 to 7 OUNCES per square inch is too much, and may prevent some radiators from heating.

Two other possible reasons for a specific radiator not heating are that something is amiss with the trap elbow on the outlet side and it is unable to vent or drain — stuck closed — or that someone closed the inlet valve. Check the valve first… remembering that clockwise is closed.

mattmia2 · April 23

or someone replaced the vapor valve on another radiator with a standard valve. or various knuckleheading at the boiler.

Steamhead · April 23

@rohan_1794 , where are you located? We might know someone who can help……..

rohan_1794 · April 23

@Steamhead I'm located in Bronx, NY.

mattmia2 · April 23

@JohnNY @EzzyT @clammy @Mad Dog_2 all work in NYC and a few others.

Steamhead · April 23

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1894965#Comment_1894965

Can't go wrong with any of these.

mattmia2 · April 23

If you want to figure it out yourself, we can help you with that too.

rohan_1794 · April 26

Any documentation or spec sheets for these types of traps? I have a radiator missing the black ball and don't know where I can purchase one, I would appreciate it if someone could send me a link.

mattmia2 · April 26

if you are just missing the ball you can buy a stainless ball bearing from someone like mcmaster carr or a bearing supply.

mattmia2 · April 26

it shouldn't really need it if the metering vaves are set up right and the boiler pressure is controlled to the less than 8 oz/in^2 or so range.

in vapor systems and most other 2 pipe systems for that matter, the reason a radiator isn't heating usually isn't at the radiator that isn't heating.

Jamie Hall · April 26

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1895165#Comment_1895165

True. There's nothing magic about the specific ball, except it has to be hard. Get one to match.

rohan_1794 · May 11

@Jamie Hall I checked the inlet valve and made sure it stays open when the boiler is running. I removed the radiator from the span and tested. I saw steam come from the inlet. Once I put the radiator back on, the inlet stem was hot but the radiator remained cold.

rohan_1794 · May 11

The pressuretrol is set to .5 cut in and 1.0 cutout.

Jamie Hall · May 11

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1896263#Comment_1896263

Forward steps. If the inlet is hot but the radiator is cold, another possibility is that the air can't get back out of the radiator. Have you checked to make sure that the return line is completely free? I hate suggesting it, but you might want to take the radiator off again (at least the unions should be free now!) and pour water down the return. It should run freely.

A related question, though. Is the return line warm or hot either at the radiator or in the basement? It shouldn't be — if it is, steam may be getting into it through another radiator or an odd connection somewhere and pressurizing it — which will keep your problem radiator from working.

rohan_1794 · May 13

When the boiler is off for a long period and turns on, the heater giving us the issue gets hot for a bit before cooling off.

We do have a heater downstairs without a steam trap but it's in such awkward position from a fail bathroom remodel my uncles did. Not sure how I go about fixing this.

mattmia2 · May 13

does the bathroom radiator have a valve you can turn off? what kind of valve is on it? regardless of if it has a "trap" or not it needs to have a properly set vapor valve and the pressure needs to be kept very low.

it is possible that water is getting trapped in the return and keeping it from venting as well.

Jamie Hall · May 13

If you have an untrapped radiator it can be a problem, depending on the inlet valve and the system pressure. On not. Try — assuming that you have the system pressure under control and 8 OUNCES or less — simply closing the inlet valve partway, to the point where the radiator never gets fully hot across (tune out the complaints about it being cold in there!).

And in any case, the outlet trap doesn't have to be right on the radiator — it can be anywhere on the radiator return line, and often some creative pipework and get one installed.

mattmia2 · May 13

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1896493#Comment_1896493

remember, richardson system, so it isn't a thermostatic trap, it is just a little j bend with a ball in it. it may stop a little more steam than nothing but it isn't going to stop a lot more steam entering the radiator than it can condense.

Jamie Hall · May 13

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1896495#Comment_1896495

There is no reason at all that you can't put a thermostatic trap onto a Richardson system. It'll work just fine.

Steamhead · May 13

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1896504#Comment_1896504

You'll want to choose the trap carefully, since the vent holes in Richardson return elbows are rather small. I'd use a Hoffman 17C with a Dura-Stat inside (which current models have) since the air throughput of the DuraStat is lower than usual.

Richardson

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