Gorton Radiator Valve Reliability

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ubipa
ubipa Posts: 22
edited 2:09PM in Strictly Steam

I finally got around to fine tuning my vapor stat for cold start ups. My system barely ever builds pressure on regular use (at most 0.25). On cold start up or temp diff larger than 4-5deg, it will build to 1psi. When that happens quite a few of my rad vents start hissing. So I've setup my vaporstat to cut at 0.6psi and come back on at 0.2psi. This works very well except for all of my Gorton 4 valves (3 in total), they start intermittently hissing at 0.5psi. These were all bought new from SupplyHouse 5 years ago.

I'm wondering if anyone else has had issues with these since I'm trying to decide to buy new ones or replace with something else. I mostly use Ventrite #11's and Hoffman 40's but do have two Gorton No5's that don't behave this way. Those Gorton's are just so much $$ but what other options are available at that low CFM of the No4's?

Comments

  • AdmiralYoda
    AdmiralYoda Posts: 810

    Radiator valves really shouldn't hiss. They should be silent. Do you have main vents?

    Usually when radiator vents hiss it is because they are trying to evacuate all the air in the main pipes. Mine used to do this when there were no main vents on my system. I would hear them open up, hiss for a bit and then shut.

    I've got some big vents on the mains now and my radiator vents are more or less silent.

  • ubipa
    ubipa Posts: 22
    edited 2:40PM

    I run three B&J big mouths on my two mains. They are all working, that isn’t the issue. It seems more of a mfr’ing related issue.

    I’ll add the rads and vents are all hot by this point of hissing.

  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Posts: 9,030

    All radiator vents eventually fail in some way or another

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Posts: 18,205

    what about a maid o mist? you could always solder up the hole and drill a smaller one if you need a slower vent.

    unless you are fighting heating the mass of the main itself you could make some other radiators faster instead of the one that is hissing very slow.

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Posts: 17,722

    I've had both Hoffman 1A's and Gorton vents on my radiators.

    All of them make noise starting at about 1/4 PSI. 1 PSI will absolutely hiss from any style vent.

    Vents on single pipe radiators will also open and close as the radiator gets close to completely full. The steam hits the vent and shuts it, the area then cools and the vent opens again to let more air out. When the upper part of the radiator is full, the bottom area near the vent is still full of air and it needs to be slowly vented out.

    I have a mixture of Gortons in my system from a #4 to a #C and all of them start to make noise around the same time. Honestly, even at very low pressures I can hear them huffing and puffing as the steam slinkies it's way down the pipes. But at 1 PSI, that's going to hiss unless the vent is shut.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Posts: 2,668

    Are they just making noise or is steam coming out? You might need to look closely to see the steam.

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Posts: 18,205

    a mirror can help to see if steam is getting out too, it will fog if you have steam.

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Posts: 17,722
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1906935#Comment_1906935

    I still think a room temperature mirror will fog from the hot humid air coming out too. The glass will be way below the dew point of the air existing a steam system.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    ethicalpaul
  • ubipa
    ubipa Posts: 22

    It is steam escaping rather than displaced air. This differs from the usual huffing while the system fills. At the point of hissing, the mains and radiators are all fully hot, and all vents have initially closed. The issue is disappointing; I noticed it slightly last year. Spending $40–$50 on a vent lasting less than four years seems poor.

    ChrisJ
  • ubipa
    ubipa Posts: 22
    edited 7:13PM
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1906927#Comment_1906927

    how long do MOM’s usually last? I shied away from them originally due to some poor comments. The tops are removalable… I guess could JB weld the hole and drill. Or is the 4 equiv to the Gorton?

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Posts: 17,722
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1906946#Comment_1906946

    I've heard this on here several times now, and it's not great.

    All of my Gorton vents are from sometime around 2012. I hope something hasn't changed since then…..

    At one point, I'm sure I'll need new vents.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Posts: 9,030
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1906947#Comment_1906947

    I tend to use MoM because of their nice swappable orifices and because of their reasonable cost. Every so often one might fail so I have several on hand, they only cost $14

    And I will assert that no one ever needs an orifice smaller than #4

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

  • bburd
    bburd Posts: 1,332

    If boiling with vinegar restores the valves to usable condition, the fault lies not with the valves but with crud in the system water accumulating in the valves and preventing them from operating freely.

    —
    Bburd
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Posts: 18,967
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1906963#Comment_1906963

    Have you seen the Hoffman #40 and #41 vents that come from China? Their orifices are smaller than the Gorton #4. I won't buy them.

    Co-Founder, All Steamed Up, Inc.

    Semi-retired

    Baltimore, MD, USA

  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Posts: 2,668

    Once upon a time, I was one of the biggest Gorton supporters on the planet. I installed them by the boatload, and never had an issue. Until some point after covid. The Gortons started leaking steam. Brand new out of the box. On multiple systems. I stopped using them and I restarted and I stopped and I restarted... Figuring maybe there are bad batches, maybe the covet stuff still needs to be ironed out..…But at some point I threw up my hands and gave up. I have been using M o M since

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