Main Line Vent Problem
The radiators at the back of my house refuse to warm as quickly as those at the front. I was going to buy all new vents for them, but I thought that the problem might be the main line vent in the cellar. So I went down and checked this. I noticed that this main…
The radiators at the back of my house refuse to warm as quickly as those at the front. I was going to buy all new vents for them, but I thought that the problem might be the main line vent in the cellar. So I went down and checked this.
I noticed that this main vent is installed at a 45 degree angle from the main at the very end of the main at the angle where the pipe then drops to become the wet return. This main vent is a Hoffman No. 40 and it shows the signs of rusty water having dripped from its air vent and from around its base. When the system was on the other day, I saw water oozing out from these locations.
With my limited knowledge of steam systems and plumbing in general, I thought that the problem may be one (or a combination) of the following: 1) a partially clogged wet return, 2) a bad main vent, or 3) a main vent that needs to be repositioned vertically and raised a bit so that it is not directly attached to the main. (I’ve read that these main vents should be higher to keep them away from the condensate returning to the boiler?)
Can anyone advise me with any degree of confidence what it seems that I may be dealing with and how I can address it?
I actually prefer the Gorton # 2.
Seward,
http://www.hoffmanspecialty.com/pdf/hs900/HS900-steamall.pdf
as MP posted.
Scroll down to the pic of the Model 4A. That is what you need. The vent should be installed on a small branch coming off the bottom of the riser about 12″ or so above the main. Give a shout if you need help with the install.
@pigthree – Thanks.
Good luck.
-SteamMan
Thanks, MP, and everyone here. As usual, y’all are godsends.
The vent needs to be vertical to allow for the travel and proper seating of the expanding internal bulb, and it needs to be sized for the piping it serves. It should be raised off the piping to bring it out of the way of moving steam.
This was in the house when purchased, pig_three – so I knew who to go to first! 🙂 So, first of all, it sounds like this is the way wrong vent – correct? Secondly, is my suspicion correct that I need to have the proper vent installed vertical and not at a 45 degree angle so that the vent works properly? Lastly, should the vent be connected to the main raised up a number of inches? Sorry for the closed-ended questions; I suppose I am testing my theories from Dan Holohan’s “Lost Art” book!
A perfect example of why steam gets a bad rep. What the ___?? Wrong in so many ways! Stick with MP or Steam man.
Here is a picture of the vent – sorta looks like a finding deep down on the Titanic, huh?!?!?: http://www.flickr.com/photos/latenightmaconstreet/5385973593/
OK, so I was right the second time about that nasty main vent – it is actually a Hoffman MODEL No. 45. So, it sounds like I have a 45 problem – not only is the vent sitting at a 45 degree angle from the main, but the vent model is a No. 45. Now, according to your Hoffman link, this No. 45 is a “Convector (Bottom Inlet)”. I don’t even know what that is, but, if it is wrong, what should I have there and how should I have it? Thanks.
just know your limits..old vents tend to be a pain to remove, but if you are comfortable tapping a broken vent, go for it