cast iron radiators and flooring

 
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hotblast1357
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Post by hotblast1357 » Sat. Nov. 07, 2020 5:44 am

When the heat comes on, the return side top heats up before the bottom where the return fitting is anyways.. I’m here to tell you, when that radiator is up to temp at 180 degrees, you ain’t gonna touch any part of it lol

 
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StokerDon
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Post by StokerDon » Sat. Nov. 07, 2020 9:04 am

lincolnmania wrote:
Fri. Nov. 06, 2020 7:20 am
the big ugly radiator has really rusty holding rods. can they be replaced? was going to use as basement radiator but afraid the rod may break and it leak. the water would run to the sump but would have a huge leak if it happened. or am i being paranoid that it didn't break moving it in and out of the truck.
You 're being paranoid, it won't break. You can just flush the radiator out and install it.

Even if the rod did break, not much would happen. Eventually one of the connecting nipples would start weeping and you would probably see it before it got really bad.

-Don

 
lzaharis
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Post by lzaharis » Sat. Nov. 07, 2020 9:45 am

CoalHeat wrote:
Fri. Nov. 06, 2020 9:08 pm
Same here, and was the same way in the house I grew up in. Convection will do it's job inside the radiator. If the top of the sections doesn't get hot then you just need to bleed the air out.
(Some people prefer to connect to the bottom on one end and then connect to the opposite end at the top, the pros and cons of either will be debated forever.


("With that plumbing method you don't need an air bleeder").

This was was my point exactly.


 
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CoalHeat
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Post by CoalHeat » Sat. Nov. 07, 2020 10:29 am

StokerDon wrote:
Sat. Nov. 07, 2020 9:04 am
You 're being paranoid, it won't break. You can just flush the radiator out and install it.

Even if the rod did break, not much would happen. Eventually one of the connecting nipples would start weeping and you would probably see it before it got really bad.

-Don
Those sections are jammed together quite tight during assembly, the push nipples are tapered. even if the rods are loose the radiator isn't coming apart without some persuasion.
If it really bothers you there is always the other radiator assembly method, where the connections are made internally with threaded nipples, like this one I recently picked up.
IMG_4422.jpeg
.JPEG | 1.2MB | IMG_4422.jpeg

 
mikeandgerry
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Post by mikeandgerry » Tue. Nov. 15, 2022 12:58 pm

franco b wrote:
Fri. Nov. 06, 2020 6:48 am
Leave the plugs alone.
Best advice!

Fingers and pipe wrenches have been burned, scarred, bent and lost trying to remove large radiator plugs from old radiators.

Also, I’ve used one high tapping and one low tapping on two radiators with no noticeable loss in efficiency. Why? Because I tried taking an old plug out of a radiator…once! Once will convince you that it’s damn near impossible!

 
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Post by franco b » Tue. Nov. 15, 2022 10:00 pm

mikeandgerry wrote:
Tue. Nov. 15, 2022 12:58 pm
Best advice!

Fingers and pipe wrenches have been burned, scarred, bent and lost trying to remove large radiator plugs from old radiators.

Also, I’ve used one high tapping and one low tapping on two radiators with no noticeable loss in efficiency. Why? Because I tried taking an old plug out of a radiator…once! Once will convince you that it’s damn near impossible!
Long time no see.

If you really have to remove a plug there are two ways:

Two or three foot Ridgid wrench plus pipe extension. Have someone stand on pipe and hit wrench shank with four pound sledge.


Method two. Drill half inch hole in center of plug and using hacksaw blade holder, cut pie shaped cuts to edge of plug. tap section out or even try with wrench. With section missing from plug it will partially collapse from opposing thread and come out easily.


 
Charles Edward
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Post by Charles Edward » Sun. Nov. 20, 2022 9:09 pm

If the water flow rate is correct bottom supply and return will work fine as a cast iron radiator's internal passages are large - so basic thermal driven convection up through the sections will manage distribution effectively.

The top feed concept was implemented so as to have the hand flow control valve at a height which would not require bending down to reach it.

The correct water flow rate will yield a boiler return temperature 20º F. cooler than the supply water temperature. If the temperature drop across the system is less than 20º F. - throttle the water flow until it is.

 
lincolnmania
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Post by lincolnmania » Sun. Nov. 20, 2022 9:58 pm

I ended up leveling the radiators with some stainless steel washers

 
Charles Edward
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Post by Charles Edward » Mon. Nov. 21, 2022 7:45 am

How out of level were the radiators? 1/4" or 3" ?

Were you leveling them for appearance or to improve their performance?

 
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Post by Charles Edward » Mon. Nov. 21, 2022 8:06 am

I realize that hotblast1357 posted this two years ago, and I'm not trying to stir up trouble, but if a boiler sounds like the one in this video the first thing I would suspect is that it's water side needs cleaning.

If water I would suspect a system leak, lots of fresh feed water being added, and the feed water is pretty hard. If steam I would suspect excessive venting / excess make up water / lack of routine bottom blowdown.

Heating the water drops the minerals out, they settle to the bottom of the boiler, they then act as insulation, and they then create hot spots and localized steaming. Which is what is producing the noise heard in the video. If left too long the hot spots can crack the boiler under high firing.

There are commercial boiler cleaning products but white vinegar is effective.

====================

(quoted)

When the heat comes on, the return side top heats up before the bottom where the return fitting is anyways.. I’m here to tell you, when that radiator is up to temp at 180 degrees, you ain’t gonna touch any part of it lol
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCDbA6n3GwtkoS9zjngLHBbg

New Yorker WC 90

Eshland S 260 Rebuild

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