Add baseboard to a radiator heating system

Big Ed

I replied to the post in a off mood. I just been burt by a user.I should not have posted at all.

All due respect..

nickzdad

How to add baseboard to a system with radiators

I have an old house with gas fired boiler. I have CI radiators in all the rooms. I want to add some modern baseboard heat in an unheated part of the house. I thought that this would be a simple task but Murphy showed up and he brought his lunch.

This system is plumbed as two pipe reverse return with a single zone (hot water off the boiler via a heat exchanger in a separate tank). This particular branch is next to last in supply (2nd closest to return). The problem that I have encountered is that I can not clear the new baseboard of air to promote proper circulation. It does not appear that mono-flow tees are installed on either supply or return. The BB is located on the 2nd floor and the boiler is in the basement.

How do I go about solving this problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dave Stroman

The problem is most likely not air. It is the long length of pipe through the baseboard. The water has no incentive to flow through the baseboard when it has a much easier path through the larger piping to the radiators. It just does not work to mix cast iron and BB on the same zone. It simply does not work. Zone it separately or use cast iron radiators.

Dave in Denver

Alan(OnVacationInOregon)Forbes

What Dave said

And you could probably test Dave's theory by turning off all the valves at the radiators and see if you get flow through the baseboard.

You might be able to take care of the problem by isolating the baseboard supplies and installing a dedicated pump.

Big Ed_3

Either....

.....he installed it him self or the cheap bid won the job ...Call a Pro

Unknown

I seconded Ed

I seconded what Ed said.... If all else failed, ask for "free" opinions..

Alan(OnVacationInOregon)Forbes

\"Any help .....

would be greatly appreciated."

Let's try to help, not hinder. For whatever reasons, I'm sure we've all found ourselves in the same position.

Tony_23

Exactly....

Instead of being snide and not helping at all, maybe if he was presented with options he'd realize he should've called someone. On the other hand, I've seen many "pros" who wouldn't know why this won't work.

I'm glad I don't get these kind of answers when I get in a pinch working on my own stuff.....

Jerry_15

been there done that

I've busted my chops on more than one occasion trying to horse in a new zone while retro-fitting a new boiler off an existing with big pipe (gravity, monoflow tees, etc., etc.) Sometimes it works, but how much time am I willing to spend on call backs to perfectly balance the flow from a single circ. Do you feel lucky? The teeniest circulator on that line will make it all right. Some of them now have the relay, and end switch, and check valve, built into the pump so you don't need an additional transformer or control; T-stat ties directly to the pump. Get a pro: you'll spend way more trying to figure it out. Good luck. Try not to hurt yourself.

nickzdad

Thanks for the help

Thank you all for your help, especially those of you who realize that nobody is born with all the answers. Looks like I will be installing a separate zone for this new baseboard.