What kind of piping system is this?

Unknown

Got one of those sitting somewhere in my basement, and couldn't find the name on it. Do remember a wallie had this on a job and someone indentfied the subject...

D107

Was told I had a straight monoflo, but when I looked closely

I saw that this 1950s system some kind of split loop/reverse return if such a thing exists. Supply of this main zone (all four levels) splits near boiler. (47Kbtu loss/100Kbtu gain)

One 1" branch runs along top basement wall feeding din rm, basement, then kitchen convectors with half-inch (malleable copper tubing? lot of bends.) The return branch of the kitchen then goes into a 3/4" return (capped at end) back to boiler, while the main supply goes on to the rest of the zone.

Second branch (3/4" I think) goes only to the living rm/entry hall convector 15 feet away and is capped at end; the return branch of that rad feeds into the main 1" supply now returning to the boiler via the circulator--piped on the return. I'd guess they didn't want the living rm/entry to be at the end of the run.

I was astonished I'd never seen this before. These could still be monoflo tees as far as I know. Photo shows probably a return feed coming up from end of basement rad back to main supply. It's possible my father had re-piped this from the original setup...

Al Corelli

Isn't that a Venturi Tee?

D107

if you mean the connection in the photo

I've been told it's just a copper version of a monotee. My question was more about the piping layout I described. Or maybe the layout is not unusual.

thanks,

David

D107

PS I wasn't aware you could have a monoflo system with a

semi-two pipe ---where there's a return manifold for part of the supply run.

David

Unknown

I have seen

I have seen the screwed up system that had mono flow tees on every radiators connection on reversed flow setup... Some radatiaors are hot and other (oversized) lukewarm... Oh yeah, homeower said the furance guys is doing the job..

D107

I can understand the split loop part

where one 3/4" branch goes straight to the living room/entry hall--largest room in the house by far and subject to open and closing outside doors. Would otherwise have been the last point of the supply run.

But the partial reverse? return on three rads (with monotees apparently) I don't get. I know split levels may have their own heating quirks, but what was gained by this? Maybe when the large basement rads were added it was thought the supply run was then too long. My mother's been living there for 50 yrs with never a heating problem noted.

David