Radiator Piping

gerry gill

double tap bushing method will work fine..

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Dave_4

Looking to convert a 2-pipe steam system to hot water. The radiators are currently connected on the same side using the low and high tappings. We will replace piping feeding the first floor radiators and pressure test and replace as necessary the piping for the second floor radiators. All radiators will have TRV's installed and piped back to a common manifold. We would like to keep the same side tappings if possible on the radiators. My concern is water short circuiting inside the first section of the radiator and not heating all the way through. I've thought about using a double tapped bushing and nipple inside of the radiator to prevent this possibility. Looking for any input.

As a side note. The homeowner is not willing to keep the steam system because of a finishing the basement and needing to lose all of the steam piping to gain headroom. Also the system has not been properly maintained for years.

Big Ed

I Recommend

Charge Time and Materials or walk away...

Low pressure steam and collected solids tend to plug up most small leaks.Converting to hot water with water flow will flush it away. You will be married to the job...Which is ok if they are willing to pay...Good Luck

Steamhead (in transit)

I have hot-water rads connected like that

and they work fine.

With that said, you're walking down a very dangerous path. A botched steam-to-hot-water conversion is a liability lawyer's dream. There is so much that can go wrong. Our company would never do this type of conversion, and will not work on a system someone else has converted.

A hot-water system runs at over 10 times the pressure of steam. I bet when you start pressure-testing you find leak after leak after leak. For a discussion of some other pitfalls, go here:

http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm?Id=22

It is possible to run steam mains flat against the ceiling to gain headroom. You have to take runouts at a 45-degree angle pointing down, and drip each one to a wet return at the wall. This takes some planning but can be done, and of course all the piping below the boiler's waterline can be copper.

Once this is done and any maintenance issues are taken care of, the system will work great.

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