How to drip/terminate a steam main with a single radiator?

Toymotorhead

Oh great and wise steam heads, I have a question.



Short version, I want to relocate a radiator, its the only one on its own loop of my parallel flow single pipe system. The mains is 1 inch, the return is 3/4inch. What is the preferred riser and drip/drop layout.



Long version:

I am looking into relocating a steam radiator as part if a complete gut/renovate of a 2nd floor bathroom this summer; and I have questions on how to terminate and or drip/drop down to,  the end of the main.



Here are some system details.  Its a single pipe, parallel flow system. With a fairly closely matched Weil McClain gas boiler. There are two parallel loops. One for 8 of the radiators, and a second loop for the upstairs bathroom in question, which has only the one small radiator. All overhead dry (face smasher) returns. Rarely does the system more then 1psi even on the coldest days, it shuts down on thermostat.



For this exercise we will only be playing with the single loop for the upstairs bathroom. It is aproximately 40 feet each way from the boiler,  the main out, is 1 inch iron pipe, the return is 3/4 inch iron pipe. The riser to the radiator is also 1 inch. The connected radiator is about 19 sq/ft EDR. The mains are insulated well with inch fiberglass, the return and the vertical riser is not.



I already know that this loop has been hacked on by someone who does not know what they were doing, it has been molested at least once during a kitchen renovation. The drip piping in the basement is as shown in the first picture "A" And its all galvanized, and makes its journey up from the basement, into a base cabinet, out through the back of the cabinet into a wall cavity, up the cavity, then out through the wall above the cabinets, into the ceiling, to a collection of 45's and 90's in the joist bay, then to the poor little starving radiator. Makes you sad doesn't it?



If we move the radiator in the new bathroom layout, it will be about 10 feet closer to the boiler, on the same one radiator branch. Also it will be coming straight up through the kitchen floor not near the cabinetry, to a set of 45's to get the offset to where it wants to go. I am no expert, but I know it will be better.



The real question is what is the best or preferred way to tie in the riser for the single radiator, and drop down to the condensate return line. I have about 8 inches of vertical between the supply main and the return to play with. I can think of  a few different ways it could be plumbed, but I am sure one of them is better. I attached 2 other ideas, let me know if either one is better. "B" would be easier space wise, out in the end of a joist bay. But I have a feeling you are going to tell me "C" And if I am going through the trouble to drag home my Ridgid300 from work. I want to only do it once.



Cheers

Richard.

TomM

i dont know

but A looks like most potential for hammer problems.