diverter tee

Paul S_3

Hey everyone....I just got a job that involves diverter tees....the home has an existing diverter tee system....the home has sixteen radiators....eight on first floor and eight on second floor....the reason why we are gonna take out the existing main that runs the perimeter of the home is because the customer is converting the first floor and second to individual apartments....the customer does not want any construction done on any of the living areas so all the work will be done in the basement ....the existing main would be taken out and the pipes going to the radiators will stay....so the customer wants two individual boilers but leave the radiators....so we are gonna run two separatediverter tee systems in copper...my question is to determine pipe size...should I use a 20 delta tee?....and original main its 1 1/4 will I be able to use smaller pipe if the formula calls for it?....thanks Paul S

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

Apartments

Are each of the apartments going to have their own thermostat?

Paul S_3

yes

There are two floors.....each floor will get there own boiler...with eight radiators connected to each thanks Paul S

The Steam Whisperer (Formerly Boilerpro)

Have yo suggested btu meters instead

of two boilers.   You could zone the system and still  use one boiler and then bill each tenant accordingly.  Chicago now requires building owners to give information about utilities cost to potential renters so they can compare rents of units that include heat with ones that don't.  The centrally heated buildings are nearly always going to be cheaper overall.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

To answer your questions

Yes, I would use a 20 degree delta tee, figure out the BTU's of each unit and size the mains accordingly.  It will probably come out to something less than 1-1/4 bacause you're dividing the load.



If you have enough money in the job, I would pipe it with a 2-pipe, reverse return system.  A diverter tee system is notoriously difficult to purge.