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Two pipe

Paul S_3
Paul S_3 Member Posts: 1,257
Hey everyone...I am doing a oil to gas conversion which involves removing one oil fired hot water boiler and installing two gas boilers....the home has a two pipe system....the customer wants the first and second floor on there own boilers....so I will be removing the steel mains (1"1/2")....and installing 1" copper mains for each floor(1st fl =56,000 btu/5.6gpm)(2nd fl=63,000btu/6.3gpm)..1st fl radiators have 1" pipe going to them...and 2nd floor radiators have 3/4" pipe supplying them.......so basically I will be running the copper mains in 1"....then connecting to the radiators with tee's(1" tee for 1st fl/1"x3/4" tee for 2nd fl)the original steel black pipe leading to radiators will remain......Does this setup seem ok....and if I use this setup would I need some sort of throttling/balancing valve for this to work....I know ball valves are not so good being used for throttling....I really don't want to resort to reverse return because of price of job.....also the size of the pipe supplying and returning from rads can that be changed? Thanks Paul S
ASM Mechanical Company
Located in Staten Island NY
Servicing all 5 boroughs of NYC.
347-692-4777
[email protected]
ASMHVACNYC.COM
https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/asm-mechanical-company

Comments

  • Tom_133
    Tom_133 Member Posts: 883
    Access

    Paul



    Do you have access to the lines from the radiators individually? I just did a similar job and I ran each radiator individually back to the boiler room and used uponor manifolds to tie them in. It worked very well and the 1/2" Hepex was cheaper then the copper mains and fittings. Just a thought
    Tom
    Montpelier Vt
  • Paul S_3
    Paul S_3 Member Posts: 1,257
    edited October 2013
    yes

    I have access to every pipe leading to the radiator.....so you are saying to use a radiant manifold to do this.....should it be piped in reverse return.......and what calculation are you using to figure the size of pipe to radiators? Thanks Paul s
    ASM Mechanical Company
    Located in Staten Island NY
    Servicing all 5 boroughs of NYC.
    347-692-4777
    [email protected]
    ASMHVACNYC.COM
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/asm-mechanical-company
  • Paul S_3
    Paul S_3 Member Posts: 1,257
    edited October 2013
    would

    Would this work.....?....example = radiator out put =14,500btu.....20f TD=1.45GPM.... ......so 1/2"pipe would work fine.....I would run half inch pipe to boiler room (14 radiators) and create a two pipe reverse return set up in boiler room using 1"copper.....7 radiators to each boiler? Paul S
    ASM Mechanical Company
    Located in Staten Island NY
    Servicing all 5 boroughs of NYC.
    347-692-4777
    [email protected]
    ASMHVACNYC.COM
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/asm-mechanical-company
  • Paul S_3
    Paul S_3 Member Posts: 1,257
    ?

    Anyone has any insight?
    ASM Mechanical Company
    Located in Staten Island NY
    Servicing all 5 boroughs of NYC.
    347-692-4777
    [email protected]
    ASMHVACNYC.COM
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/asm-mechanical-company
  • Tom_133
    Tom_133 Member Posts: 883
    What I meant

    Paul



    I meant adapting to each 1/2" line with 1/2" hepex and running all back to the boiler

    room or in a spot you can access the uponor manifold and feed it with a supply and return

    nothing fancy balance it with the manifolds using the flow setters on the manifolds. Very

    simple and easy no reverse return needed. You can see this same setup in the uponor install manual.
    Tom
    Montpelier Vt
  • Paul S_3
    Paul S_3 Member Posts: 1,257
    edited October 2013
    two pipe

    Tom, the supply and returns leading to the first floor radiators is one inch....and to the second floor are 3/4 pipe....excuse me for asking basic questions but you mean adapt to those line with 1/2"pex then run the pex to the supply and return manifolds in the boiler room? And the manual you are talking about is the uponor radiant heating manual? Thanks Paul s
    ASM Mechanical Company
    Located in Staten Island NY
    Servicing all 5 boroughs of NYC.
    347-692-4777
    [email protected]
    ASMHVACNYC.COM
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/asm-mechanical-company
  • Tom_133
    Tom_133 Member Posts: 883
    Paul

    I mean if each radiator supply and return directly under the radiator is being fed with 1/2" copper lines to adapt to those and run each radiator individually back to the uponor manifold.
    Tom
    Montpelier Vt
  • Paul S_3
    Paul S_3 Member Posts: 1,257
    radiators

    I have big column radiators being fed with one inch and three quarter inch lines.....I will be removing the existing Mains seperating the first and second floors of the home on there own boiler...so the pipes leading to radiators will remain....will I be able to use this setup on this job? Paul s
    ASM Mechanical Company
    Located in Staten Island NY
    Servicing all 5 boroughs of NYC.
    347-692-4777
    [email protected]
    ASMHVACNYC.COM
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/asm-mechanical-company
  • Tom_133
    Tom_133 Member Posts: 883
    Paul

    My job was all 1/2" copper lines that were fed by a 1 1/4 main so it's not the same thing.



    I have seen jobs where guys did adapt from 1 down to 1/2" and they did just what I am saying. I would tell you to do the math and see if the 1/2" can support the BTU, and flow needed. A lot of the old houses in my area have radiators that are 3 times to big which is great for getting the water temp down. If yours are oversized than running independent feeds to each may work well for you.
    Tom
    Montpelier Vt
  • Paul S_3
    Paul S_3 Member Posts: 1,257
    radiators

    I checked all radiators and the largest is 10,000 btu....so of I use universal hydronics formula to find the flow.....10,000 divided by 20TD X 500=1GPM.....1/2" pex will work? Thanks Paul s
    ASM Mechanical Company
    Located in Staten Island NY
    Servicing all 5 boroughs of NYC.
    347-692-4777
    [email protected]
    ASMHVACNYC.COM
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/asm-mechanical-company
  • Tom_133
    Tom_133 Member Posts: 883
    Sound good

    Paul



    The customers I did this for love it. They like the fact that the can zone the radiators with actuators installed on the manifold. It really knocked down the job cost eliminating a lot of copper as well.
    Tom
    Montpelier Vt
This discussion has been closed.