Difference between having supply & returns at boiler vs adding manifolds?

josieT

I'm curious of the considerations in having more supply and return lines coming out of the boiler area versus having fewer supply & return lines from the boiler and adding more manifolds to feed radiators.

Do more manifolds purely make for a cleaner configuration? Or is there another reason to add more manifolds? The disadvantage of adding more manifolds is cost and finding a good place to locate them.

Also does a single supply and return line imply that all the radiators on that line are in the same thermostat zone?

Snowmelt

cleaner look so you can follow the system better,
yes to your last question

Rich_49

NO , to the last question . There are actuators which can add zoning to a single manifold . Every manifold should have a Supply and Return unless someone is able to design a system from the floor up and do the math to insure all manifolds off of a single supply and return have similar head loss through the connected circuits so balancing issues do not arise and to make sure all circuits receive what they need . Especially in a constant circ scenario which Josie faces .
Josie suffered a contractor ripping out a perfectly good steam system to install a system that did not work , not even a bit . What all consumers need to realize is that a budget number cannot be the driving force behind system design . The driving force must always be what the system needs to be to heat the occupants and keep them comfortable .
Furthermore , after a contractor has shaved everything of value out of a system to meet the fantasy budget number it can no longer work as designed or as required . Only contractors / designers who fail to realize this and are out for the money will entertain the fantasy budget or design around what a program will pay for . They will tell you when it does not work that this is what you wanted or were willing to pay for and feel fine about it .
Snowmelt , you really should think about the several possibilities that may exist before making such a statement as above . You may cause someone who has done much work already to perform redundant work to explain why they designed what they designed and the reasons for doing so . Or maybe you could click on their name and read the past posts and discussions , or ask why they are asking the question .

Rich_49

Josie ,

This is one project in the link . The remote manifolds have 3-7 zones on them . We would have required 3,000 + feet of pex to return all to the boiler location , we would have also added substantial head which would then require circulators that are not energy efficient and use more power .
Not purchasing these manifolds and locating them where they are would have compromised the whole system installed cost and the long term benefits of efficiency .

http://mechanical-hub.com/langans

Maybe you would like to Pm SWEI , Ironman , Zman , Hatterasguy , Dan Holohan , Mark Eatherton and share what you have received and ask their opinions . Obviously you are still redesigning what others have spent countless hours going over .

josieT

Rich, this makes a lot of sense. I suppose it's always a question of trade-offs and understanding what you're trading off.

It's very hard because there are so many different opinions. I guess one concern was one around efficiency (price) vs comfort. For example, new windows cost a lot of money. one might buy windows to save fuel costs but if the payback period is 60 years, it might not make sense. But if the windows mean feeling warmer and more comfortable, you can't put a payback price on that.

This is what I've come to realize. There's a way to solder pipes together, wire up a boiler and get a heating system to (sort of) work. But how well it will work, how reliable is it, is a question.

I hope there is some movement in the industry to get certifications and special licenses within plumbing. I wish people like me would remember that experience and references matter.