Radiator mounted in basement

Bman923

Hi,
I want to add a radiator to the vertical return line in the cellar on a one pipe steam heat system. Does anyone have an idea how to do that?

Paul S_3

I myself have seen them piped off the main then dropped to the rad with a tee dripped to a wet return.... the bottom of rad has to be at least 28 inches above the boiler water line. ....i dont know if that's the correct way to do it. ..maybe someone else can chime in..why not use baseboard with a condensate loop off boiler?

Jamie Hall

Does that vertical "return" connect to a steam main at the top? If so, how big is it? If it's big enough (check the tables in Lost Art for sizing for one pipe steam lines) you can hook the radiator in as though it were a one pipe radiator. As @Paul S noted, it must be at least 28 inches above the water line in the boiler -- and that's for 1 psi steam. If your steam pressure is any greater, it has to be proportionately higher. The radiator runout would come off the vertical with a T, and must be pitched -- and sized -- like any other one pipe radiator runout. You may -- probably will -- find that you need to come off with the T, a short nipple, and a 90 to get the required pitch. And, of course, you will need a vent on it.