Replacement Radiator with Different Piping, Top and Bottom on the Same Side

gliptitude

I have needed to add at least one radiator to my hot water heating system, which had previously frozen and broke. After rebuilding a couple radiators, replacing a few pipes and a few things on the boiler, I have been running acceptably, just with a couple cool parts in the house...

All of the radiators in my house have both supply and return at the bottom, coming in one side and going out the other.

I recently found some affordable salvaged radiators for sale, but most of them have two pipes coming out the SAME SIDE of a free standing cast iron radiator, one pipe at the top and the other at the bottom. .. Can these be integrated into my system as is? Does it matter if supply or return are on the top or the bottom?

I suppose a pro would remove and replace the old connections anyway, and plug/unplug to reorient the piping to conform to the rest of the house. But I am reluctant to attempt that.

Jamie Hall

Those may have been steam or gravity hot water. If they are relatively narrow -- say no more than half as wide as they are high -- or short, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't work. You might have a better shot at getting them hot all the way across if the inlet were at the bottom...

Canucker

I have a house full of rads with the connection on the bottom, same side. It works but I had to be conscious of the GPM I fed them. Too fast and it tends to quickly go to the return side. Still heats though

gliptitude

Canucker said:

I have a house full of rads with the connection on the bottom, same side. It works but I had to be conscious of the GPM I fed them. Too fast and it tends to quickly go to the return side. Still heats though

Not sure I understand your description of your radiators. "Connection on the bottom" AND "same side"? Is this two pipes and hot water?

Also I'm not sure what GPM is.

.. Maybe I should have mentioned I have a pumped system, (single pump and no manifold) and that everything is piped with threaded black pipe. Pipe sizes vary and folks on this board have told me in the past that it was probably converted from a gravity system.

Canucker

gliptitude said:

Canucker said:

I have a house full of rads with the connection on the bottom, same side. It works but I had to be conscious of the GPM I fed them. Too fast and it tends to quickly go to the return side. Still heats though

Not sure I understand your description of your radiators. "Connection on the bottom" AND "same side"? Is this two pipes and hot water?

Also I'm not sure what GPM is.

.. Maybe I should have mentioned I have a pumped system, (single pump and no manifold) and that everything is piped with threaded black pipe. Pipe sizes vary and folks on this board have told me in the past that it was probably converted from a gravity system.

You got it, both on the same side, at the bottom, hot water system. Mine was a gravity fed system, took out the big pipes to finish the basement. GPM=gallons per minute.