Heating below the water line

McSteamer22

Hey team,
I’m looking to put a radiator below the water line. I know there’s a way just forget the specifics. Any diagrams would be awesome. I read over lost art but didn’t find anything. Also not sure if it’s specific to 1 or 2 pipe systems
Thanks in advance

Jamie Hall

Either one pipe or two pipe. If the whole show is below the water line, it's dead easy -- provided you can get at least one opening into the boiler below, but not too far below, the water line There's usually a tap which will work. Pipe into that, go down to the floor, put on a small circulator -- won't need much -- run over to your radiator, take the radiator outlet and run back to some useful spot like a wet return.

Done

McSteamer22

Hey Jamie, I didn’t even think about doing it hydronicly,
I thought there was a way using the steam, some configuration of a check valve and f and t trap

Fred

Below the boiler water line, it needs to be a hot water loop.

Jamie Hall

McSteamer22 said:

Hey Jamie, I didn’t even think about doing it hydronicly,
I thought there was a way using the steam, some configuration of a check valve and f and t trap

Actually, there is. It's a lot more complicated. It requires a certain minimum steam pressure. It requires a check valve and an F&T. And it's a pain in the neck. Do it the easy way. Besides, you can control the circulator with it's own thermostat -- giving you control of just that zone.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Or it could be done using a condensate pump. But as @Fred & @Jamie Hall pointed out hydronic is the way to go.

The book you need is "How Come" a @DanHolohan

McSteamer22

Jamie Jamie Jamie, no style points or creativity for just slapping in an ole circulator.
We are masters at manipulating the vapor,
I don’t have a specific application but I want to learn.
I’ll take any crumbs you have on the matter,
I have the lost art revisited (bible) and it doesn’t mention.
From one nutmegger to another
Thanks

ChrisJ

> @McSteamer22 said:
We are masters at manipulating the vapor

Then why do you need help?

Danny Scully

First, as “masters”, we need to understand that steam is hydronic!..what you’re referring to is a condensate hot water heating zone

Jamie Hall

Nope. No style points. I'm lazy, and I look for easiest and simplest way to do the job... sorry!

The Steam Whisperer

For one pipe steam you can take the end of the steam main ( dry return) and drop down below the water line, run into your radiator and then out the radiator and continue running below the water line to the boiler return. It will probably work better if you supply the radiator at the top and the return from the bottom. Both bottom tappings together should work too. Both top tappings probably won't work as the hot water will travel across the top of the radiator and not fully heat the radiator. You'll want a large steam main if you can so you'll get more condensate flow. We've done some this way and they work quite nicely. This probably would be an effective way to use a condensing steam boiler with one pipe steam, since the condensate will return quite cool. As an alternative, just install a piece of fin tube in place of the return line and provide some sort of housing to create convective air currents.