Advice in fixing a basement radiator

bullpuppy

Hi, I am seeking some advice on my hot water boiler. I have basement radiator that gets warm but not hot. I checked the radiator and it is full, no air. It appears this radiator was piped as a add on. The radiator is below the level of the boiler, which is probably the problem. I seeking the some advice to get it working. I'm considering of cutting the current hot and cold pipes to radiator where they connect to the mains, raise the radiator to above the boiler and run pex to it. Any tips would be appreciated.

Pictures and deception


I took pictures and they are at

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d8pdu9d4eyqxasc/AACETpEO-4O6Apb7fjELlgIsa?dl=0

The picture PipeWithValveHotToRaditor.jpg shows the hot pipe from boiler to the rest of the system. The hot pipe to the radiator with a shutoff valve was added at sometume by attaching a pipe below the main pipe. I'm not sure if this is ok. The pipe to the radiator gets warm but much cooler than the main hot pipe attached to it.

The picture
PipeWithValveColdReturnRad.jpg shows the cold pipe (with a valve) from radiator attached to the main cold return


The picture HotIntoRad.jpg shows the hot pipe connects to the radiator. There is a valve there which I assume was for a garden hose perhaps.





ColdPipeReturn.jpg shows the cold return pipe from the radiator .

The boilerFrontPic.jpg us just picture of the front

EBEBRATT-Ed

Water will take the path of least resistance. You may need to add another circulator to the basement radiator to get flow.

If you have any valves on the supply or return to the main zone try closing one of them a little bit and see if that gives you more flow to the basement. That may not be the best permenent fix but it's something you can try just to see if it works

Ironman

Are you sure there’s no air in the rad? I don’t see a bleed port in the pics.

Ironman

You could also have a bad circulator and be getting gravity flow in the higher piping.