Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.
Homemade Radiator
![fxrgrunt](https://us.v-cdn.net/5021738/uploads/userpics/RV5M6EEO17CB/n8F9APPWQJRSD.jpg)
fxrgrunt
Member Posts: 157
I came across this pipe radiator somewhere on the forum and was curious if it is realistic to make a pipe radiator like this and if they actually work properly? It gave me an idea for my downstairs bathroom that has zero room due to the previous owners doing a remodel and removing the radiator. I know runthal makes the wall mount stainless ones but even the smallest of those is $600.
![](https://us.v-cdn.net/5021738/uploads/editor/hu/vbjvxocrx83j.jpg)
![](https://us.v-cdn.net/5021738/uploads/editor/hu/vbjvxocrx83j.jpg)
0
Comments
-
-
@JUGHNE
If you look closely at the return bends 1 side has that little casting slash mark. I think those are the left hand threads. I have seen similar marks on left-right couplings
They had real pipe fitters back in the day3 -
-
Such a critter will work fine -- though I can see that assembling it might be a bit challenging without left hand threads!
Further, figuring out the heat output wouldn't be hard. EDR, one needs to remember, is just the effective surface area -- and on that contraption one could come close enough by just taking the circumference of the pipe times the length. In square feet, of course.Br. Jamie, osb
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England1 -
I thought it would be pretty cool. The bathroom is really small so probably could get away with something less than half the size. Just was curious I'd anyone here ever made a radiator before haha.
0 -
Actually, Cedric powers two -- among other things. One is original, but the other I made a few years back -- except I cheated. Twice. first, I used finned steel pipe instead of straight for the straight runs, and second I didn't use left hand threads -- I used a 90, close nipple, and another 90 to make the bends. Gave me enough room to swing the fittings. And a couple of handy unions...fxrgrunt said:I thought it would be pretty cool. The bathroom is really small so probably could get away with something less than half the size. Just was curious I'd anyone here ever made a radiator before haha.
Works just fine.Br. Jamie, osb
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England1 -
You could probably make the returns with an ell and a street ell. Or sweat copper. Or just buy a panel radiator. There are numerous manufacturers that are more economical than Runtal. I'm assuming we're talking about hot water here. Btw, Runtal is just moderately heavy steel that is powder coated.1
-
Jamie Hall said:
I thought it would be pretty cool. The bathroom is really small so probably could get away with something less than half the size. Just was curious I'd anyone here ever made a radiator before haha.
Actually, Cedric powers two -- among other things. One is original, but the other I made a few years back -- except I cheated. Twice. first, I used finned steel pipe instead of straight for the straight runs, and second I didn't use left hand threads -- I used a 90, close nipple, and another 90 to make the bends. Gave me enough room to swing the fittings. And a couple of handy unions... Works just fine.0 -
mattmia2 said:You could probably make the returns with an ell and a street ell. Or sweat copper. Or just buy a panel radiator. There are numerous manufacturers that are more economical than Runtal. I'm assuming we're talking about hot water here. Btw, Runtal is just moderately heavy steel that is powder coated.0
-
-
Here's an interesting "Bundle" radiator in Healy Hall at Georgetown University. There are many of these radiators in that building.4 -
If I recall correctly long pipe radiators were made by cutting "drip threads" which is a crooked thread which let the pipe come out of the fitting at a slight angle so it would allow for pitch.
Probably don't need to do that with a short bathroom radiator0 -
Why not just look for one? There are places that sell radiators, maybe even find one here on "Buy, Sell or Barter"0
-
@JUGHNE said "Would be interesting to see a Utube on how they are assem....". I see what you did there!
My favorite space-constrained custom radiator was the steel column/post that Gerry Gil welded up for a powder room in a steam mini-tube system. I'd love to weld up something similar for my next install. The pipe/threaded/U-shaped rads are cool & all, but the welded one is sleek.
Original post here
Links to photos for convenience:
Fabrication 1 of 2
Fabrication 2 of 2
Installed 1 of 2
Installed 2 of 2DIY'er ... ripped out a perfectly good forced-air furnace and replaced it with hot water & radiators.2 -
Here is a way to build a U tube, with off the shelf parts.
1-1/4 -3" Probably find brass tubing in CTS, also.Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream1 -
-
-
I've never seen one of these, but I have a feeling the heat retention might be a little disappointing. Schedule 80 pipe might improve it.Just another DIYer | King of Prussia, PA
1983(?) Peerless G-561-W-S | 3" drop header, CG400-1090, VXT-240 -
I modeled up an idea for one a couple years ago. The thought behind this is making it similar to the original cast iron steam only radiators. It was more a thought exercise than anything.
Another idea was to make a steam punk type shelving unit with supports made entirely of piping, the piping is the radiator. No temperature sensitive items could be stored on the shelves, which could be a problem. Doubt I ever build either, but I enjoy the thought experiments.
0 -
Fred said:Hey @KC_Jones Wouldn't you need a vent at the top of each of those stand pipes?
I think the idea is to mimic these:There is no steam connection across the top of the sections (what you see is only a mechanical joint) yet no individual vents are used.
Hot steam rises into the sections and where there is steam, the air must go elsewhere— so it is pushed down and out of the sections one at a time as they fill with steam.
My only concern with the pipe concept is that there is no “loop” to promote this gas exchange.0 -
Lard said:
I think the idea is to mimic these:There is no steam connection across the top of the sections (what you see is only a mechanical joint) yet no individual vents are used.
Hot steam rises into the sections and where there is steam, the air must go elsewhere— so it is pushed down and out of the sections one at a time as they fill with steam.
My only concern with the pipe concept is that there is no “loop” to promote this gas exchange.
Unlike the radiator in your picture, steam can flow up one tube/column and push air out the other side and across the bottom to the vent. With the single stand pipe, air is trapped at the top of each pipe0 -
Fred said:Hey @KC_Jones Wouldn't you need a vent at the top of each of those stand pipes?
I didn’t show the vent in my model.0 -
It’s really not that different from my radiators, no top connection and only a vent at about the middle of the last section. Steam hits the pipe, rises, displacing air down and towards the end. For the homemade version it would depend on the pipe size as to how well it would work.KC_Jones said:
I didn’t show the vent in my model.
Won't work, except for the stand pipe that has the vent on it. Steam will flow to the vent and close it and the air will be compressed and trapped in the top half of the other stand pipes. Think about an abandoned radiator run out that has been capped. Steam may flow into it for maybe a foot and the rest of the pipe remains cold because the air is trapped. It is not displaced and pushed back into the main.0 -
Fred said:
Won't work, except for the stand pipe that has the vent on it. Steam will flow to the vent and close it and the air will be compressed and trapped in the top half of the other stand pipes. Think about an abandoned radiator run out that has been capped. Steam may flow into it for maybe a foot and the rest of the pipe remains cold because the air is trapped. It is not displaced and pushed back into the main.Fred said:Hey @KC_Jones Wouldn't you need a vent at the top of each of those stand pipes?
I didn’t show the vent in my model.
1 -
It probably wouldn't work if it were 10' tall0
-
KC_Jones said:Fred said:
Won't work, except for the stand pipe that has the vent on it. Steam will flow to the vent and close it and the air will be compressed and trapped in the top half of the other stand pipes. Think about an abandoned radiator run out that has been capped. Steam may flow into it for maybe a foot and the rest of the pipe remains cold because the air is trapped. It is not displaced and pushed back into the main.Fred said:Hey @KC_Jones Wouldn't you need a vent at the top of each of those stand pipes?
I didn’t show the vent in my model.0 -
Fred said:
Unlike the radiator in your picture, steam can flow up one tube/column and push air out the other side and across the bottom to the vent. With the single stand pipe, air is trapped at the top of each pipeFred said:Hey @KC_Jones Wouldn't you need a vent at the top of each of those stand pipes?
I think the idea is to mimic these:There is no steam connection across the top of the sections (what you see is only a mechanical joint) yet no individual vents are used.
Hot steam rises into the sections and where there is steam, the air must go elsewhere— so it is pushed down and out of the sections one at a time as they fill with steam.
My only concern with the pipe concept is that there is no “loop” to promote this gas exchange.This is just me “thinking like the steam”....With the right pipe diameter and not being 10’ tall, I still believe simple displacement will work. Steam is lighter than air until temperatures way higher than in steam heating systems assuming the air is the same temperature- it is NOT in a radiator: it is cold, so it is even more dense. That said, it can just waft it’s happy self in there like helium and push the air down. Not overdoing the venting which can short-circuit this process is well-known. The traffic flow must be light enough to allow a two-way street. Steam up, air down—just like the battle of steam vs. condensate in a one-pipe radiator riser except gas vs. gas.0 -
-
Fred said:Somebody needs to build one.
Your efforts will be greatly appreciated!Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment2 -
May I be the first to say thank you so much for offering to invest your time and money to build one and prove your point.ChrisJ said:Fred said:Somebody needs to build one.
Your efforts will be greatly appreciated!
You may be the first but, since I don't believe it will work, I won't be the one to invest any time or money on it. This seems to be more up your alley than mine.1 -
Fred said:
You may be the first but, since I don't believe it will work, I won't be the one to invest any time or money on it. This seems to be more up your alley than mine.Fred said:Somebody needs to build one.
Your efforts will be greatly appreciated!
I'm not saying, I'm just saying.....
"In most cases, the plaintiff (the party bringing the claim) has the burden of proof."
Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment0 -
You may be the first but, since I don't believe it will work, I won't be the one to invest any time or money on it. This seems to be more up your alley than mine.ChrisJ said:
I'm not saying, I'm just saying.....
"In most cases, the plaintiff (the party bringing the claim) has the burden of proof."
I guess you have to ask, who has the burden of proof, the one who says it will work, without any examples of where it has worked, or the party who says "I don't think it will work, show me otherwise". There is over a hundred years of Steam experience available and no one has a single pipe radiator configured that way. I'm sure it has been tried and the end result, as far as I know, is the serpentine pipe configuration or a single vertical pipe with a vent on it. I have a couple Steam only column radiators in my house but they all have two or three tubes per section which allows air to be pushed out ahead of the steam, section by section, and back down to the bottom where it can move to the vent. All columns, in a section do get warm/hot at what feels simultaneously but I can't say that "to the touch" is an accurate assessment. I'm just sayin.0 -
Categories
- All Categories
- 85.9K THE MAIN WALL
- 3.1K A-C, Heat Pumps & Refrigeration
- 51 Biomass
- 420 Carbon Monoxide Awareness
- 78 Chimneys & Flues
- 1.9K Domestic Hot Water
- 5.2K Gas Heating
- 94 Geothermal
- 154 Indoor-Air Quality
- 3.3K Oil Heating
- 59 Pipe Deterioration
- 883 Plumbing
- 5.9K Radiant Heating
- 377 Solar
- 14.6K Strictly Steam
- 3.2K Thermostats and Controls
- 51 Water Quality
- 40 Industry Classes
- 47 Job Opportunities
- 17 Recall Announcements