Add zone of radiators to existant floor radiant

josephny

I'm looking into adding another zone with panel radiators to the under floor radiant I have now.

Wondering how to choose between the various piping configurations shown below:

josephny

So how would one decide which piping layout to use?

jad3675

josephny said:

So how would one decide which piping layout to use?

Well, you already have a manifold for the floor, so just extend that.

josephny

jad3675 said:

josephny said:

So how would one decide which piping layout to use?

Well, you already have a manifold for the floor, so just extend that.

So don't make it a second circuit -- just add 4 or 5 more positions on the existing manifold?

Jamie Hall

If I had to do it, I'd do it with a manifold for the panel radiators separate from the radiant manifold. Feed them both off a primary loop, but you will need to use a thermostatic mixing valve at least on the radiant floor manifold, and separate pumps.

Reason being, the panel radiators need significantly different water temperatures from what the floor needs, and they may not be set up to circulate all the time -- while the floor should be.

josephny

Jamie Hall said:

If I had to do it, I'd do it with a manifold for the panel radiators separate from the radiant manifold. Feed them both off a primary loop, but you will need to use a thermostatic mixing valve at least on the radiant floor manifold, and separate pumps.

Reason being, the panel radiators need significantly different water temperatures from what the floor needs, and they may not be set up to circulate all the time -- while the floor should be.

Jamie,

Thank you for sharing your expertise.

My understanding of these things is very limited, but I thought that any zone/loop/manifold would be tapped off the secondary loop? I am using the IBC EZ Pipe Manifold off the boiler, which creates the entire primary loop.

I can figure out how to repipe and tap off the secondary loop, feeding it to another distribution manifold (same way and type as the floor manifold).

But, from what I've read, it's perfectly fine putting 135 or 140* water through the panels.

And, I'd sure prefer to keep it simple -- and I think the simplest way would be to just keep the single zone, single pump, single manifold and add a circuit for each panel.

Thanks.

Zman

If you are willing to pay for oversized radiators that will work at the lower water temps, iI would just add to the radiant manifolds. You want to have a way to balance it, I think your existing manifold has that capacity.

josephny

Zman said:

If you are willing to pay for oversized radiators that will work at the lower water temps, iI would just add to the radiant manifolds. You want to have a way to balance it, I think your existing manifold has that capacity.

That's the understanding I was missing!

Thank you all for your patience and generosity.