Radiator heat configuration

Gojimbo

reconfiguring low hanging 2 pipe monoflow radiator heat system.

Splitting into 2 zones cause back room get cold as thermostats in front room.

Was first thinking give the back room its own thermostat but that would by one rad there and three rads and 2 baseboards on the other zone.

Now thinking The split will be 2 rads then baseboard on each zone.

Thinking 1” pex loop first two rads then monoflow to 3/4 for the baseboard or

1” pex monoflow loop all three on each zone? Any thoughts 1000 sq ft house

hot_rod

get rid of the monoflo altogether. Pex loop or home run system are options. Once you start modifying a monoflo piping things can go south quickly.

Although @EdTheHeaterMan lives south, he can fix anything.

EdTheHeaterMan

@Gojimbo said: reconfiguring low hanging 2 pipe monoflow radiator heat system.

MonoFlo® by definition is a one pipe system. Picture or diagram of your two pipe system will help define what to call your system.

@Gojimbo said: Splitting into 2 zones cause back room get cold as thermostats in front room.

move thermostat to back room. That will fix problem

Then when @Gojimbo said:

Was first thinking give the back room its own thermostat but that would by one rad there and three rads and 2 baseboards on the other zone.

Now thinking The split will be 2 rads then baseboard on each zone.

Thinking 1” pex loop first two rads then monoflow to 3/4 for the baseboard or

1” pex monoflow loop all three on each zone? Any thoughts 1000 sq ft house

Couldn't understand this. No one that knows anything about this stuff would put baseboard and cast iron radiators on the same Monoflo® system. That would be unbalanced by design. Oh' Oops, you already knew that. That is why you are here posting about it!

Perhaps a diagram of the house with the location of each radiator and boiler location in the basement. Then some pictures of your boiler and the radiators.

@hot_rod may have the best idea. Then add automatic zone valve actuators to each run on the manifold That will give you individual room control. You may need some near boiler piping redesign with that idea. perhaps bypass if you stick with your existing circulator pump. or a more efficient circulator with ECM motor it compensate for the possibility of only one micro-zone calling for heat while all the other valves are closed.

I usually don't advocate recommending costly upgrades to folks because I never know their economic situation. I try to offer the lowest cost solution to solve problems. In this case I don't have enough information to recommend anything other that a complete redesign. And since you are already thinking in that direction, you may as well do it right this time.

EdTheHeaterMan

Here is an example of three different piping systems

If you click on the illustration and zoom in on the radiators in the middle "One-pipe System" you can see Red Tee fittings on each radiator. They are the Diverter Tee Fittings.

The bottom system is a Two-pipe system that does not use Diverter Tee Fittings.

hot_rod

I’d throw this option in also. A home run where each heat emitter gets its own S&R. It could be from a manifold as shown or just a header built with tees and valves. Now you have control over all emitters and can mix and match to your hearts desire.

It could be a single zone that you balance out with the valves, or zone it with multiple manifold. Often times 1/2” Pex is adequate to each heater.

IMG_0821.jpeg

Gojimbo

Hey guys i appreciate your help and Ill try to be more clear cause it always seems like im on here when my eyes are closing….. …the house is from the 20s and the 2 pipe monoflow is one feed line for all radiators and one return line for all or maybe its called a two pipe crossover system?? Its not like the reverse return this returns right back after passing through the rad.Sorry somehow no pics but the boilers smack in the middle of the house and its piped like a 2 zone without the extra circulator

Then by reconfiguring i ment cutting it all out cause its low hanging and besides banging my head were gonna finish basement.
Im looking at doing 2 zones consisting of 2 radiators and some baseboard where rads were removed for needed space….of course trying to keep costs down where i can so using pex. Gonna use 1” pex with the monoflow tees so i could throttle a valve on a rad if needed to even heat? Figured this gotta give me more even heat then the loop… i know rod mentioned home runs but i dont know about them and no idea of the cost of parts compared to what im thinking

EdTheHeaterMan

From the 1920s is most likely not a MonoFlo® system. You have a 2 pipe system that has 2 branches the original boiler was coal fired and has 2 openings for the supply on the top and 2 openings on the return at the bottom. There was no circulator pump originally. It was a Gravity flow system.

This is what you most likely have or something close to it. At some point in time the new boiler with a circulator was repiped in smaller copper tube that was connected to the old gravity system pipes. There are no MonoFlo® tees in this type of system. A MonoFlo® tee would look something like one of these.

With a label or at least an Arrow and the word Return near the arrow. Look closely at every tee fitting and if one looks a little different than a normal tee then take a picture of it. You could have something really different, but in 1920s, I doubt it was a MonoFlo® system.

BOTTOM LINE… @hot_rod has your best option to get those low hanging pipes out of that basement. The Home Run idea is the best for you.