Better flow and balancing

zman11

I have converted my gravity hot water heating system to a circulating system and it does very well. However there is one loop where the CI rads don’t get as hot as the others. Would I achieve better flow and better balance if I essentially made a 2 branch manifold rather than a tee? The top pic is how the system is. Do you guys think if I repiped to the lower pic, it would make a difference? I had posted a discussion earlier in the year and did what was suggested on expansion tank and circulator and the system works much better than last year. I just want it to be the best it can be so I don’t have to touch it for a while. Thanks for all input!

Jamie Hall

It would certainly help. The flow from that cross to the leg of a T has much higher resistance than the flow straight across the cross. Would it help enough? Hard to say. I'd advocate, if you are doing any repiping, for putting balancing valves on at the same time.

zman11

iv looked at some balancing valves, do you have a favorite that you like?

Jamie Hall

Simpler is better… I'd think in that application you could probably do well with full port simple ball valves. They aren't really good at fine adjustment, particularly at low flows, but they are inexpensive and reliable…

zman11

I’d love to put the caleffi balance valves with flow meter on there but man are those spendy

hot_rod

The Quicksetter is nice if you want to know or observe the flows. You don't need a differential meter to read it.

Or you can just balance by temperature, with a temperature meter, of by feel.

It comes down to how accurate you want to get. If you don't know a flow rate, it is going to be trial and error anyways. With a ball valve you don't want to close it down more than 60% or so. Or you can get noise and erosion wear. Depending on what flows you are running in that loop.

You probably don't need a 3 or 4" valve😂