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Curious one-pipe system

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Mike T., Swampeast MO
Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
in THE MAIN WALL
Figured they HAD to be something like that--have just never seen them before. The vast majority of systems around here are two-pipe water or one-pipe steam.

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  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Was at a new "watering hole" Saturday night and spent most of my time trying to figure out how this system (standing iron rads) works...

    Single 2" main running OVERHEAD around the perimeter--1/2" supply/return to each rad. All tees spaced rad-width apart. Rads connected bottom-bottom with a boiler drain at each supply (first) connection to the rad. Regular air vent at the top of each.

    Tees (see drawing) looked essentially conventional. Hubs a bit larger/heavier looking than most, but very closely spaced. There is a raised flat area on one side of each tee but I could find no markings. All but one of the tees were oriented the same way (flat area facing the wall). Most of system appeared original, but newly coated with aluminum paint.

    Are these some sort of diverter tee or is it just a weird system? I didn't compute the total EDR in the space, but it seemed excessive. 7 larger rads in about 1800 sf; old "downtown-type" building with only true exposure the narrow front and back.
  • Al Letellier
    Al Letellier Member Posts: 781
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    curious

    Sure sounds and looks like monoflow tees to me.

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  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,866
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    That's a real nice way

    to heat a space where you can't run the main below the floor. A 1/2" pipe in a forced circulation system can carry a lot of heat- why make it bigger? All the tees look alike because you need a tee on supply and return risers in a down-feed system- otherwise the hot water won't go down to the radiator.

    Here's a pic of one I designed and helped build. HO already had the rads but they never worked right, so we put them on their own zone and piped it Monoflo. The old pipes were exposed and we ran the new ones the same way- he didn't want to open up the walls.

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