Gravity radiator connections

Ted_9

I remember reading in on of Dans books that if you have a gravity hot water system and the supply and return are on the bottom of the rad, using a circulator with a new boiler will make the hot water shoot from one sid eto the other without properly heating the rad. Am I remebering this correctly?

Should I repipe the rads to go supply high and return low?

Should I check for an oriface in the rads?

DanHolohan

That's correct

but you can avoid the problem by slowing the flow as it enters the radiator, either by using an orifice, or by partially closing the supply valve.

Ted_9

I did check two of the many rads in the house. They were on the 4th floor and the customer said that the rads never heated properly. I looked in the supply and return and found no orifice. But I did find that the boiler has a 30psi releif and a 12 psi water feeder. The brown stone is 4 floors with a basement as well. I think I need to increase the pressure to reach the top floor. Does this sound fair?

Mike T., Swampeast MO

1 psi will lift water 2.31 feet so 12 pounds will lift about 27.7 feet.

For rad on 4th floor with boiler in basement doubtful that 12 psi is enough. 18 psi or so should be good. You can put a low-reading pressure gauge on highest rad and adjust for 2 psi there if you want.

Steamhead

A circulator that's too big

will cause this too. Time to wander off the Wall. Go here for a story about this very thing:

http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm?Id=119

and here for a good sizing procedure:

http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm?Id=125

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Ted_9

There is a 0010 for 3 2" supplies

Steamhead

How much radiation

does the system have?

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Ted_9

At this point I've lost track since the rads are being removed for radiant ant other heat.