Cast Iron adiator with supply and return pipings side by side

Sunray

My house was built in 1939. Most radiators are 4 tubes with various heights and number of sections. What is annoying is that the supply and return pipings are side by side, on the same side, at the bottom of the radiator. The heating system is still hot water gravity - two pipes and it works OK!

I contemplate the conversion from gravity heating to hot water forced circulation with the removal of all existing large pipes in the basement. Would the cast iron radiators with the side-by-side supply and return piping work in a circulated system? How should one approach the design of the new system with such radiators?

All help will be appreciated,

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Sounds like a Honeywell "Unique" system.

Follow this link to "The Library: "Honeywell Unique Valve Patent Application"

Conversion to forced flow shouldn't be any real problem.

Sunray

Cast iron radiator with water supply and return side-by-side

To help envision the situation here is attached a picture of the radiator end at the location where both supply and return are piped in.

Is this potentially a problem for using these radiators in a forced circulation system?

All help appreciated!

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Haven't worked on those, but am quite certain that there's a special fitting inside that radiator extending to the other end to ensure proper circulation. Conversion to forced flow won't be a problem.

Steamhead

Those are rather rare

They're not the "Honeywell Unique" but they are definitely unique.

There may or may not be a baffle inside those radiators to direct the flow. I would operate on the assumption that there is not. If you change to forced circulation you stand a good chance of over-pumping which will make the water short-circuit between the flow and return pipes. This would keep the rad from heating properly. Go to the following Hot Tech Topic for an in-depth discussion of this:

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

I'd also avoid repiping this system, since the water distribution characteristics could change enough that you'd get too much flow thru some rads and not enough in others. Again, excessive flow would cause the water to short-circuit inside the rad.

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gerry gill

I would install

a 3/8th inch orifice in each radiator valve and size the pump the way steamhead says in his hot tech topic paper on this subject..i would also leave the piping alone..

J.C.A._3

This is NOT a commercial.....,

But one of the finest pieces of equipmet to come down the pike in the last 10 years are/is the 3 speed Grundfos UP-15 series pumps.

They seem to cover quite a range and if your paramiters fall close to 1, the next higher speed will usually cover it.(or in this case, the next lower speed.....Big PIPE, Small Pump!) This single piece of technology has lessened the "wrong pump" being installed in more cases than can be accounted for.JMHO I think.... Chris

jeff_51

I absolutely agree with you there

that one pump has given us so many options. I really wonder how many times it has made me look like a genious. Some home owners love to tinker with systems, which you all know fouls things up, but that is one thing thay can play with and not louse up the system.