Can I extend/double/enlarge my steam radiator somehow?

CoachBoilermaker · February 1

Living room is my main room. I have Gordon D on the radiator. Works great. But, I wish the radiator was twice as big. Like I want most of the steam to go to living room.

Can I daisy chain a second radiator? Like can I connect a 2nd radiator to the vent hole? Or screw in a second extension radiator?

Is there a simple hack I can do without major surgery? Like screw in something like a large metal box to the vent hole, like an addition to the radiator.

kcopp · February 1

Depends…

Show us a pix of the radiator.

May be easier to just replace w/ a larger radiator.

ethicalpaul · February 1

Not the vent hole, that won't work to allow any reasonable amount of steam to pass through against the resulting condensate.

But every radiator I have seen has a full access port at the bottom on both ends. You could remove the plug from each radiator and connect them with two 2" nipples and a union, as long as the ports were at the same height (achievable by getting the same make of radiator, or shims, or maybe the height is relatively standard).

My good sized radiators all have a 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" bushing that has been there for decades so it's safe to say the plug on the other side is also 1-1/2". It might be hard to get out but you only have to remove the plug from one radiator.

The existing supply has to be large enough to supply the combined EDR but if it's 1-1/4" that can supply a lot of EDR

Long Beach Ed · February 1

In a few words, "daisy chained radiators" will not heat as well in all conditions as two radiators properly individually piped.

The significant amount of condensate returning from the far radiator will effectively cool the steam entering the near radiator. The near radiator was not designed to handle twice the condensate that it, alone would produce. The result could be reduced heat output and/or water hammer.

In mild heating situations, the arrangement may appear flawless, but in extreme conditions the piping would prove inadequate for condensate handling. Increasing the pitch of both radiators and piping may increase the capacity somewhat.

So it may work if the piping capacity is not exceeded, but not as well as if proper practice was followed.

ethicalpaul · February 1

The significant amount of condensate returning from the far radiator will effectively cool the steam entering the near radiator.

Sorry to disagree but no it won't. If the radiator were twice as many sections, does the condensate from the far sections kill the steam in the near sections?

The near radiator was not designed to handle twice the condensate that it, alone would produce.

Radiators of different sizes aren't really designed, they just hook more and more sections onto them to make them bigger with the exact same size supply port (which is in each section's casting).

And the pitch has no observable effect…I pitched a radiator dramatically in the wrong direction with no ill effect.

In a few words, "daisy chained radiators" will not heat as well in all conditions as two radiators properly individually piped.

I think we all agree that two radiators installed at the perfect location and the perfect size would indeed be better, but that wasn't his question 🙂 Installing a new second radiator is much much more difficult than what he asked about.

But I would ask @CoachBoilermaker if he is seeing this radiator completely full of steam a lot. If it's not, then adding a second radiator to it may not do anything.

JUGHNE · February 1

Paul, if the rad had twice as many sections, it would also have a larger supply valve and riser. This could handle more condensate return thru the single pipe. IMO

Long Beach Ed · February 1

As Jughne agrees, the double sized radiator would most likely be supplied with a larger feed, riser and runout, increasing its condensate handling ability.

Increasing the pitch of any pipe improves its condensate handling capacity in a one-pipe system for several reasons.

CoachBoilermaker · February 1

Yes @ethicalpaul the living room radiator gets full on nearly every hearing cycle.

ethicalpaul · February 1

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1885674#Comment_1885674

Thank you, please note this sentence from my original reply!

The existing supply has to be large enough to supply the combined EDR but if it's 1-1/4" that can supply a lot of EDR

@Long Beach Ed writes:

Increasing the pitch of any pipe improves its condensate handling capacity in a one-pipe system for several reasons.

Maybe, but I was referring to the radiators. The condensate produced by even a large radiator (by typical residential standards) is a pretty small amount.

It would be easier to just find a larger radiator on FB Marketplace, we can agree

Long Beach Ed · February 1

…and a LOT easier than trying to get that plug out of the end of the old radiator…

Can I extend/double/enlarge my steam radiator somehow?

Comments

Categories