Radiator piping

gilmil · Jun 12, 2010

All of the hot water radiators on the second floor of our house (1929 construction) have a valve, then a tee on the same side of the radiator. The water comes in from the vale, through a center passage of the tee and into the radiator.

I assume the cold water is then forced out through the outer passage of the tee and down the return pipe. Is this an old type of monoflow tee?

Does anyone know why are the second floor radiators like this, and the first floor ones have a feed pipe on one side and return pipe on the other?

Thanks so much,
Gil

NHmaster3015 · Jun 12, 2010

pictures please

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

gilmil · Jun 12, 2010

downstairs valve

upstairs valve

upstairs valve take 2

NHmaster3015 · Jun 12, 2010

Boy, havn't seen them in years. Yes, the water flows through the inside pipe and back down the outside and 99% of the time they were on a mono flow system. No clue why they split it up but it probably had something to do with keeping the pipes close to each other to minimize holes in the ceiling and such

gilmil · Jun 12, 2010

Wally,

The house was built in 1928-29 and the radiators/piping going to them appears to be original. I'm not sure why they used them upstairs either. I have to replace one of the radiators, and the valve has some issue and is no longer available. I guess I'll just plumb the replacement in a similar manner to the first floor radiators.

Thanks,
Gil

NHmaster3015 · Jun 12, 2010

You will need to remove the plug from the other end of the radiator and pipe the return to there.

inkblots · Jun 20, 2010

My duplex I'm renovating also had the radiators on the second floor plumbed the same way. The house sat empty for awhile, the system froze and several radiatiors were removed along with these "two way T's". I'd like to replace them if anyone has any on hand they'd like to sell. I need three of them. Thanks, Ed

BritishValves · Dec 6, 2010

You could always try these valves - they are hand crafted in the UK, tell them what sizes you need and they will make them for you

http://www.traditional-radiator-valves.co.uk

Good luck

hj · Dec 6, 2010

Those co-axial hot water radiator valves were very inefficient unless the "probe" extended all the way to the opposite end of the radiator to provide maximum circulation.

gilmil · Dec 7, 2010

HJ,

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. All of the second floor valves are like that. They'll probably stay that way until I get really bored in the summertime. Then maybe I'll attempt to replace them with something more efficient. It would have to be above the floor and therefore would make every radiator more ugly than it is.

-Gil

hj · Dec 8, 2010

If the radiator had a larger tap for the bushing, you might have been able to use a "double tapped" bushing used in the oil industry, but you will probably just have to run the return under, or behind, the radiator back to the riser.

inkblots · Jul 1, 2011

re: radiator plumbing

Gil, Just curious did you ever change the two way valves on your radiators? I'd still like to get my hands on some and if your no longer using them, I'd be interested in purchasing them from you. Ed

Radiator piping

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