Hot water radiator bypass and efficiency
#1
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Hot water radiator bypass and efficiency
Hello everyone,
We bought a house from 1930's and it has a hot water radiator system, one zone, with the boiler in the basement. As expected, our 2nd floor is colder than the first floor and the basement. The radiators are only mildly warm and we just changed the circulator to improve efficiency. When the plumber bled the radiators he was surprised to find that all of them have a bypass (see picture attached). The bypass gets really hot but not much heat comes from the convector. Why is there a bypass in the first place in all of the radiators, including on the second floor? How can we improve efficiency (switch to european radiators?)? Thank you in advance for your help!
We bought a house from 1930's and it has a hot water radiator system, one zone, with the boiler in the basement. As expected, our 2nd floor is colder than the first floor and the basement. The radiators are only mildly warm and we just changed the circulator to improve efficiency. When the plumber bled the radiators he was surprised to find that all of them have a bypass (see picture attached). The bypass gets really hot but not much heat comes from the convector. Why is there a bypass in the first place in all of the radiators, including on the second floor? How can we improve efficiency (switch to european radiators?)? Thank you in advance for your help!
#2
This looks like it could have been a steam to water conversion. In your picture it looks like a steam trap under the convector element. If this is the case I am wondering if you have a mono-flow system. Could you supply some boiler piping pictures?
If my assumption is correct you can remove the gut's from the steam trap, if not already done, eliminate the bypass and install an air vent on the return side of the element manifold.
If my assumption is correct you can remove the gut's from the steam trap, if not already done, eliminate the bypass and install an air vent on the return side of the element manifold.
#6
I don't see in your pictures signs of this ever being a steam boiler unless you have large iron pipe in the basement we did not see. It does look like a steam trap in your first picture.
You could take one convector and eliminate the bypass pipe. Pull the pipe and plug the supply side of the manifold and install a bushing and vent the return side of the manifold. This would be a real test to see if it will heat much faster and to a higher temperature.
Maybe when it is apart you can check to see if the are any guts in the valve below the heating element.
FYI - The high side of the heating element should be on the return side. It looks like this one could be sloped the wrong way.
You could take one convector and eliminate the bypass pipe. Pull the pipe and plug the supply side of the manifold and install a bushing and vent the return side of the manifold. This would be a real test to see if it will heat much faster and to a higher temperature.
Maybe when it is apart you can check to see if the are any guts in the valve below the heating element.
FYI - The high side of the heating element should be on the return side. It looks like this one could be sloped the wrong way.
2john02458
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#8
2john02458
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#9
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I went back to the specifications manual of the house (a nice find in the basement!) and the system used to be a 2 pipe vapor system with copper piping. It was at some point converted to hot water though I don't know why and when. The bypass valve seems to be an air vent - our best option would be to remove the bypass and see if we can get more heat through the convector.
Thank you everyone for the input!
Thank you everyone for the input!
#10
You need that by pass to get the air out. I would leave the bleeder. Break the union and put a valve in there that you can turn off or throttle. Because when it gets air bound without that by pass or a way to bleed you will have no heat.
Youll see. You have been warned. LOL
Youll see. You have been warned. LOL
#12
If you keep the bypass there is no function for it other than to bypass the radiation, less heat. No need to keep it. As I posted earlier just vent the manifold on the ends with manual or auto vents. I would not use auto vents of the circulators are on the return pipe at the boiler.
2john02458
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