Installing rads - need to know feed & return?

FrankGrimes

I ran in pipes for 3 rads in an extension a while back and am only now fitting the rads due to a big delay from the supplier of the vertical rads.

I branched off from the existing heating system and ran 2 pipes to the furthest rad, with branches along the way for the 2 other rads. I have the pipes centred correctly and coming out from the wall at the right spots but am not sure which ones are the feed and which are the returns?. How important is this and what is the best way for figuring out which is which?

crosstownk

It's best to keep the flow and returns common across the system. I'm no plumber, but I reckon the best way is to trace the pipe back to the boiler - the one that feeds from the top of the boiler is the flow and the return feeds the bottom of the boiler with the cooler water.

JamesM

crosstownk wrote:

It's best to keep the flow and returns common across the system. I'm no plumber, but I reckon the best way is to trace the pipe back to the boiler - the one that feeds from the top of the boiler is the flow and the return feeds the bottom of the boiler with the cooler water.

If you can't see the pipes all the way back to the boiler and you have the rest of the system working, try switching off or disconnecting the water pump and running the boiler. Then, when the water is hot, switch on the pump and, in the area where you have connected the new pipes, see which pipe gets hot first - that's the flow.
Jim.

delly

An infrared temp gauge would help a great deal, about €30 to €40. Also helps when doing the balancing.

tapest

JamesM wrote:

If you can't see the pipes all the way back to the boiler and you have the rest of the system working, try switching off or disconnecting the water pump and running the boiler. Then, when the water is hot, switch on the pump and, in the area where you have connected the new pipes, see which pipe gets hot first - that's the flow.
Jim.

Ouch ! if stepping on James' toes

Frank, As james says above...obviously with all open ends Blanked off....You may have to release air out of each pipe.

???? we still talking James ???
t

kevinp

Your rads will work just fine the way you have plumbed them. Rads dont mind which end is the flow or return or which end you turn them on/off at. You may need to balance all the other rads now that you have three extra ones. This depends on whether you are feeding them from a manifold or the traditional piping method. You may also need to increase your circulating pump speed. Try them out first and get back to me.

JamesM

tapest wrote:

Ouch ! if stepping on James' toes

Frank, As james says above...obviously with all open ends Blanked off....You may have to release air out of each pipe.

???? we still talking James ???
t

Toes just fine - head not too good - just back in from neighbours, New Year etc. (check the time !)
Naturally I meant check the heat in the pipes which have been in existance for the past few weeks (or months) since you did the work - I think I mean, we all have a certain amount of common sense haven't we
Jim.

gabbo is coming

Rads don't mind which is the flow and which is the return. A rad is just one big metal pipe.

JamesM

gabbo is coming wrote:

Rads don't mind which is the flow and which is the return. A rad is just one big metal pipe.

If you use thermostatic valves, I believe that they should be on the flow.
Jim.