Can I do this? Or is it a "water" short circuit!

[bickies]

Hello - first time user here needing some basic advice. I've just replaced the flow / return pipes in the house we've just moved into and run new feeds to each rad (the previous system was a nightmare - flows and returns on the wrong way - radiators connected off of each other etc etc).

It's a much better job now, but I'm stuck on two points.

1) Rather than run the F/R to a "final" radiator - I've simply looped the F/R via right angles at the end of the line. Is this correct or should they be simply terminated with stop ends. The reason for doing this was to allow a little bit for future additions.

2) I've run two F/R feeds into unused rooms to add rads at a later date, and I've looped them again. Same question - should these be terminated individually rather than looped?

Simple questions - I just have no idea. I can't see what harm looping them will do as essentially a radiator forms a loop. But a friend told me that looping acts as a "water short circuit" and could cause uneven performance in the rest of the system as a radiator acts a resistor!

Any comments welcome (even the ones taking the...!!).

Cheers.

 

[sooey]

You could put a bypass valve in the loop, depending on what boiler you've got. But basically you're mate is right the unrestricted loop on the flow and return will act as a short circuit. The loops for future rads shouldn't matter too much, they'll just keep the floorboards warm. Though if any rads prove difficult to get heat to they will have to be blanked as well.

 

[bickies]

Fantastic - cheers for that! Will do!

 

[Whitespirit66]

You are right in a way. A radiator is a loop. The difference between a radiator and the ends of F and R pipes that are just joined together is that they are uneven loops. The rads will provide resistance to flow depending on their size, but the looped ends of pipes will not offer any real resistance.

Water in a rad distribution circuit is a bit like electricity, in that it always wants to take the course of least resistance. In this case the loops offer little resistance, so they will take a lot of the flow.

I wouldn't recommend these loops, just cap the 2 pipes seperately.

 

[newbuildinstaller]

It will be a barsteward to balance with loops in as there will be no way to adjust the resistance in the way a rad valve/bypass can. So you may end up with some cold radiators

 

[bengasman]

1) Rather than run the F/R to a "final" radiator - I've simply looped the F/R via right angles at the end of the line. Is this correct or should they be simply terminated with stop ends.

There is no final or last radiator, they are in parallel. Feed and return should never be connected.

2) I've run two F/R feeds into unused rooms to add rads at a later date, and I've looped them again. Same question - should these be terminated individually rather than looped?

Same answer.

 

[moggridgeplumbing]

What you have done is provide a 'through circuit' which was a typical way of providing a 'bypass', to protect the boiler from overheating, but agree with problems with balancing.

 

[JimCrow]

If you have replaced the pipework in copper sqeeze one of the pipes flat
using a pair of pliers just before where you have looped them together,

this will close the circuit and save you time farting around draining the system down again to cap them .

 

[moggridgeplumbing]

If you have replaced the pipework in copper sqeeze one of the pipes flat
using a pair of pliers just before where you have looped them together,

this will close the circuit and save you time farting around draining the system down again to cap them .

No don't. Not only is it a bodge, it will also weaken the pipe at that point and in worst case split the pipe causing a leak.

 

[bengasman]

If you have replaced the pipework in copper sqeeze one of the pipes flat
using a pair of pliers just before where you have looped them together,
.

Aren't you the bloke known as: "Jim the Botcher"?

 

[Whitespirit66]

If you have replaced the pipework in copper sqeeze one of the pipes flat
using a pair of pliers just before where you have looped them together,

Typical short course bodge. Are they doing intensive plumbing training courses in Warsaw Mr Crowski?

 

[JimCrow]

If you have replaced the pipework in copper sqeeze one of the pipes flat
using a pair of pliers just before where you have looped them together,
.

Aren't you the bloke known as: "Jim the Botcher"?

Sorry to disappoint you Ben but its just....

Jim Crow.. google it

 

[JimCrow]

If you have replaced the pipework in copper sqeeze one of the pipes flat
using a pair of pliers just before where you have looped them together,

this will close the circuit and save you time farting around draining the system down again to cap them .

No don't. Not only is it a bodge, it will also weaken the pipe at that point and in worst case split the pipe causing a leak.

No it wont, you obviously dont understand the ductile properties of copper.

now run along back to your Eddie Stobart film..

 

[bickies]

Cheers all for your input.

I've put stop ends at the end of the new F/R run and more rads are now live.

I'm left with 5 other "loops" for rads to be connected to at a later date, but due to the poor performance, I think I'll invest in some more stop ends (all plastic you see) and cap the lot.

I presume there's no down side to this?

Cheers again to all.

 

[bickies]

One more thing thinking on it.

Two rads refuse to work - they're old and probably need flushing, but I noticed on the new F/R run that the spurs off to each rad (run seperately of course) are very close together - is there a minimum distance they should be apart. I didn't think it would make a difference?