One pipe system

I have friend who has just bought a house who wanted a rad. Removing for the plasterer. Upon looking at the system via lifting a board it turns out it's a one pipe system. Can these occasionally work ok? I the past I have ripped out and repiped. But all the radiators where buggerd in that house.

 

Occasionally, yes - if it was sized and installed correctly back in the middle ages

 

I think the house is the 70s. If it was my house I'd rip out and start again. Is a new boiler. But don't think he'll want to go to this. Every thing appears to be working OK. There's a pipe going around so if you turn one rad off it won't shut the hole system down. His on about swapping the bathroom rad. For a towel rad. This should work ok on a one pipe system?

 

So leaving that pipe in place and just connecting a towel rad to the old rad flow and return - should be fine

 

It's a sealed system off a combi are they no more prone to air locks when refilling than a two pipe system. Usually OK on a sealed system.

 

Any advice on this one? A new combi boiler was installed on the system 2 years ago. Should it really be converted or just leave alone? Thanks

 

I know what I would do !! For every 10 one pipe systems I have worked on unless large bore commercial, maybe one would give reasonable heating. Customers are amazed at system performance after a re pipe!!

 

Thing is they will eventually want rads and valves that are not suitable for one pipe

 

Don't forget there has to be a fair length of pipe between the flow & return connections for a radiator with a one pipe system.

If this is too short, too much water takes the short route & the radiator doesn't get hot.... I found this the hard way

 

It flows in one side it thenI think you call it bypass pipe that carries on to and picks up the return from the rad. And to the rest of the system. So you can turn the rad off without shutting down the system. Do you mean a fair length of pipe as in the rad. Needs to be a decent size?

 

Are towel radiators suitable for a one pipe system?

 

And do the valves need to be specialist?

 

There are valve and rads more suitable tend to be less restricted

 

Would a towel rad. Work the as its got large water ways?

 

Am I also correct in saying that it's unadvisable to use tight elbows on the system. The rest of the system has machine bends