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Posted by WSteger on October 19, 2005 at 15:58:04:
I have a house built back in the 30's, with no insulation in the walls. I live in NY. Boiler is a Weil McClain with a B&G red circulator. Main trunk lines are 2" black pipe, with 1" or 1 1'4" lines to 10 cast iron radiators. Setup was originally gravity feed as all main pipes slope to bolier. The whole system is one giant zone; a tankless coil heats water which is stored in a 50 gallon storage tank.
Main trunk lines form a "U" shape with the boiler in the bottom of the U. 2 pipes go out each way ... a supply and a return. Circulator is on the return. Problem I have is with some radiators not heating up much or taking forever to warm up and others are too warm and hard to control. Downstairs is cold, and upstairs is sweltering.
To convert this to a 2 zone (1 for main floor and one for 2nd), could a 3rd trunk line be run from the bolier along side the 2 already in place ... depending on how it gets hooked up, it could be either a common return or common supply.
Obviously, one set of radiator pipes (say those for 2nd floor) would have to be disconnected from one of the currently in place pipes and reconnected to this new pipe. Either a 2nd circulator or use of zone valves with the one already in place would split the water between the 2 zones.
Is what I described practical (I know it will be expensive given everything is screwed together pipe) and large sizes to boot for control valves.
Any other ideas on how to do this ....