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Posted by joe on May 28, 2006 at 13:05:32:
In Reply to: Installing new radiator to 1 pipe system posted by george on May 28, 2006 at 08:41:22:
copper is the easiest way to go.
Usually sawing old piping from the two fittings that connect it is not done. You can break those two fittings that connect the pipe with a hammer. If one of them is a fitting, you may want to go further down in your system, so that you can run copper with ease.
If you take a lump hammer, you can hit those cast fittings until they split. The piping is malleable, the fittings are cast (similarly, you can smash your cast iron radiators and your cast iron bathtub this way).
Instead of using old threaded fittings, use copper and solder in your tee, and run 1" copper up to your radiator terminated by a 1" copper x male adapter. Screw radiator valve onto male threads of adapter.
That is the easiest way to do the job, if you know how to solder.
If you don't know how to solder, always solder the copper by male adapters (there should be three, one for each fitting in the basement and one at the radiator valve) before screwing them into your fittings and valve. If you screw them in first and attempt to solder, the heavy fittings and valve will take the heat away from the joint at the copper connection of the pipe and the copper x male adapter as you solder, and you will solder a defective joint. trick of the trade: Solder copper x male adapters first, screw in afterwards.