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[american-pacemaker]

I am finishing the install on my PM 250 and have a basement heating question. We are going to finish the basement with a family room and two bedrooms and a laundry room. I am wondering if I could use the old cast iron radiators for each room ? How did they used to figure the size of these units ? What temp water would need to be sent to these if they were installed ?

[caper]

Hey pal. first of all i am by no means as educated as some guys on heating,however i can tell you that i have a heatmaster 5000 and i have all cast iron rads on the main floor of my house,each one is on its own loop and they work great,for the first two years i had 180 going to them ,quick fast heat,this year i added mixn valves to each of my zones including these,i now run them at around 150 and am still experimenting,i may go lower,the heat is awesome,just make sure you get each one pressure tested before you install them in case they have a leak or something...mine are all low boys as well,bedroom ones are approx three feet long,large living room and dining room ones are longer approx 6 feet long or 21 rungs.....once again they are great ,youll have no regrets...

[Pinehouse4]

I installed lots of rads this summer here, I just love the heat.

Silent and steady.

Here is the best link I found to calculate the BTU output of rads. 

http://www.columbiaheatingsupply.com/page_images/Sizing%20Cast%20Iron%20Radiator%20Heating%20Capacity%20Guide.pdf

I ran a 3/4 pex line where it was not in plain sight and 3/4 copper where it was. Each rad has it own loop.

I sandblasted mine.

Bob

[american-pacemaker]

Thanks guys I am going to try and find some radiators.

[Uponthehill]

Installing a few myself.  Make sure they have passage ways at the top of the rad.  I made the mistake of purchasing a true 1 pipe steam radiator.  Beautiful piece, but is going to be converted into a yard ornament.  Still looking for a couple ornate radiators for a large room in the house.  Floors will all have 1/2" pex with UltraFin attached.  Looking forward to the warm floors....

[Jwood]

How do these radiators do compared to baseboards?

[Pinehouse4]

I stand to be corrected but my understanding is you require more feet of baseboard to give the equivalent BTU of a rad. Only makes sense when you measure the square footage of a rad.

I wish I could post some pics, I love looking at these floral pattern rads. Can't walk past one without touching it, must be something wrong with me. 

My wife and kids were smart enough to put a towel on the bathroom rad before they shower........they told me, and now I  have started to do it too. 

Just love them.

Bob

[Sloppy_Snood]

I wish I could post some pics, I love looking at these floral pattern rads. Can't walk past one without touching it, must be something wrong with me.    Bob

Bob (and anyone else) e-mail me you pictures that you would like to post.  I will upload them to my picture-hosting account and place them in your posts.      -Scott

Use the e-mail listed in my profile please. See link below.

LINK:  Sloppy_Snood's OWFI.com Profile (Click Here)

[mlappin]

Tou guys that running multiple radiators, do you plumb em all up and balance manually or set each one up as it's own zone with a thermostat?

[caper]

I have 6 on my main floor, all on their own loop going back to one manifold,work great,great heat too..except one of them bangs when heats comes on and off...prob gonna have to replace it, no one can figure it out or fix it.....small price to pay for good heat tho...

[Pinehouse4]

I have 13 in my house, 2 in my shop.

Each is on its own loop, 3/4 pex where out of site and copper where visible, with ball valves at both sides of the manifold but each has a rad valve attached for direct control. A KISS set up. This was my goal as a newbie to OWB.

At this point what I have found is that judging from the weather I can adjust my mixing valve above the HX so I can send some return water back to the rads, and also the flow to the out put sid of the manifold has a valve, so I can reduce the flow to the rads. I am running the house system ( secondary ) on a small 3 speed pump, currently just on the lowest setting. Furthermore I run the primary on the same size pump, also on the lowest setting, .78 amps. Therefore I believe I have adequate heating capacity in reserve, and often when the house is too warm during the day I switch off the secondary completely. Keeping the two DHW units and an aquarium room and 750 sq ft shop heated.

Any more questions and I will try to help. 

Bob