Central Heating Layout - Circuit or Branches?

[greenlikeapples]

Hi Everyone

Apologies for this probably naive question! I'm renovating a Victorian maisonette and upgrading the central heating from a very old back-boiler system. I'm not a plumber but am practical.

It would seem to me that running a central heating system in a complete circuit is the best or only way to ensure that all radiators heat up effectively and nothing is left out of the system, is that true? My plumber is suggesting multiple T-junctions but surely that will mean that some areas of the system won't get a strong enough flow?

Thanks in advance - I want to get it done right!

Jon

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Your Plumber is right, that is why he has trained in his Craft, and I would imagine that's what you're paying him for....

The system should then be Balanced upon completion of installation to ensure each Radiator receives a fair share of the flow.

 

[terryplumb]

What in your conception is a " complete circuit" ?

 

[ericmark]

Many factors to consider, including type of radiator, 30 years ago it did not matter how hot the return water was, so the Myson fan assisted radiator was plumbed is parallel and it worked near enough, but today return water temperature is important, so fan assisted radiators would work better in series as that way the water is not mixed, and is cool on return.

But use TRV heads and a non fan assisted and it is all turned on it's head, and the by-pass valve is required and parallel pipe work.

So we call the guy who designs the central heating system an engineer, as he has needed to be university trained to well above the level 3 most tradesmen train to, and he has to consider all factors, including when you have a mixture with say fan assisted plinth heater in kitchen, but TRV controlled radiators else where, it can become rather complex, working out recovery times etc.

So you pay for a tradesman to design the system, let him design it.

 

[Madrab]

As @terryplumb , what exactly are you think is a complete circuit - a 1 pipe system?

CH systems are run in a 2 pipe, parallel design as that is the best layout to ensure all the rads can be setup properly and allow them to be configured to heat up at the same time. As was suggested by @Hugh Jaleak the system should be balanced once installed/upgrade to ensure that happens.

In the best of systems that have been designed and have an optimum layout (main backbone centralised and the branches out to the rads of similar/ overall lengths), the system can almost balance itself and be self regulating but all are designed around a 2 pipe system where, ideally, the last rad on the run is the end connection between flow and return