Unusual radiator piping

[Neal Lewis]

This hydronic heating system has been converted from gravity to circulated with a pump. This seems to be the original piping at the radiators. There is no pipe at the other end of the radiator. There must be some type of internal flow control for the water to circulate through the radiator. Anybody seen this before?

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[Tom Raymond]

That radiator is still gravity fed.

[kurt]

Are you sure it isn't an old single pipe steam system that someone (kind of) retrofit to a circulated hot water system?

[Steven Hockstein]

Did you run it for a while? It would be interesting to see the temperature difference between the valve side piping and the opposite side of the radiator.

[Bill Kibbel]

I remember it being called a "Unique Valve" and I think it was made by Honeywell. It contains a double gate in the cylinder that either diverts water into the radiator in one position, or bypassing it when in the other position.

I think I have a diagram of this valve in a book somewhere. I'll look for it when I get done today.

[Tom Raymond]

Kibble is a machine. Scroll down to pages 23/24.

Honeywell Unique Valve

[Terence McCann]

Kibble is a machine.

Truly.

[Bill Kibbel]

Here's an illustration from 500 Plain Answers to Direct Questions on Steam, Hot water, Vapor and Vacuum Heating: by Alfred King, published in 1915:

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I like the illustration in the link that Tom posted. Gee thanks Tom - now I have to locate and purchase that Honeywell booklet.

[Neal Lewis]

Thanks Bill. There was an unused expansion tank in the attic. It was definitely a gravity system retrofitted with a circulator pump. I didn't run the system for too long. It was a hot day and a 300,000 btu boiler. I would've had to run it for an hour to heat up the radiators.

[John Kogel]

That truly is a unique valve. Thanks, Bill.

And thanks, Tom, I have bookmarked the little Honeywell Booklet for a winter read. I wonder if some of their success in the business stemmed from their ability to explain so well how their systems worked? I can picture the family huddled around the stove while Dad read in the brochure how they were finally going to heat the whole house. []

[Steven Hockstein]

That is cool. Never have seen it in person.