Possible connection schemes for heating radiators

To keep the house warm, it is important to design the heating scheme correctly. One of the components of its efficiency is the connection of heating radiators. No matter whether you are going to install cast iron, aluminum, bimetallic or steel radiators, it is important to choose the right way to connect them.

Types of heating systems

The amount of heat that will radiate from the radiator, not least depends on the type of heating system and the chosen type of connection. To choose the best option, it is necessary to first understand what exactly heating systems are and how they differ.

Single-pipe

One-pipe heating system – the most economical option in terms of installation costs. Therefore, it is this type of distribution is preferred in multi-storey houses, although in private such a system is not uncommon. In this scheme radiators are included in the mains in series and the coolant passes first through one heating tube, then comes to the entrance of the second and so on. The output of the last radiator is connected to the input of the heating boiler or to the riser in high-rise buildings.

The disadvantage of this method of distribution is the impossibility of regulating the heat output of radiators. By installing a regulator on any of the radiators, you will regulate the rest of the system. The second significant disadvantage is the different temperature of the coolant on different radiators. Those that are closer to the boiler, warm up very well, which are farther away – are getting colder. This is a consequence of the sequential connection of heating radiators.

Two-pipe connection

Two-pipe heating system is characterized by the fact that it has two strings of piping – supply and return. Each radiator is connected to both, that is, it turns out that all radiators are connected to the system in parallel. This is good because the same temperature coolant enters each of them. The second positive point is that you can install a thermostat on each radiator and use it to change the amount of heat it produces.

The disadvantage of this system is that the number of pipes in the system is almost twice as large. But the system can be easily balanced.

Read more about heating systems for a private house here.

Where to put radiators

Traditionally, radiators are placed under the windows and it is not accidental. The upward flow of warm air cuts off the cold air that comes from the windows. In addition, the warm air heats the windows, preventing condensation from forming on them. Only for this purpose it is necessary for the radiator to occupy at least 70% of the width of the window opening. Only in this way the window will not fog up. Therefore, when choosing the power of radiators, select it so that the width of the entire heating radiator was not less than the specified value.

In addition, it is necessary to correctly select the height of the radiator and the place for its placement under the window. It should be placed so that the distance to the floor was in the neighborhood of 8-12 cm. If lower, it will be inconvenient to clean, if you raise it higher – your feet will be cold. The distance to the window sill is also regulated – it should be 10-12 cm. In this case, the warm air will freely bypass the obstacle – the window sill – and rise along the window glass.

And the last distance to be kept when connecting radiators – the distance to the wall. It should be 3-5 cm. In this case, along the back wall of the radiator will rise upward streams of warm air, the speed of heating the room will improve.

How to mount and connect radiators with your own hands read here.

Diagrams of connection of radiators

How well the radiators will warm up depends on how to feed the coolant into them. There are more and less effective options.

Radiators with a bottom connection

All radiators have two types of connection – side and bottom. With the bottom connection, there can be no discrepancies. There are only two spigots – inlet and outlet. Accordingly, the coolant is supplied to the radiator from one side and discharged from the other.

Specifically, where to connect the supply, and where the return is written in the installation instructions, which must necessarily be available.

Heating radiators with a side connection

With a lateral connection, there are many more options: here the supply and return piping can be connected in two pipes, respectively, there are four options.

Option No. 1. Diagonal connection

Such connection of heating radiators is considered the most effective, it is taken as a reference and that is how manufacturers test their heating devices and the data in the passport on the thermal capacity – for such a connection. All other types of connection are less effective in giving out heat.

All because, with a diagonal connection of batteries, the hot coolant is supplied to the upper input from one side, passes through the entire radiator and exits from the opposite, lower side.

Option #2. Unilateral

As is clear from the name, the pipelines are connected from one side – supply from the top, return – from the bottom. This option is convenient when the riser passes to the side of the heater, which is often the case in apartments, because this type of connection usually prevails. When the coolant is brought from the bottom, this scheme is not often used – it is not very convenient to locate the pipes.

With this connection of radiators, the heating efficiency is only slightly lower – by 2%. But this is only if there are only a few sections in the radiators – no more than 10. If the radiator is longer, its far from the edge will be poorly heated or will remain cold at all. In panel radiators to solve the problem put flow extenders – tubes that bring the coolant just beyond the middle. The same devices can be installed in aluminum or bimetallic radiators, improving the heat output.

Option No. 3: Bottom or saddle connection

Of all the options, the sectional connection of heating radiators is the least efficient. Losses are about 12-14%. But this option is the most inconspicuous – the pipes are usually laid on the floor or under it and this method is the best from the point of view of aesthetics. And to losses do not affect the temperature in the room, you can take a radiator a little more powerful than required.

In systems with natural circulation, this type of connection should not be done, but in the presence of a pump, it works quite well. In some cases, even not worse than lateral. Simply at some speed of movement of the coolant there are vortex flows, the entire surface is heated, the heat transfer increases. These phenomena are not yet fully understood, so it is impossible to predict the behavior of the coolant.