Baseboard heater hookup question

A quick question dear friends. I'm having a bath renovation done and have typical hot water baseboard heat. On our second floor we have half inch lines going to each room. Can I have a radiator replace a baseboard that states it has 3/4 inch lines and have those hooked up to my 1/2 lines (with an adaptor) and still work ok?

Many thanks!!

Reply to
SMF
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Not enough information. I'm not familiar with baseboard using only 1/2" tubing. It will have less flow that the typical 3/4" tubing.

As for your radiator, how well it works depends on the entering water temperature and the surface area exposed. If it has the same rating as the old unit it should be giving off the same amount of heat as the same amount of water will be flowing through it.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Assuming you properly install it, You'll get some heat from it either way, but maybe not enough. All you can do is try it, or talk to a heating contractor and get their advice, based on your heating system and this radiator.

Reply to
Paintedcow

Thanks. To clarify more. My heating is baseboard hot water, the type that runs along the bottom part of the wall in long sections. I'm replacing around a six feet section of this with a radiator with approximately the same BTU's.

My basement has thicker maybe around 1 inch copper pipes that run around the perimeter of the basement floor. This feeds two separate half inch copper pipes which run to each room upstairs on the second floor. It seems to work quite well, circa 1960 house.

Being the unit states it is 3/4 line I am wondering if there will be enough water flow coming in from the 1/2 inch house line assuming there is an adaptor used for this to work correctly?

Thanks again

Reply to
SMF

The main size of all pipes is 1/2". I'm assuming you're saying a 6 foot section using 3/4" opening and reducing back to 1/2". If so, this will not hurt the system. Think of a 1/2" hose connected to a jug entering on one end with a 1/2" hose exiting on the other end. As the water hits the jug for the first time, it will stream in until full then revert back to exiting with the same 1/2" opening as the pressure equalizes again. That jug will remain filled and continue to drain/exit under normal pressure.

Reply to
Meanie

Based on that, I guess we can scrap all that 3/4" pipe and replace it with much less expensive 1/2".

Reply to
trader_4

Correct me if in error.

I stated because I had the exact issue when I had radiant heating in my home. I replaced a bad section with 3/4" as it was in the middle of the run. It worked fine for 4 years before I finally removed the radiant systems and installed an efficient furnace and AC unit.

Reply to
Meanie

Sorry about that. I read it backwards, thinking the existing was 3/4" and he was going to 1/2" for a section. You're right, putting in a radiator with 3/4" fittings won't reduce the flow.

Reply to
trader_4

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