# balancing valves. Supply or return?



## jim connolly

Have to install a few to even out the heat distribution on a residential system. What do you all think is the best location. On engineered drawings for larger commercial jobs I've seen: Ball valve on supply, balancing valve on return OR balancing valve on supply, ball valve on return. In practice I'm not sure which works best because an independent third party has to do the balancing.
Balancing valve on supply makes the most sense to me, what do you guys think?


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## UA22PLumber

Return...Balancing valves are used to create the same pressure loss through multiple circuits.If 2 differant loops,have differant amounts of headloss...those differances aren't known until the media has been subjected to the friction loss of the entire circuit....the return side,where differances can be measured and balanced...plus all the B&G manuals say return side...


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## Catlin987987

I don't think it really matters, as long as you have isolation valves in addition to balancing valves.


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## nhmaster3015

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


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## TX MECH PLUMBER

Balancing valves always on the return with ball valve on both s and r. You don't ever use a balance valve as a isolation valve ever!! It goes on return because you want to balance after the friction loss of the coil not before the loss. If you put it in supply the flow in the return won't be the same cuz the friction loss. Don't for get Petes plugs/test ports on supply side. This how we do it here in commercial hydronics just a few pics of my work I like to show off!! You only see my good work tho !!! You can see the balance valve in a few pics.


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## Gettinit

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Balancing valves always on the return with ball valve on both s and r. You don't ever use a balance valve as a isolation valve ever!! It goes on return because you want to balance after the friction loss of the coil not before the loss. If you put it in supply the flow in the return won't be the same cuz the friction loss. Don't for get Petes plugs/test ports on supply side. This how we do it here in commercial hydronics just a few pics of my work I like to show off!! You only see my good work tho !!! You can see the balance valve in a few pics.


Wipe those joints!:laughing:


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## rjbphd

According to IBR book, bal valves on return..


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## TX MECH PLUMBER

I wipe my pipe with warm soapy water in a rag after it's cooled. I flick any drops off the bottom of the joint when it's hot. I never wipe the joint with flux brush when I'm sweating or when uts still hot. No need to. Waste of flux. Burns brushes up. Gets flux all dirty and mire flux to clean off when it's done. I miss a drip or two sometimes but not to many.


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## Gettinit

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> I wipe my pipe with warm soapy water in a rag after it's cooled. I flick any drops off the bottom of the joint when it's hot. I never wipe the joint with flux brush when I'm sweating or when uts still hot. No need to. Waste of flux. Burns brushes up. Gets flux all dirty and mire flux to clean off when it's done. I miss a drip or two sometimes but not to many.


I was only being funny. I use a rag while it is still molten to get the berries.


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## TX MECH PLUMBER

I knew that I hate to see dirty as flux and Burt up brushes. And green pipe you no what I mean. I tell other guy don't wipe it. U have to they say... Why?? Uaaa I don't know cuz every body else does. Don't do it with my flux or brush. My pet peve.


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## OldSchool

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> I wipe my pipe with warm soapy water in a rag after it's cooled. I flick any drops off the bottom of the joint when it's hot. I never wipe the joint with flux brush when I'm sweating or when uts still hot. No need to. Waste of flux. Burns brushes up. Gets flux all dirty and mire flux to clean off when it's done. I miss a drip or two sometimes but not to many.


Haven't you learned to photo shop your pictures before you post them on pz


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## TX MECH PLUMBER

I do. Lol. Na I don't care. I'm not perfect but I'm close!!! Lol. I'm nit afraid to post pics of my work. If it's not good enough for the world to see then it's not done correct. And any one says any thing. I ask them how I can do ut better and learn a bit from them or I tell them let see you do it. Pics are one of my favorite aspects if the zone. I post a lot of them hopping others will follow suit. I know you like my pics don't you old school. Look at this mess I pisted before. I installed what was drawn knowing I'd have to rip it out cuz it was a bad design.


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## OldSchool

This is what happens when you don't know if you are coming or going


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## TX MECH PLUMBER

Get this. Pipe all shower drains to trench drain basin then out of basin into running trap then in to San sewer.and NO traps on the showers at all. ??????? Wtf. Who drew this???? One trap for all showers. About 60ft of pipe with no traps on it. I said it will smell. He said no sewer gas cuz running trap. Not gas. Shampoo conditioner chiz sweat dirt. Just yuck. No ur rong plumber it will work. He must have never cleaned hair from a girls shower drain. Some one with a freakin head on rite saw it and said. Hell know. Change order and I re did it Traps on all showers and trench drains. And vents on all too. Dumb as. I tried to tell him


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## TX MECH PLUMBER

Sorry for hyjacking the thread. Wife at class and I'm bored the zone is all I have tonite!!! Lol


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## pilot light

On the return!:jester:


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## TX MECH PLUMBER

Return. Always return!!


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