Radiator question

[newshound]

My living room radiator is undersized in this weather. I have a convenient space for a second similar one on the same wall. Normally of course I'd plumb them in parallel, but so as to stick with one TRV I wondered whether to put them in series.

Views?

I just flushed it out when I replaced the boiler so I am happy that the rad isn't blocked (or full of air). It's currently fed by 10 mm drops from the ceiling, I could replace these with 15 mm to reduce the flow resistance. I'll be doing some temperature measurements, just havn't quite got round to it.

[Invisible Man]

If they are large you might get quite a temperature drop across the 2.

[Phil L]

Why not just replace it with a double radiator of the same dimensions?

[newshound]

Sorry should have said, it's already a convector double

[Tabby]

2 rads in series work fine. Some CH systems used to have multiple rads in series.

There is another option, to add a small quiet fan to boost the output. Even a PC fan run on reduced voltage with a small cowl can add 3 degrees C to a room.

NT

[Rob]

Who'd've thought:

[funkyoldcortina]

on earth?!

[Rob]

:-)

Can't seem to access the (US based) test, and the reviews are hardly the last word in rigour.

Rob

[Robin]

Presumably another "power factor correction" device as exposed (sic) at

?

[Tabby]

tp://

Sounds like a plugin capacitor. Savings are nonsense. Radiator boosting with a little fan does work though.

NT

[Andy Burns]

[PeterC]

Just done that in late Summer. There was a type 22 and I had a spare type 11 that I piped in series by making a flat-bottomed U from tupe and 2 bends (only about 120mm 'tween valves - and they're not in line of course.

Yes, there's a drop across the two, but there should be! There's a hell of a difference in warm-up time, even with a bit of throttling (no TRV on them) and this room stays warm for longer because there's more hot water in here.

[PeterC]

fan on a bit of wood. It worked (of course) but there were a couple of drawbacks and ICBA to go any further. The fan was 240V(!) and it wouldn't have been allowed at Heathrow at night - but it did shift some air.

[The Natural Philosopher]

[Weatherlawyer]

Hmmm. Might try that tonight, ta.

[newshound]

Thanks; I shall have a play with computer fans and do some sums as well. I have a big (6kW) fan assisted HX which I'd quite like to put in the cupboard under the stairs (in the same room), but SO is very resistant to such things after putting a kickspace fan radiator in the kitchen, and taking it out again because it was noisy and not all that effective.

Part of the problem with this room is the stairwell, with a waterfall of cold air coming down from a big attic room which doesn't need heating since kids left home. For various good reasons it's not possible to put a door across this space, and even a thick curtain would be tricky (although I am also looking into that)

[Tabby]

The ASA page completely misses the point, namely that 10% current reduction, which a capacitor can produce with some appliances, has nothing to do with 10% energy saving, or indeed any energy saving.

NT

[Tabby]

Fan choice is important. I went through a boxful of fans to find one that was truly silent on 7v, and that started on 5v (to ensure it would be reliable on 7v). For some reason the quietest on 12v was not the quietest on 7v. Also if you use a 3/6/9/12v switchable wart you get boost control, just use some method to prevent it getting switched to 3v.

NT

[Tabby]

It could work in an industrial setting, but of course there are far more sensible & cost effective way to use power factor correction in such situations.

NT