I'm about to have 7 radiators replaced. Having looked online, Wickes seem to sell all of the ones I want, except a 600x1800mm single panel.
Quite simply, are they any good? They seem to be significantly cheaper than other online shops. Even the BTUs seem to be higher for the size of radiators. They also have a 10 year guarantee.
Any gotchas?
Thanks a lot.
Ed.
IME heat outputs are minefields - all depends on temp of water in them
- these days outputs should really state "at delta T 50" but some still state figs calc'ed using "delta T 60" which makes comparison difficult - search back through UK.DIY (if you can) and try to find a better explanantion - you can also convert from one delta calc. method to the other but I forget how....
JimK
If their ad is to be believed, thay heat up faster with less water and give off more heat than other radiators.
They must not need to follow laws of physics.
Delta against what? Flow-return or water-air? It sounds a lot either way - I thought we were supposed to be heading for flow 50, return 40, room 20 these days.
Andy
The output is easily calculated from the formulae in the radiators page of the uk.d-i-y faq wiki. What's not so easily calculated is how long the paintwork will last. IME Wickes radiators and bathrooms are not a good combination. Elsewhere I like their rolled-top design - just a pity they don't do a wider range of sizes and that half the ones they have in stock look as though they've had an argument with a fork-lift truck ... or with gravity and a hard floor.
go on then i'll indulge/submerse you;-
The wording is clever, like most ads.
Example: If a radiator X has 5l of water in it and raditor Y has 10l of water and the flow rate is 5l/min the entire contents of radiator X will be changed in 1 minute. But radiator Y will have only half it's water changed. Which will heat up faster? Which will "use" less water?
So the claim uses less water and heats faster is correct. I'm not sure they claim anything directly about actual output. I've only seen the ad a couple of times the first time made me prick me ears up about the claim of less/faster/more, second time I sussed the wording...
Thanks folks. I've not read anything particularly bad about them yet, so veering towards buying them. :)
I have bought some. The bleed plugs are very weak and inaccesible on double rads. They are in the form of a small brass crew in plug with a square section for the bleed key to fit over. Because they are so small they are weak and one has broken off whilst looseneing to bleed
- now faced with drilling and tapping a replacement (it is on a double radiator and no space to get a drill in to drill it out. So be careful when tightening/loosening.
I've just had the bleed plug shear off when bleeding a Centerrad radiator. Couldn't find a simple small replacement part any where and have just subsequently had the rad replaced with a much nicer looking and sturdier Stelrad. Which I believe comes with nickel plated bleed valves.
After my experience i'd pay the bit extra and go with a brand you can trust. For the price Wickes are selling them at they've got to be cutting corners some where.
Weasel words as you say. Rads don't 'use' water as in consume it, which is how the ad comes over. I'm sure there are many dumb enough to believe their metered water consumption will reduce.
I got a cheap radiator for the bathroom, not Wickes by cheap, and the metal edges had not been rounded off, and consequently the paint was very thin around the edges. After two years, it is starting to rust around the cut edges. I may paint some antirust and touch up sometime, but I'm sure it will be a few years before it starts leaking. Simon.
I'm sure there are.
I wonder if lower water capacity rad have much effect on a modern heating system? I guess it just heat up a bit quicker.
Not much point in worrying about it here. There are 12 gallons of water in the boiler before you start on the pipes and rads...
What planet is that boiler on?
This one as far as I can tell. 35.2kW output(*) oil burner and cast iron about 4' high and a little under 2' square.
(*) It won't be that now as I had a smaller nozzle fitted on the last service as that level of power without a modulating burner is a bit too much for the normal load and it tends to hit it overheat stat. But that level of energy is required to keep all of the house warm in the middle of winter with a gale blowing outside,
I've seen the ad. now.
They use less energy _to heat up_, and _heat up_ quicker. Which as they contain less water is no surprise - you have to pump out all the existing cold just to get the thing up to heat, and as they contain less that'll be easier.
Andy
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