electric underfloor heating

Hi,

I was hoping to fit UFH. I've looked at Screwfix and also TLC direct. The latter seems cheaper (taking into account they quote ex vat). The Screwfix ones come with diy instructions (albeit the electrics must be connected by a suitable person if in a bathroom: part P etc). However the TLC ones say strictly not for DIY use. Are they really that different? From what I can see, installation is the same. You measure the resistance before and the resistance after. It should be the same. If it isn't you don't use it and call an expert in.

Thanks.

Reply to
nospam
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I looked at the TLC one. The installation manual requires that you measure the insulation resistance at 500V. I've never seen any others that ask you to use anything more than 10 quid multimeter. I'd use a megger anyway, but I've got one; most (>95%) DIYers won't. I suspect that's most of what they mean by 'not for DIY'.

The most noticable thing about the product is that the cable is 4mm. Everyone else seems to be offering 3mm - 3.5mm. The difference, of course, is no more than an extra bag of adhesive, if that. Maybe BN are offering old stock, maybe they've decided that 3mm is too fragile. Dunno. But FHS (Handyheat by another name) have been around for 4 years longer than BN (est summer 2005, 'with the simple objective of being the best choice for commercial and industrial electric heating').

I'm about to buy from Handyheat/FHS. They offer a lifetime guarantee (versus 10 years for TLC). Still worth sod all, since I doubt it covers relaying the floor in the event of a problem. They also don't require the thermostat to be put in conduit. I emailed them to ask why (at 8pm, and got a reply at 3am!), and they said it's because they have a new one-piece design made a few years ago, and since then have had zero sensor failures. The thermostat appears to be exactly the same as the TLC one, though obviously the thermostat is the least critical part of the system for reliability. Oh, and they also have telephone support. No idea what that's like.

I'll be laying a cable kit, with spacing suitable to keep the floor warm, and using a radiator to heat the room when required. It turns out that TLC are actually more expensive for that, after adding a stat, delivery, and vat.

Ben

Reply to
Ben Blaukopf

Hello,

No I don't have a megger. Can I use a multimeter?

Do I measure the resistance of (1) the heating cable and check that does not vary before and after and also (2) the resistance between the cable and earth to check there is no short circuit?

Thanks.

Reply to
nospam

You can do what you like, but don't expect TLC to honour the guarantee.

More to the point, this falls under part P. How are you going to test it for the BCO? You can't fill in a Minor Works certificate without measuring R @ 500V, regardless of what the installation manual says. Most DIY-kits would expect your electrician to measure this for you when making the final connections. This kit wants R @ 500V recorded at 3 times during the process.

Have you actually read the installation manual?

Ben

Reply to
Ben Blaukopf

This is exactly my problem. I can have it measured by the electrician at the end but I don't want to have him called out to check it twice before, especially if I can do it myself. That's why I was asking for your advice.

Yes but I wanted reassurance that I had understood it correctly. You sound as though you have done this before and know what you are talking about.

Reply to
nospam

That's my point - it looks like the TLC kit makes you jump through more hoops than the others.

Nope, I haven't (though I am about to!) and my advice is worth what you paid for it.

I only skimmed to the end of the manual, but it certainly looked like that was what you were supposed to do. Again, this is an advantage of the Handyheat system - you can phone up and ask if you don't know. I suspect the TLC kit is cheaper partly because they offer zero technical support.

Reply to
Ben Blaukopf

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