Microbore CH better than 15mm - says plumber

Lobster · 2004-04-05T23:13:32+00:00

I've got a plumber in doing some jobs for me at the moment, includingfitting some new radiators to an existing system, which has a combiboiler and 22/15mm copper pipes throughout. I left him to it thismorning and came back to find he'd installed a rad using 10mmmicrobore; he'd put the 15mm TRV and lockshield valve which I'dsupplied to one side, and bought his own 10mm kit instead.I am admittedly predjudiced against microbore as it's harder (IMO, forme) to fit, and I believe more likely to block; so I was a bit hackedoff with this, especially as there was no problem at all with accessto existing 15mm pipework under the floor. He'd simply fitted lengthsof microbore to the ends of the flow and return 15mm pipes usingreducers.When quizzed, he said it was because radiators "work better" withmicrobore; that's as much as I could get. The guy is veryuncommunicative and I find difficult to talk to, but he's reliable,good value, and does a good job, and I don't want to make an issue ofthis unnecessarily. But before he fits any more rads for me cananybody tell me if it's possible there is any truth in what he'ssaying?ThanksDavid

Apr 05, 2004 21 Replies

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IMM 22 years ago

yep.

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Nick Brooks 22 years ago

Of course, I assumed a linear flow rate of 1.5m/s. and a temperature difference of 10 degrees. The reason for using 1m of pipe in the calculations is to give a maximum possible heat transfer. Other losses in the system will reduce this.

Nick Brooks

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