Microbore questions

[Lobster]

I need to fit a radiator to a new (ie yet-to-be-commissioned) CH system using 10mm microbore tube, which I'm not at all familiar with. Advice welcome on two points!:

1. I will be running the pipe straight down from the rad valves to the skirting (about 4") and then turn it through 90 degrees, from where it will run along the top of the skirting board inside trunking, then to vanish behind a kitchen unit. For the 90-degree turn, what minimum radius can you bend this stuff to? Do you just "go for it", or are there external bending springs for it? Or should I be fitting an elbow joint here instead?

1. This rad is in the kitchen, only just across from the boiler (which is going to be a Worcester-Bosch 28i Junior combi) This will have 22mm feed and return pipes going upwards to the ceiling level, and then off to supply the rest of the house via boxing on top of the kitchen wall units. However there's the two microbore pipes supplying the kitchen radiator, which I will have emerging from under the worktop immediately below the boiler. Now, I won't be fitting the boiler myself but want all the pipes to be sensible and in the correct positions for the CORGI, to minimise angst and cost! Does the above sound OK? Will I still be able to balance the kitchen rad OK, being that close to the boiler? Where and should my microbore pipes connect in to the system... must they go up past the boiler somewhere (not very easy to arrange neatly) and connect to the 22mm pipes up at ceiling level?

Thanks David

[Keyser Sose]

Yes there are extrenal bending springs. They cost about two quid. Minimum radius is about two inches. If you want to get the bend tighter than this you'll need to use an elbow. I have just done exactly this myself.

Microbore normally connects into a 15mm manifold. Not an expert.

[fred]

In article , Lobster writes

Just got a mini bender from CPC (£8.20 inc vat):

radius is about 25mm so looks like you can do it without the elbow but don't know if you could go that tight with a spring. If the code TL0989204 is still working the price a bit cheaper.

[Ed Sirett]

You can connect the radiator to the flow and return pipes anywhere. The manifold is nothing special except a convenient way of making a multiple number of connections direct to the 22mm F&R pipes.

Typically the manifold location is chosen to roughly equalize the lengths of microbore to the radiators. Typically the manifold will serve four rads usually on the same level.

So long as you have some microbore tubing on the connection to the nearby kitchen rad you'll be OK. To make a connection of 8 or 10 direct to 22 you would use a 22-15-22 T and then solder in a reducer to 8 or 10 into the 15 side.

HTH