Poorly designed GCH radiator?

[revfunk]

Hi

I've recently fitted a new 2m high stainless steel radiator . It has

8 vertical tubes which are connected at the top and bottom by a horizontal tube. Although it looks great, i'm not that pleased with its heat output, which is meant to be around 5,900 btus. I find that

a) the difference in the flow and return pipe is hardly noticeable. These pipes are connected to either side of the lower horizontal tube, and while this tube heats up very quickly, the rest of the radiator heats up much more slowly. I have attempted to balance the radiator with others in the house and i'm now at the point that other radiators' LSVs are one quarter to one half turn from being closed altogether. As i said, the lower tube heats up fine, but water doesn't seem to mix with the rest of the radiator - it seems to just flow straight out the other side.

b) the vertical pipe closest to the flow side takes much longer to fully heat up than the rest - about an hour longer.

Is there anything i'm overlooking? Or do you think it's just the design?

thanks

Stevie

[A.Lee]

Firstly this could point to an airlock in the rad - are you sure all air is out? These rads are crap. I've fitted 4 or 5 this year. Look good, and great for drying towels, but give nowhere near as much heat as a conventional rad of the same external size. Alan.

[YAPH]

There should be a barrier in the middle of the bottom tube preventing water from taking the shortcut from flow to return though this tube and making it go instead up half the vertical tubes (say the right hand half if flow's on the right) across the top tube and down the other verticals. If your rad has got a barrier and it's in the top tube you'll prevent /any/ effective circulation via the top tube!

One I fitted recently (with the barrier correctly in the bottom tube!) had a tendency to make waterfall noises until it had been /really/ slowly and thoroughly bled. Quite engaging sound ... for the first hour or so, perhaps!

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Can't see that one with vertical tubes would be much use as a towel rad?

I've got a large SS one from TLC and that works fine as a towel rad. But of course it can't be that and a rad at the same time. Towels are pretty good insulators.

[revfunk]

=A0 London SW

Thanks John - i hope you're right and i have fitted the radiator upside-down. It didn't come with any instructions, and i can't see any markings on the radiator. It does currently make that waterfall noise but i can't detect any air when bleeding though - i'll try bleed from other side and see if that makes a difference.

Also, agree with Alan - look good but don't believe it gives out as much heat as the standard radiator it replaced, which was slightly smaller too (c5400 btus).

Will post again if i find out any more, or the results of turning it around.

Stevie