Replacing radiator with Towel Heater

Jun 01, 2005 3 Replies
P

I've just purchased a towel rail radiator to replace an old bathroo



radiator. The problem i have is the towel radiator is only 35cm wid whereas the old radiator was 45cm. Also the valves screw in verticall (from the bottom) and the current valves screw in horizontally. Th pipes to all the radiators in the house are 10mm and are behind th wall (plasterboard) rather than under the floor boards.



Is there an easy way (suitable for a novice plumber) to replace th valves and reduce the width between the valves from 45cm to 35c without draining and disabling the central heating tank in the loft? O could someone point me in the right direction to an idiots guide o this


-- preecy


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A

You can buy extender valves in Wickes, etc. that will let you add about 5cm per side if you want.

a
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A

No, you will have to drain the system, and use some elbows to bring the current pipework to the new rad, then re-fill system (and remember inhibitor).

Alan.

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W

There is no idiot's guide, you will have to do the job properly man. This means a complete drain down and a modification to the existing pipework.

If I were you I would mount the new radiator so that one of the CH pipes (which I assume comes up from the floor) feeds directly into one of the new vertical valves. This will mean discarding the existing 90 degree valve and probably cutting off a few mm of pipe in order to accept the new olive.

Then you will have to fashion an "S" shape out of copper pipe (two 90 degree elbows and a couple of small lengths) to allow the other CH pipe to connect to the other valve, obviously discarding the other existing horizontal valve.

You will need a length of (probably 15mm) copper tubing, a blowlamp, flux, wire wool, solder, elbows, and a pipe cutter.

After the job is done you will have to rebalance the system for the new rad (see FAQ).

Note that the wall fixings for these towel radiators require very precise positioning of the pipes! (No margin for error!)

Luke

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