I know this is an outrage and I should be hung drawn and quartered for
even contemplating it but needs must (!)

I have an old 6-foot single radiator in the bathroom which is beyond the
end of its life and showing (since yesterday) a small rust hole/leak. I
have a 1m double that would do the job in its place. I'm planning to
renovate the room comprehensively later this year but currently have
very little time available to do any major surgery on the CH system.

What I would like to do is join some copper or plastic pipe to the old
valves then mount the new radiator to this. This will save me draining
it all down, lifting the floor and re-routing the pipework for the
moment. It will also, of course, look dreadful but it's a temporary
measure so I'm not worried about that.

I know you can get extending tails, but they wouldn't stretch this far,
so the question is, what do parts I need to join the 'radiator' side of
a valve (TRV and LS) to 15mm copper tube? I'm imagining it will be
something like a 3/4 tap connector but I'd rather make sure I have the
right thing before I get up to my eyeballs in the job!

Normally I would just go and chat with my local PM but I went round
there this morning and to my horror they have closed down, so I need to
go and cultivate a new one somewhere.....

Cheers chaps

On Wed, 22 Feb 2017 12:33:00 +0000, GMM wrote:


I know you can get extending tails, but they wouldn't stretch this far,
so the question is, what do parts I need to join the 'radiator' side of
a valve (TRV and LS) to 15mm copper tube? I'm imagining it will be
something like a 3/4 tap connector but I'd rather make sure I have the
right thing before I get up to my eyeballs in the job!


If this is the same as the one I just did then the connection to the
valve was 3/4 BSP and the tail into the radiator was 1/2" BSP,
probably tapered thread but PTFE string worked fine.

The 3/4" Nut should fit over a 22mm pipe and olive for the valve end
then a 15mm x 1/2" male connector should fit the radiator end. Then
you will need a 22mm to 15mm reducer to join the pipes.

AJH

On 22/02/2017 14:02, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Wed, 22 Feb 2017 12:33:00 +0000, GMM wrote:

I know this is an outrage and I should be hung drawn and quartered for
even contemplating it but needs must (!)

I have an old 6-foot single radiator in the bathroom which is beyond the
end of its life and showing (since yesterday) a small rust hole/leak.

big snip

Stuff all that!

If you're only after a temporary bodge ATM, see the recent thread
started by Road Hog on the 21st Feb on repairing a pinhole leak in a
radiator. The best solutions IMO were to patch it with a bit of
plumbers putty, which will stick to wet surfaces and 'goes off' after
being kneaded, or the other solution, to use a self-tapping screw in
the pinhole, probably with some sealing compound in the thread as
well, and remembering to shut both valves on the rad while the putty
or whatever is hardening. Either are quick and easy solutions, to tide
you over for the refurb later in the year, and much simpler than the
complex arrangement you seemed to be planning.


When one pin hole appears, you can bet that a few dozen more are
lurking..

I would change the rad. One end can use the existing lock shield
fitting, and on the other side just fit an inline trv or lockshield
so the compression outlet/inlet is horizontal. Just use a length
of copper tube horizontally to reach the existing vertical pipe
which will have an olive previously used to connect to the
original 90 degree trv or lockshield. Use a 90 degree compression
instead.

On 22/02/2017 12:33, GMM wrote:
I know this is an outrage and I should be hung drawn and quartered for
even contemplating it but needs must (!)

I have an old 6-foot single radiator in the bathroom which is beyond the
end of its life and showing (since yesterday) a small rust hole/leak. I
have a 1m double that would do the job in its place. I'm planning to
renovate the room comprehensively later this year but currently have
very little time available to do any major surgery on the CH system.

What I would like to do is join some copper or plastic pipe to the old
valves then mount the new radiator to this. This will save me draining
it all down, lifting the floor and re-routing the pipework for the
moment. It will also, of course, look dreadful but it's a temporary
measure so I'm not worried about that.

I know you can get extending tails, but they wouldn't stretch this far,
so the question is, what do parts I need to join the 'radiator' side of
a valve (TRV and LS) to 15mm copper tube? I'm imagining it will be
something like a 3/4 tap connector but I'd rather make sure I have the
right thing before I get up to my eyeballs in the job!

Normally I would just go and chat with my local PM but I went round
there this morning and to my horror they have closed down, so I need to
go and cultivate a new one somewhere.....

Cheers chaps

As others have said, it may be easier to put a temporary patch on the
rust hole.

But, if you really want to do what you suggest, it is perfectly feasible
but the fittings you need will depend on what type of tails your current
valves have.

All tails have 1/2" male BSP threads at one end, which screw into the
radiator. Older valves have conical connections between valve and tail -
and these come in two different sizes and several different threads!

Newer valves have 15mm compression fittings - both for the tail and for
the supply pipe. This enables such valves to be used in either orientation.

I'll deal with the compression type first, because these are easy. All
you need is a length of 15mm copper pipe and a 15mm straight compression
coupler each side. Remove the tails from the old rad and fit them to the
new one, leaving the olives and nuts in place. Use the couplers to
attach a length of pipe to each side of the new rad - making use of the
olives and nut already on the tails, thus leaving a spare olive and nut
each side. Cut the pipes to length to marry up with the valves, and use
the spare olives and nuts to attach them to the valves.

If you have the conical fittings, it's best to keep the tails with the
valves. So you'll need two new plain tails, two couplers and two 1/2"
female iron to 15mm compression fittings. Remove the tails from the old
rad and re-attach them to their valves. Screw a 1/2" female iron to 15mm
compression fitting onto each tail. Fit the new plain tails to the new
rads and fit a compression coupler onto each tail. You then just need to
fit a length of 15mm pipe between each pair of compression fittings.

You will, of course, need to use PTFE tape on the tail threads before
screwing them into the rads and, if appropriate, on the tail to female
iron connections.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

On 22/02/2017 15:04, Andrew wrote:
On 22/02/2017 14:02, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Wed, 22 Feb 2017 12:33:00 +0000, GMM wrote:

I know this is an outrage and I should be hung drawn and quartered for
even contemplating it but needs must (!)

I have an old 6-foot single radiator in the bathroom which is beyond the
end of its life and showing (since yesterday) a small rust hole/leak.

big snip

Stuff all that!

If you're only after a temporary bodge ATM, see the recent thread
started by Road Hog on the 21st Feb on repairing a pinhole leak in a
radiator. The best solutions IMO were to patch it with a bit of
plumbers putty, which will stick to wet surfaces and 'goes off' after
being kneaded, or the other solution, to use a self-tapping screw in
the pinhole, probably with some sealing compound in the thread as
well, and remembering to shut both valves on the rad while the putty
or whatever is hardening. Either are quick and easy solutions, to tide
you over for the refurb later in the year, and much simpler than the
complex arrangement you seemed to be planning.


When one pin hole appears, you can bet that a few dozen more are
lurking..

I would change the rad. One end can use the existing lock shield
fitting, and on the other side just fit an inline trv or lockshield
so the compression outlet/inlet is horizontal. Just use a length
of copper tube horizontally to reach the existing vertical pipe
which will have an olive previously used to connect to the
original 90 degree trv or lockshield. Use a 90 degree compression
instead.


Except that the OP wants to avoid any draining down - so that means that
the valves need to remain in their original positions.

In my previous post I had assumed that the OP wanted the temporary
replacement radiator in the middle of the gap left by the longer
original - probably because he mentioned pipes (in the plural) for
extending the reach of the valves.

But if it's acceptable to put the replacement rad at one end or other
rather than in the middle, the existing tail, etc. can be used that end
- only requiring the other end to be extended.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

If the OP needs to take one valve of a pipe in order to put in a bridging pipe, what's wrong with pipe freeze?

Richard

On Wed, 22 Feb 2017 16:36:12 +0000, Roger Mills wrote:

Except that the OP wants to avoid any draining down - so that means that
the valves need to remain in their original positions.

If the system is open vented, block the feed and expansion pipes (you
can get tapered "bungs on strings" desigend for 15 and/or 22 mm
pipes). Shut both valves, drain the rad, you can then remove *ONE*
valve and very little water will escape as no air can get in. A
vertical up opening one won't glug but may have a little flow, A
horizontal or vertical opening down pipe might glug, and if one does
a fair bit of water may emerge...

In my previous post I had assumed that the OP wanted the temporary
replacement radiator in the middle of the gap left by the longer
original - probably because he mentioned pipes (in the plural) for
extending the reach of the valves.

Provided there is only ever one open to the air point in the system
at any one time you should be able to do one end, shut that, then do
the other.

In theory if you de-pressurise a sealed system the same should apply
but I've never had a pressurised system. I have succesfully used the
above technique on an open vented system though.

--
Cheers
Dave.

And byy the time you have done it you still have air in the system and might
have well done the whole job in the first place!
I hate CH systems.
Brian

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On Wed, 22 Feb 2017 12:33:00 +0000, GMM wrote:


I know you can get extending tails, but they wouldn't stretch this far,
so the question is, what do parts I need to join the 'radiator' side of
a valve (TRV and LS) to 15mm copper tube? I'm imagining it will be
something like a 3/4 tap connector but I'd rather make sure I have the
right thing before I get up to my eyeballs in the job!


If this is the same as the one I just did then the connection to the
valve was 3/4 BSP and the tail into the radiator was 1/2" BSP,
probably tapered thread but PTFE string worked fine.

The 3/4" Nut should fit over a 22mm pipe and olive for the valve end
then a 15mm x 1/2" male connector should fit the radiator end. Then
you will need a 22mm to 15mm reducer to join the pipes.

AJH