On Sun, 7 Mar 2004 20:45:18 +0000 (UTC), "Charles Middleton"
wrote:

All,

Im thinking about installing a towel radiator in my bathroom. However, my
central heating is Microbore and Im not sure what sort of fittings I need to
connect the radiator to the central heating system.

Ive created a diagram to try and explain how it fits together....

http://www.btinternet.com/~remotec/towel.htm

The side view is meant to show how far the pipes come away from the wall.

The front view is reasonable self explanatory I hope. The current radiator
fits in between the 570mm span.

Will it be possible to install some sort of valves that go upwards instead
of inwards (towards the radiator) like the current ones do and then perhaps
put a reducer on that to make it into the correct size (15mm??) to feed the
radiator?

The microbore is embedded in the wall of the bathroom so I don't have much
flexibility to move it around. I've had a quick look on screwfix etc and I
can see radiators advertised that are for example 600mm in width. I presume
that that measurement is the total width of the item and not the width
between the two pipes that would feed it?

If anyone can give me a quick and simple overview of what I would need to do
fit the radiator Id be very very grateful.

Thanks in advance,

CM.


Yes you can.

If the towel rail has tappings in the bottom, one way is to use
straight through radiator valves fitted vertically if the pipes are
as you've drawn them.

Otherwise you will have to do some adjustment of the pipework.

You will need to buy some soft copper microbore tube of appropriate
diameter (a plumber's merchant may let you have a short length) and
some fittings and possibly a pipe bender. You will need a small
microbore pipe cutter.

Pipe benders for microbore are a hand held tool available for a bout a
tenner. If you have enough space to make bends this way, the job
should be neater and the flow better.
However, you can get bends for microbore with a fairly gentle bend
which are not too bad. Given the tight space of the pipe against the
wall, you may have to use bends.

To connect on, cut the pipe on the horizontal portion if you need to
add a piece. Don't try to unbend the pipe - it will have hardened
with time and will likely simply crease.

For the valves, you may be able to get microbore ones. Otherwise
there are reducers which have a microbore female end and a 15mm male
tail. You attach the reducer to the pipe and then it will insert into
the valve as though it has 15mm tube. There are also reducing ring
sets which fit into the valve. However, unless you are really careful
and also assemble in the right order (not obvious) they are a PITA.




..andy

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