I bought a water heated towel rail from eBay. It has some dents in the
lower horizontal rail. Does it look like I'd be able to heat the
joints at both ends of the rail and rotate the dents to the back
without losing the water seal?
Also, would the flow be best going in at the top and return from the
connection at the bottom?
Here's a pictu
www.gooseisland.plus.com
TIA
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

Mike Halmarack wrote:
I bought a water heated towel rail from eBay. It has some dents in the
lower horizontal rail. Does it look like I'd be able to heat the
joints at both ends of the rail and rotate the dents to the back
without losing the water seal?
Also, would the flow be best going in at the top and return from the
connection at the bottom?
Here's a pictu
www.gooseisland.plus.com
TIA
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

so thats where me Zimmer went. ;-)
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 13:31:54 GMT, "The3rd Earl Of Derby"
wrote:

Mike Halmarack wrote:
I bought a water heated towel rail from eBay. It has some dents in the
lower horizontal rail. Does it look like I'd be able to heat the
joints at both ends of the rail and rotate the dents to the back
without losing the water seal?
Also, would the flow be best going in at the top and return from the
connection at the bottom?
Here's a pictu
www.gooseisland.plus.com
TIA
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

so thats where me Zimmer went. ;-)

I wish you' d've driven it more carefully.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

Mike Halmarack wrote:
On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 13:31:54 GMT, "The3rd Earl Of Derby"
wrote:

Mike Halmarack wrote:
I bought a water heated towel rail from eBay. It has some dents in
the lower horizontal rail. Does it look like I'd be able to heat the
joints at both ends of the rail and rotate the dents to the back
without losing the water seal?
Also, would the flow be best going in at the top and return from the
connection at the bottom?
Here's a pictu
www.gooseisland.plus.com
TIA
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

so thats where me Zimmer went. ;-)

I wish you' d've driven it more carefully.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

Gawd! you got no taste man,what possesed you to buy that ugly thing?
I thought red skirting and flooring went out of fashion in the 80's?

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 13:46:54 GMT, "The3rd Earl Of Derby"
wrote:

Mike Halmarack wrote:
On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 13:31:54 GMT, "The3rd Earl Of Derby"
wrote:

Mike Halmarack wrote:
I bought a water heated towel rail from eBay. It has some dents in
the lower horizontal rail. Does it look like I'd be able to heat the
joints at both ends of the rail and rotate the dents to the back
without losing the water seal?
Also, would the flow be best going in at the top and return from the
connection at the bottom?
Here's a pictu
www.gooseisland.plus.com
TIA
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

so thats where me Zimmer went. ;-)

I wish you' d've driven it more carefully.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

Gawd! you got no taste man,what possesed you to buy that ugly thing?

Now you tell me!

I thought red skirting and flooring went out of fashion in the 80's?

It's not really that modern. Nor is it red, except to my camera.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 15:17:55 +0100, David Hansen
wrote:

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 14:27:40 +0100 someone who may be Mike Halmarack
... wrote this:-

I bought a water heated towel rail from eBay. It has some dents in the
lower horizontal rail. Does it look like I'd be able to heat the
joints at both ends of the rail and rotate the dents to the back
without losing the water seal?

If you are careful and don't mind the possible loss of finish at the
joints then this may be possible.

I did initially wonder if the chroming was done after assembly making
the chrome continuous but on looking closer I see a dull grey line
defining each joint.

Do you have two suitable heating
implements and a means of rotating the pipe.?

I have a paraffin blow lamp that I can use if I can find a paraffin
supplier and I'm going to buy a gas torch to replace the blow lamp for
general plumbing use. Then again, I wonder if it would be best to heat
the tube from the middle in an attempt to equalise the temperature at
each end.

I'm considering a pair of padded stilsons for the leverage but would
be happy to hear of a better solution.


Also, would the flow be best going in at the top and return from the
connection at the bottom?

Yes.

Thanks for the advice.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

In article , Mike
Halmarack ?.?.?.?@?.? writes
I bought a water heated towel rail from eBay. It has some dents in the
lower horizontal rail. Does it look like I'd be able to heat the
joints at both ends of the rail and rotate the dents to the back
without losing the water seal?
Also, would the flow be best going in at the top and return from the
connection at the bottom?
Here's a pictu
www.gooseisland.plus.com
TIA

Lots of thermal mass at both ends and no real idea of whether the joint is
soft soldered or brazed. In summary, the chances of this not ending in
tears are somewhere between zero and sweet very little at all.

This is definitely one to forget about and move on, no one but you will know
about the dents when they are covered in roasty toasty towels :-).
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 16:14:54 GMT, fred wrote:

In article , Mike
Halmarack ?.?.?.?@?.? writes
I bought a water heated towel rail from eBay. It has some dents in the
lower horizontal rail. Does it look like I'd be able to heat the
joints at both ends of the rail and rotate the dents to the back
without losing the water seal?
Also, would the flow be best going in at the top and return from the
connection at the bottom?
Here's a pictu
www.gooseisland.plus.com
TIA

Lots of thermal mass at both ends and no real idea of whether the joint is
soft soldered or brazed. In summary, the chances of this not ending in
tears are somewhere between zero and sweet very little at all.

You make a very convincing point. :-)

This is definitely one to forget about and move on, no one but you will know
about the dents when they are covered in roasty toasty towels :-).

So true.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 17:27:22 +0100, Mike Halmarack ... wrote:


Lots of thermal mass at both ends and no real idea of whether the joint is
soft soldered or brazed. In summary, the chances of this not ending in
tears are somewhere between zero and sweet very little at all.

The Chrome would get discoloured too.


You make a very convincing point. :-)


I had one of those towel rails, it went in the skip last year, it
looks kind of familiar ...

The joints were however definitely brazed.

This is definitely one to forget about and move on, no one but you will know
about the dents when they are covered in roasty toasty towels :-).

So true.

nods

DG

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 18:39:37 +0100, Derek ^
wrote:

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 17:27:22 +0100, Mike Halmarack ... wrote:


Lots of thermal mass at both ends and no real idea of whether the joint is
soft soldered or brazed. In summary, the chances of this not ending in
tears are somewhere between zero and sweet very little at all.

The Chrome would get discoloured too.


You make a very convincing point. :-)


I had one of those towel rails, it went in the skip last year, it
looks kind of familiar ...

You could 've decked it out in a few fluffy towels before chucking it,
cheapskate.

Then again, if you look on some of the towel rail websites, you'll see
that these classic style towel rails are more than twice the price of
the modern ones, for very good reason. Practicality, some adherence to
the 'form follows function' principle and a superior jointing system.

The joints were however definitely brazed.

My limited knowledge of brazing is that the colour of braze is
yellowish. The joint lines on this towel rail are dull grey.



This is definitely one to forget about and move on, no one but you will know
about the dents when they are covered in roasty toasty towels :-).

So true.

nods

DG

--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 15:33:14 +0100 someone who may be Mike Halmarack
... wrote this:-

Then again, I wonder if it would be best to heat
the tube from the middle in an attempt to equalise the temperature at
each end.

It is most unlikely that you will be able to warm the joints up
enough this way.

I'm considering a pair of padded stilsons for the leverage but would
be happy to hear of a better solution.

Personally I think that sort of heated towel rail is very expensive
for a few bits of pipe. I would leave it alone and convince myself
that the dents add character, because I would be very angry with
myself if I buggered some expensive bits of pipe up.

Alternatively Dimplex do chromed towel rails that have an electric
heating element in them. Far more useful in my view. There are also
now towel rails that are connected to the heating system and also
have an electric element for summer use.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 18:58:57 +0100, David Hansen
wrote:

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 15:33:14 +0100 someone who may be Mike Halmarack
... wrote this:-

Then again, I wonder if it would be best to heat
the tube from the middle in an attempt to equalise the temperature at
each end.

It is most unlikely that you will be able to warm the joints up
enough this way.

It does seem to be expecting a lot from a little.


I'm considering a pair of padded stilsons for the leverage but would
be happy to hear of a better solution.

Personally I think that sort of heated towel rail is very expensive
for a few bits of pipe. I would leave it alone and convince myself
that the dents add character, because I would be very angry with
myself if I buggered some expensive bits of pipe up.

I think the pipe would be expensive, the ball joints more so.


Alternatively Dimplex do chromed towel rails that have an electric
heating element in them. Far more useful in my view. There are also
now towel rails that are connected to the heating system and also
have an electric element for summer use.

It's a tempting level of versatility but people keep telling me that
summer heating is most economically done with gas. Maybe not for much
longer though.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 19:08:36 +0100 someone who may be Mike Halmarack
... wrote this:-

It's a tempting level of versatility but people keep telling me that
summer heating is most economically done with gas. Maybe not for much
longer though.

Running a 15kW boiler to heat some pipework, floorboards, a hot
water cylinder and a towel rail is not particularly efficient,
compared to 100% efficient immersion heaters. However, a lot depends
on the duty cycle and electricity tariff. Modulating boilers also
add to the difficulties of calculating what is best.

However, just to run a towel rail, a 120W - 240W immersion heater in
an oil filled towel rail is probably going to be a better bet than a
boiler that can modulate down to 5kW driving a water filled towel
rail.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 20:01:35 +0100, David Hansen
wrote:

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 19:08:36 +0100 someone who may be Mike Halmarack
... wrote this:-

It's a tempting level of versatility but people keep telling me that
summer heating is most economically done with gas. Maybe not for much
longer though.

Running a 15kW boiler to heat some pipework, floorboards, a hot
water cylinder and a towel rail is not particularly efficient,
compared to 100% efficient immersion heaters. However, a lot depends
on the duty cycle and electricity tariff. Modulating boilers also
add to the difficulties of calculating what is best.

However, just to run a towel rail, a 120W - 240W immersion heater in
an oil filled towel rail is probably going to be a better bet than a
boiler that can modulate down to 5kW driving a water filled towel
rail.

I appreciate the detailed explanation. I don't think I'd ever be using
a boiler to heat just a towel rail. Certainly not a modulating boiler
anyway, unless I invest in one 25 years younger. :-)
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 18:53:15 +0100, Mike Halmarack ... wrote:



The joints were however definitely brazed.

My limited knowledge of brazing is that the colour of braze is
yellowish. The joint lines on this towel rail are dull grey.


Mine were definitely very hard and chromed over. 8-/ ?

'Spose it's possible the corner fittings were commonly available to
the trade and were assembled into towell rails by all and sundry.

If your tube got dented it might tend to indicate it was made of soft
copper. Mine didn't maybe that indicates it was made of ...

Summat Else.

DG

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 20:14:07 +0100, Derek ^
wrote:

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 18:53:15 +0100, Mike Halmarack ... wrote:



The joints were however definitely brazed.

My limited knowledge of brazing is that the colour of braze is
yellowish. The joint lines on this towel rail are dull grey.


Mine were definitely very hard and chromed over. 8-/ ?

'Spose it's possible the corner fittings were commonly available to
the trade and were assembled into towell rails by all and sundry.

If your tube got dented it might tend to indicate it was made of soft
copper. Mine didn't maybe that indicates it was made of ...

Soft and thin too, going by the weight when compared to one I fitted
in my last house.

Summat Else.

DG

--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

In article ,
David Hansen writes:

Running a 15kW boiler to heat some pipework, floorboards, a hot
water cylinder and a towel rail is not particularly efficient,
compared to 100% efficient immersion heaters.

If you're going to do that sort of comparison, you need to take
into account that the electricity as delivered to you is already
barely 40% efficient, so an immersion heater can't be any better
than that.

However, a lot depends
on the duty cycle and electricity tariff. Modulating boilers also
add to the difficulties of calculating what is best.

However, just to run a towel rail, a 120W - 240W immersion heater in
an oil filled towel rail is probably going to be a better bet than a
boiler that can modulate down to 5kW driving a water filled towel
rail.

If you happen to have a thermal store, that would be ideal to
drive a towel rail from. Personally, I think heated towel rails
are very much over rated -- I find an unheated towel rail a few
feet above the radiator more effective.

--
Andrew Gabriel

On 09/04/2006 20:17 Mike Halmarack wrote:

Soft and thin too, going by the weight

8-(

On 09 Apr 2006 20:18:48 GMT someone who may be
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote this:-

Running a 15kW boiler to heat some pipework, floorboards, a hot
water cylinder and a towel rail is not particularly efficient,
compared to 100% efficient immersion heaters.

If you're going to do that sort of comparison, you need to take
into account that the electricity as delivered to you is already
barely 40% efficient, so an immersion heater can't be any better
than that.

The aim of my comparison was to show that despite gas being rather
cheaper than electricity when it comes into the house than
electricity it may not be cheaper to utilise, because of the
inefficiencies of using gas.

Personally, I think heated towel rails
are very much over rated -- I find an unheated towel rail a few
feet above the radiator more effective.

Not much use when the radiator is turned off and also expensive to
run in the summer just to dry towels. Electrically heated towel
rails are a better bet in the summer in my view, unless the towel
rail happens to be near a hot water storage device that will be
warmed anyway and the towel rail is taken off that. A thermal store,
especially one fed by solar, would be ideal for this.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

You would have to apply so much heat to get all the joins undone at the
same time the chrome would look very second hand afterwards even worse
the dents you have now

On 10 Apr 2006 05:09:54 -0700, "George Tingsley"
wrote:

You would have to apply so much heat to get all the joins undone at the
same time the chrome would look very second hand afterwards even worse
the dents you have now

Thanks George. From what you and others have written on the subject,
it would seem foolhardy to attempt that adjustment. I'm going to
tolerate the visibility of the dents.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.