I'm about to have 7 radiators replaced. Having looked online, Wickes
seem to sell all of the ones I want, except a 600x1800mm single panel.

Quite simply, are they any good? They seem to be significantly cheaper
than other online shops. Even the BTUs seem to be higher for the size
of radiators. They also have a 10 year guarantee.

Any gotchas?

Thanks a lot.

Ed.

On Oct 21, 7:29 pm, Bill wrote:
I'm about to have 7 radiators replaced. Having looked online, Wickes
seem to sell all of the ones I want, except a 600x1800mm single panel.

Quite simply, are they any good? They seem to be significantly cheaper
than other online shops. Even the BTUs seem to be higher for the size
of radiators. They also have a 10 year guarantee.

Any gotchas?

Thanks a lot.

Ed.

IME heat outputs are minefields - all depends on temp of water in them
- these days outputs should really state "at delta T 50" but some
still state figs calc'ed using "delta T 60" which makes comparison
difficult - search back through UK.DIY (if you can) and try to find a
better explanantion - you can also convert from one delta calc. method
to the other but I forget how....

JimK

"Bill" wrote in message
...
I'm about to have 7 radiators replaced. Having looked online, Wickes
seem to sell all of the ones I want, except a 600x1800mm single panel.

Quite simply, are they any good? They seem to be significantly cheaper
than other online shops. Even the BTUs seem to be higher for the size
of radiators. They also have a 10 year guarantee.

Any gotchas?

Thanks a lot.

Ed.

If their ad is to be believed, thay heat up faster with less water and give
off more heat than other radiators.

They must not need to follow laws of physics.

JimK wrote:

IME heat outputs are minefields - all depends on temp of water in them
- these days outputs should really state "at delta T 50" but some
still state figs calc'ed using "delta T 60" which makes comparison
difficult - search back through UK.DIY (if you can) and try to find a
better explanantion - you can also convert from one delta calc. method
to the other but I forget how....

JimK

Delta against what? Flow-return or water-air? It sounds a lot either
way - I thought we were supposed to be heading for flow 50, return 40,
room 20 these days.

Andy

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:46:25 -0700, JimK wrote:

IME heat outputs are minefields - all depends on temp of water in them
- these days outputs should really state "at delta T 50" but some
still state figs calc'ed using "delta T 60" which makes comparison
difficult - search back through UK.DIY (if you can) and try to find a
better explanantion - you can also convert from one delta calc. method
to the other but I forget how....

The output is easily calculated from the formulae in the radiators page of
the uk.d-i-y faq wiki. What's not so easily calculated is how long the
paintwork will last. IME Wickes radiators and bathrooms are not a good
combination. Elsewhere I like their rolled-top design - just a pity they
don't do a wider range of sizes and that half the ones they have in stock
look as though they've had an argument with a fork-lift truck ... or with
gravity and a hard floor.

--
John Stumbles -- http://yaph.co.uk

This message has been rot13 encrypted twice for added security

On Oct 21, 8:26 pm, Andy Champ wrote:
JimK wrote:

IME heat outputs are minefields - all depends on temp of water in them
- these days outputs should really state "at delta T 50" but some
still state figs calc'ed using "delta T 60" which makes comparison
difficult - search back through UK.DIY (if you can) and try to find a
better explanantion - you can also convert from one delta calc. method
to the other but I forget how....

JimK

Delta against what? Flow-return or water-air? It sounds a lot either
way - I thought we were supposed to be heading for flow 50, return 40,
room 20 these days.

Andy

go on then i'll indulge/submerse you;-

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=72851

enjoy!!

JimK

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:26:39 +0100, R D S wrote:

If their ad is to be believed, thay heat up faster with less water and
give off more heat than other radiators.

They must not need to follow laws of physics.

The wording is clever, like most ads.

Example: If a radiator X has 5l of water in it and raditor Y has 10l
of water and the flow rate is 5l/min the entire contents of radiator
X will be changed in 1 minute. But radiator Y will have only half
it's water changed. Which will heat up faster? Which will "use" less
water?

So the claim uses less water and heats faster is correct. I'm not
sure they claim anything directly about actual output. I've only seen
the ad a couple of times the first time made me prick me ears up
about the claim of less/faster/more, second time I sussed the
wording...

--
Cheers
Dave.

Thanks folks. I've not read anything particularly bad about them yet,
so veering towards buying them.

On 22 Oct, 14:10, Bill wrote:
Thanks folks. I've not read anything particularly bad about them yet,
so veering towards buying them.

I have bought some. The bleed plugs are very weak and inaccesible on
double rads. They are in the form of a small brass crew in plug with a
square section for the bleed key to fit over. Because they are so
small they are weak and one has broken off whilst looseneing to bleed
- now faced with drilling and tapping a replacement (it is on a double
radiator and no space to get a drill in to drill it out. So be careful
when tightening/loosening.

"nafuk" wrote in message
...
On 22 Oct, 14:10, Bill wrote:
Thanks folks. I've not read anything particularly bad about them yet,
so veering towards buying them.

I have bought some. The bleed plugs are very weak and inaccesible on
double rads. They are in the form of a small brass crew in plug with a
square section for the bleed key to fit over. Because they are so
small they are weak and one has broken off whilst looseneing to bleed
- now faced with drilling and tapping a replacement (it is on a double
radiator and no space to get a drill in to drill it out. So be careful
when tightening/loosening.

I've just had the bleed plug shear off when bleeding a Centerrad radiator.
Couldn't find a simple small replacement part
any where and have just subsequently had the rad replaced with a much nicer
looking and sturdier Stelrad. Which I believe
comes with nickel plated bleed valves.

After my experience i'd pay the bit extra and go with a brand you can trust.
For the price Wickes are selling them at they've got
to be cutting corners some where.

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:26:39 +0100, R D S wrote:

If their ad is to be believed, thay heat up faster with less water
and give off more heat than other radiators.

They must not need to follow laws of physics.

The wording is clever, like most ads.

Example: If a radiator X has 5l of water in it and raditor Y has 10l
of water and the flow rate is 5l/min the entire contents of radiator
X will be changed in 1 minute. But radiator Y will have only half
it's water changed. Which will heat up faster? Which will "use" less
water?

Weasel words as you say. Rads don't 'use' water as in consume it, which is
how the ad comes over. I'm sure there are many dumb enough to believe their
metered water consumption will reduce.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 21 Oct, 20:33, YAPH wrote:
On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:46:25 -0700, JimK wrote:
IME heat outputs are minefields - all depends on temp of water in them
- these days outputs should really state "at delta T 50" but some
still state figs calc'ed using "delta T 60" which makes comparison
difficult - search back through UK.DIY (if you can) and try to find a
better explanantion - you can also convert from one delta calc. method
to the other but I forget how....

The output is easily calculated from the formulae in the radiators page of
the uk.d-i-y faq wiki. What's not so easily calculated is how long the
paintwork will last. IME Wickes radiators and bathrooms are not a good
combination. Elsewhere I like their rolled-top design - just a pity they
don't do a wider range of sizes and that half the ones they have in stock
look as though they've had an argument with a fork-lift truck ... or with
gravity and a hard floor.


I got a cheap radiator for the bathroom, not Wickes by cheap, and the
metal edges had not been rounded off, and consequently the paint was
very thin around the edges. After two years, it is starting to rust
around the cut edges. I may paint some antirust and touch up sometime,
but I'm sure it will be a few years before it starts leaking.
Simon.

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:11:43 GMT, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Weasel words as you say. Rads don't 'use' water as in consume it, which
is how the ad comes over. I'm sure there are many dumb enough to
believe their metered water consumption will reduce.

I'm sure there are.

I wonder if lower water capacity rad have much effect on a modern
heating system? I guess it just heat up a bit quicker.

Not much point in worrying about it here. There are 12 gallons of
water in the boiler before you start on the pipes and rads...

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:45:27 +0100, Dave Liquorice wrote:

Not much point in worrying about it here. There are 12 gallons of
water in the boiler before you start on the pipes and rads...

What planet is that boiler on?


--
John Stumbles -- http://yaph.co.uk

The rain, it rains upon the Just, and on the Unjust fella
But more upon the Just because the Unjust's got the Just's umbrella

On 25 Oct 2009 20:56:43 GMT, YAPH wrote:

Not much point in worrying about it here. There are 12 gallons of
water in the boiler before you start on the pipes and rads...

What planet is that boiler on?

This one as far as I can tell. 35.2kW output(*) oil burner and cast
iron about 4' high and a little under 2' square.

(*) It won't be that now as I had a smaller nozzle fitted on the last
service as that level of power without a modulating burner is a bit
too much for the normal load and it tends to hit it overheat stat.
But that level of energy is required to keep all of the house warm in
the middle of winter with a gale blowing outside,

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:35:06 +0000, Dave Liquorice wrote:

On 25 Oct 2009 20:56:43 GMT, YAPH wrote:

Not much point in worrying about it here. There are 12 gallons of
water in the boiler before you start on the pipes and rads...

What planet is that boiler on?

This one as far as I can tell. 35.2kW output(*) oil burner and cast
iron about 4' high and a little under 2' square.

Sorry, I thought we were talking about the OP's boiler, not yours. Even so
12 gallons ... that's a brute of a boiler.


--
John Stumbles -- http://yaph.co.uk

Time flies like an arrow
Fruit flies like a banana
Tits like coconuts

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:26:39 +0100, R D S wrote:

If their ad is to be believed, thay heat up faster with less water
and give off more heat than other radiators.

They must not need to follow laws of physics.
The wording is clever, like most ads.

Example: If a radiator X has 5l of water in it and raditor Y has 10l
of water and the flow rate is 5l/min the entire contents of radiator
X will be changed in 1 minute. But radiator Y will have only half
it's water changed. Which will heat up faster? Which will "use" less
water?

Weasel words as you say. Rads don't 'use' water as in consume it, which is
how the ad comes over. I'm sure there are many dumb enough to believe their
metered water consumption will reduce.




I've seen the ad. now.

They use less energy _to heat up_, and _heat up_ quicker. Which as they
contain less water is no surprise - you have to pump out all the
existing cold just to get the thing up to heat, and as they contain less
that'll be easier.

Andy