Towel Rails
 

Hello

We're in the process of having our central heating refurbished - new boiler
plus radstats and tankstat.
As a result of losing the gravity circulation, our upstairs rads will now
only be warm when the central heating is on - ie not also when the hot water
is on. To make up for this we are thinking of replacing the bathroom
radiator with an electrically assisted towel rail - so that it can be
switched on when the heating is off.

I'm a little concerned about the mixture of hot-water (=corrosion), mains
voltage and bathrooms. How safe are these installations, what special
safeguards do they need and what level of professional qualification do I
need to look for in an installer. In particular, can these devices generally
be safely installed by corgi registered plumbers as part of the
refurbishment or do we need to get in an electrician?

Many Thanks
Jack

Towel Rails
 

"Jack" wrote in message
...
Hello

We're in the process of having our central heating refurbished - new
boiler
plus radstats and tankstat.
As a result of losing the gravity circulation, our upstairs rads will now
only be warm when the central heating is on - ie not also when the hot
water
is on. To make up for this we are thinking of replacing the bathroom
radiator with an electrically assisted towel rail - so that it can be
switched on when the heating is off.

I'm a little concerned about the mixture of hot-water (=corrosion), mains
voltage and bathrooms. How safe are these installations, what special
safeguards do they need and what level of professional qualification do I
need to look for in an installer. In particular, can these devices
generally
be safely installed by corgi registered plumbers as part of the
refurbishment or do we need to get in an electrician?

Many Thanks
Jack

I have personally fitted dozens of these Jack, the manufacturers say they
are ok (as you would expect)and give them guarantees, they pass various
tests and regulations, electrics and water, kite marks, bs.standards etc etc
etc. Providing they are fitted properly and have adequate inhibitor put in,
they should be ok.
Fitting the towel rail is usually the plumbers job, even wiring it to the
fused spur sometimes, from there, it belongs to the electrician. Most
plumbers will put the rail in for you if they are given a fused spur
nearby.dont even need to be corgi reg either, as no gas is involved
rob

Towel Rails
 

"Jack" wrote in message
...
Hello

We're in the process of having our central heating refurbished - new
boiler
plus radstats and tankstat.
As a result of losing the gravity circulation, our upstairs rads will now
only be warm when the central heating is on - ie not also when the hot
water
is on. To make up for this we are thinking of replacing the bathroom
radiator with an electrically assisted towel rail - so that it can be
switched on when the heating is off.

I'm a little concerned about the mixture of hot-water (=corrosion), mains
voltage and bathrooms. How safe are these installations, what special
safeguards do they need and what level of professional qualification do I
need to look for in an installer. In particular, can these devices
generally
be safely installed by corgi registered plumbers as part of the
refurbishment or do we need to get in an electrician?

Many Thanks
Jack

The bathroom towel rail/rad can operate in summer by taking the flow after
the pump and before the zone vale(s). This is best.

Towel Rails
 

To make up for this we are thinking of replacing the bathroom
radiator with an electrically assisted towel rail - so that
it can be switched on when the heating is off.

You can run it off the unzoned pipework instead of the heating zone. This
way it will get hot when the hot water is heated, or when the heating is on.
This is good, because you often want a warm towel after a bath. Running the
bath makes the radiator hot as the cylinder is reheated.

If you do go electric, ensure it is fed via a 30mA quick acting RCD. If
there isn't already one on the circuit you are proposing to use, install an
RCD fused spur.

Christian.

Towel Rails
 

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
To make up for this we are thinking of replacing the bathroom
radiator with an electrically assisted towel rail - so that
it can be switched on when the heating is off.

You can run it off the unzoned pipework instead of the heating zone. This
way it will get hot when the hot water is heated, or when the heating is
on.
This is good, because you often want a warm towel after a bath. Running
the
bath makes the radiator hot as the cylinder is reheated.

If you do go electric, ensure it is fed via a 30mA quick acting RCD. If
there isn't already one on the circuit you are proposing to use, install
an
RCD fused spur.


Thanks for that (thanks to IMM & rob too).

If I fit an appropriate RCD, does this mean that I can site the towel rail
whereever I like - eg right next to a bath or shower. Or are there regs or
codes forbidding that?

Thanks
Jack

Towel Rails
 

"Jack" wrote in message
...

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
To make up for this we are thinking of replacing the bathroom
radiator with an electrically assisted towel rail - so that
it can be switched on when the heating is off.

You can run it off the unzoned pipework instead of the heating zone.
This
way it will get hot when the hot water is heated, or when the heating is
on.
This is good, because you often want a warm towel after a bath. Running
the
bath makes the radiator hot as the cylinder is reheated.

If you do go electric, ensure it is fed via a 30mA quick acting RCD. If
there isn't already one on the circuit you are proposing to use, install
an
RCD fused spur.


Thanks for that (thanks to IMM & rob too).

If I fit an appropriate RCD, does this mean that I can site the towel rail
whereever I like - eg right next to a bath or shower. Or are there regs or
codes forbidding that?

Installing an electric towel rail when you have a gas heating system doesn't
sound that logical at all.

Towel Rails
 

If I fit an appropriate RCD, does this mean that I can site the towel
rail whereever I like - eg right next to a bath or shower. Or are
there regs or codes forbidding that?

Look up bathroom zoning. The regulations in this area were changed a year or
two back.

Christian.

Towel Rails
 

In article ,
Jack wrote:
We're in the process of having our central heating refurbished - new
boiler plus radstats and tankstat. As a result of losing the gravity
circulation, our upstairs rads will now only be warm when the central
heating is on - ie not also when the hot water is on. To make up for
this we are thinking of replacing the bathroom radiator with an
electrically assisted towel rail - so that it can be switched on when
the heating is off.

Why not run the towel rail off the hot water heating 'circuit'? Then it
will be hot when only the water is being heated - same as before. Cheaper
to run than full price electricity.

--
*Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

Towel Rails
 

In article ,
Jack wrote:
I'm a little concerned about the mixture of hot-water (=corrosion), mains
voltage and bathrooms.

In terms of corrosion, etc, surely it's no different than having an
immersion as a back up in most gas fired systems which use a storage tank?

How safe are these installations, what special safeguards do they need
and what level of professional qualification do I need to look for in an
installer. In particular, can these devices generally be safely
installed by corgi registered plumbers as part of the refurbishment or
do we need to get in an electrician?

Well, I'd not trust the average CORGI type to change the battery in a
torch, electricity wise.

--
*Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life *

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn