Connecting old pipes to new rad.

[MonsterMonster]

I've just removed an old towel rail and a installed new one of same width. However, the new rail sits about a inch further from the wall. I can pull the pipe and valve over to be inline with the tail brass flange albeit slightly inclined and connect hand tight. Would I be right in thinking this is dodgy and would lead to certain leaking and would be better to replace the pipes?

 

[cross thread]

you could make it seal with a compound applied but it will look crap bit the bullet and move the pipes

 

[jedi]

If there's enough play in the pipe under the floor you could bend it to the right angle with a 15mm bending spring..

 

[dilalio]

It'll hold but will forever look crap "to you". Nobody else will likely notice, unless you point it out

If you're gonna go to the trouble of adjusting them, then why not go the whole hog and sink them into the wall!

I would

 

[dilalio]

Or... Can you use the old brackets on the new rad? If this keeps it closer to the wall!

 

[MonsterMonster]

There's some play in the pipes under the floor boards so I could make the floorboard holes bigger towards the front and position the pipes directly under the tails. Failing that drain and bend/replace and take the oportunity to fit a TRV perhaps. Thanks.

 

[MonsterMonster]

It's amazing what you can do with a Swiss Army knife saw! Chopped out about 1/2" in front of the holes and the pipes magically moved into the correct position under the tails. Job done without draining or ripping up floor boards.

 

[dilalio]

Happy days!

 

[MonsterMonster]

All connected after some cursing at leaks from the unions. Eventually put some Hawk White on valve seats and on the brass flanges and all seems to be leak free with heating turned on. Thanks for everyones help.

 

[MonsterMonster]

Spoke too soon. All was fine for 15 mins with heating on until I increased the turn on the return lockshield and it began to leak again from the union I can't tighten the union any further. The unions seem to line up okay and connect without any obvious problem. I've smeared Hawk White (5 years old, yellow in appearance and runny after mixing) on flange and seat. Does this stuff need time to set or does it have a life shelf or should I use another type of compound?

I'll give it one more go before remove old valves and use new paired up tails & flanges with, if necessary, new pipes.

 

[Madrab]

Try Gas PTFE as mentioned before. Old connections never fit back exactly the same way therefore the surfaces never fit exactly.

2 or 3 turns of Gas PTFE will make up those tiny gaps. Just cover the contact surface on the flange, on the curved contact face and the top where the inside face of the nut will contact too. Once tightened, stanley to trim the excess.