Radiators Installed Upside Down & Back To Front

[kaithavallapil]

I wonder if anyone has seen this type of installation before and can give an explanation.

I moved to a new office last summer and this winter noticed that the radiator in my room was cold. It was covered by a metal cover which I lifted off to discover that the rad was installed back to front with the corrugated convectors facing the room and upside down with the flow/return pipes going all the way up to the valves at the top.

I checked all the other rooms and they are the same. Never seen anything like it before. Looks like someone stuck the covers on to hide a really bad installation. Or is there some good reason for this type of installation?

As I see it, the hot water is supposed to rise to the top and cooler water fall to the bottom and return to the boiler. With the upside down installation the bottom of the radiatior will always be cold.

Anybody come acroos this before or have an explanation?

 

[cozzmic]

LST rad, designed that way. (low surface temperature) valve pin may be jammed if rad not heating or air in rad.

 

[kaithavallapil]

Thanks, it makes sense now.

 

[RickMoore]

Every LST I have ever fitted has been TBOE (Top entry, bottom exit, opposite end) and when on a fully pumped system that's only to get the TRV to the top of the case. I can't see a radiator piped TTOE working very well at all, and that's not how they are supposed to be done.

 

[alanbaines76]

... so I have a designer radiator - a bit like a towel rad. My feed pipes were coming from the ceiling and so I decided it was a good idea to install upside down and have the valves at the top.
I had a bit of trouble bleeding it but have managed to put some bleed valves in the top end (which was the bottom end originally).
Anyhoo, the rad gets hot at the top but not at the bottom. Any help apprediated.

 

[kbdiy]

My guess would be that it's short-circuiting through what was the bottom (now the top) of the rad so sufficient hot water never reaches the bottom. I believe some designer rads also incorporate baffles to improve the circulation, which, by installing upside-down, has probably screwed the circulation completely.

 

[doitall]

Wont work properly with TTOE.

The return needs to be at the bottom, or install a dip tube if, you can and the TRV head should be outside the case or a remote sensor.

 

[Blagard]

Wont work properly with TTOE.

The return needs to be at the bottom, or install a dip tube if, you can

I recently had some 1/2" MI by 15mm end feed couplers that were bored out 15mm both ends. so I could solder a 15mm tube into the threaded part if I wanted! - Otherwise where do you get suitable dip tubes from?

 

[doitall]

Some Stelrads have two tappings on the bottom with a dip tube to the top. Otherwise you have to make your own

 

[alanbaines76]

thanks for the fast responses guys. I might look at making a dip tube.

best regards,
-Alan

 

[doitall]

Or just drop the return to the bottom so you have TBOE.