Replacing Cloakroom Radiator for Towel Rail

[CazDIY]

Hi,

I'm looking to replace the existing radiator in the downstairs wc for a heated towel rail (of equivalent BTUs) connected to the central heating. I've got a couple of questions....

-What width towel would be the easiest to install?

The existing radiator is 400mm wide but the plumbing pipes are actually 500mm apart (angled valves are fitted). I'd like a 500mm wide one if possible but don't want the install to be complicated.

-What are the best valves to use here?

I think towel rails typically use straight valves. The plumbing already installed is microbore, 8mm I think. Do I need to get some kind of converter to help with the size difference? The pipes come out of the wall (not floor) and I'd rather not disturb the plasterwork.

Thanks in advance.

 

[DP]

All I can say is, resist the temptation. Towel rails look good but do not put out much heat.

 

[CazDIY]

Thanks - I appreciate your advice however I'd like to try it. I'm going to get one that is very tall and should be ok for this small room. I'd just like to know how best to go about the installation. If it's that bad, I'm going to keep the old radiator and can switch back. Cheers

 

[Tay7]

I did something similar and the towel radiator kicks out much more heat than the tiny radiator that was there.

I went for a narrower towel radiator than the pipe centres so that I didn't need to alter plumbing.

See here //www.diynot.com/diy/media/albums/downstairs-toilet.25501/

 

[Diyisfun]

Get an electric towel radiator, I took my water one out of the cloakroom & replaced with electric. Well pleased

 

[dilalio]

You can go for a rail as wide as you want really... Where the tails come out of the wall, you can extend them left and right to line up with the towel rail entries and then either go up and in with straight valves or horizontally left and right and directly into bent valves.

 

[CazDIY]

Thanks. I don't really want to go down the electric route but want to connect to the central heating.

So if I got a 500mm wide unit with straight valves, this would be ok? What about having microbore pipework?

 

[Tay7]

Photo please.

 

[CazDIY]

 

[Tay7]

What you propose sounds fine to me.

Towel radiator with 500 pipe centres, straight valves 8mm to 15mm such as https://www.mrcentralheating.co.uk/...gclid=CK-70Y7hksoCFYPnwgodxUwLSQ#.VovCnhBFDqA

But prettier.

You'll need to isolate the pipework to swap the valves out.

 

[CazDIY]

Brilliant thanks, that's really helpful.

Would these be ok, or is a TRV not really needed?

http://www.jtmplumbing.co.uk/heatin...+listing+ads&gclid=CNvg-vXnksoCFUrlwgodFSwE1A

 

[Diyisfun]

That link is a trv...isn't it?
Danfoss DANFOSS 15/10/8MM RAS-D2 STR TRV CHROME (danfoss: 013G601400)

 

[Tay7]

You've got a TRV there now so it'll be fine to include a new one.

When choosing valves you need to make sure the connection to the existing pipe work is 8mm and 15mm after the valve.

Bare in mind also that a 500mm wide towel radiator doesn't have 500mm pipe centres. Typically it would have 450mm centres. Measure the exact distance from the centres of your existing pipework and choose a rad that matches these measures as centres not the width of the rad.

Unless of course you want to alter pipes.

 

[CazDIY]

That link is a trv...isn't it?
Danfoss DANFOSS 15/10/8MM RAS-D2 STR TRV CHROME (danfoss: 013G601400)

That one is a TRV - I can't seem to find any chrome ones that are manual.

 

[CazDIY]

You've got a TRV there now so it'll be fine to include a new one.

When choosing valves you need to make sure the connection to the existing pipe work is 8mm and 15mm after the valve.

Bare in mind also that a 500mm wide towel radiator doesn't have 500mm pipe centres. Typically it would have 450mm centres. Measure the exact distance from the centres of your existing pipework and choose a rad that matches these measures as centres not the width of the rad.

Unless of course you want to alter pipes.

Ah, good point. The pipe centres are 490mm - I've had a quick look and can't seem to find a rail that matches this, so perhaps the pipework will need changing..