Leak in towel radiator pipe.

Stringman_uk · 11 Apr 2021

Hi all.
I have a lovely towel radiator which has a pipe for towel hanging around the front.
This was an ebay purchase and, after sanding painting and installing we realised it had a slight crack in said pipe.

I repaired it with some metal epoxy putty. This has worked for about 2 years but has started to leak again.
Any suggestions on how to repair this?
Would solder work?

Many thanks in advance

CBW · 11 Apr 2021

A photo of crack and pipe might help us to answer better.

Stringman_uk · 12 Apr 2021

Below is the pipe with the repair, which has lasted a couple of years.
There is a small crack under the epoxy metal. I was hoping i could clean off the epoxy, solder the crack and then put on fresh epoxy.
Sound viable?

polesapart · 12 Apr 2021

A product like Fernox LSX might work.

If the pipe is copper or brass it may be possible to clean an area to bare metal, tin it with normal flux and solder and then wipe plumbers metal onto the tinned area.

Gasguru · 12 Apr 2021

Bin it...the pipe has pin holed from internal corrosion and there's no guarantee it won't spring another leak.

Stringman_uk · 13 Apr 2021

Thanks for all the replies, I think it was more of a crack rather than a pin hole.
I am thinking of taking it off, removing the epoxy and then having a look at it before i decide what to do with it.
The radiator was moved about 3 years ago so know it comes of the system off T's from the CH feed ( I am not explaining it very well I am sure) with this in mind would I be correct in thinking that I can shut of the radiator valves, drain and remove the rad and still use the central heating?
Many thanks in advance.

MeldrewsMate · 13 Apr 2021

It looks like your pipe is chromed steel, not easy to solder, not pretty when done. As said, internal corrosion has pin holed the metal substrate and there will be other pinholes ready to take up the fight to free the water!
Suggest you buy a new one or look out for similar on fleabay or the like - I think that chrome tube simply bolts on and off.

If you have two valves on that rad, and both close, then you'll be able to remove that rad without losing the use of the rest of the heating system.

Stringman_uk · 13 Apr 2021

Meldrews
Thank you very much.

Stringman_uk · 16 Apr 2021

As luck would have it The spare one I had in the shed (bought it first but found one in better condition) is identical except the the tube work is chrome not brass coloured. So I have aken that apart and sprayed it with cast iron radiator enamel. Once is all hardened etc I shall swap over the rads.
Many thanks

Stringman_uk · 18 May 2021

Updating this thread a bit....
My radiator is the same to the one below except mine has a shut off valve on the top left spur.
....

So i took out the old radiator from the (leaking) metal pipe part.
Swapped out the out the metal pipe part.
I am just about to refit the main part of the radiator and i noticed that there were some plastic O rings ( look more like hard plastic washers) but there seemed to be only 2. And I am not sure if they came from the top spur or bottom.
They actually seem different sizes. The I/D is 20mm and 22mm and the O/D is 30mm and 32mm

Should i have 4?
Any ideas if these are a standard size? and if they are easily obtainable?

Thanks in advance

Stringman_uk · 18 May 2021

Updating this Thread as I want to do a couple of final checks.

The radiator we have is very similar to above with the exception that ours has an additional shut off valve on the top left pipe going into the radiator unit.

I have stripped out the old unit and fitted the new metal pipework.
I am just about to fit the old radiator in ( it needed painting) and noticed 2 flat plastic nylon washers .
one is 32x 22mm the other 30mm x 22mm

Should there be 4?
any idea if these are standard sizes and how easy they are to purchase.

Thanks in advance

Stringman_uk · 18 May 2021

Actually I am hoping I have answered my own question.
On looking at the additional shut off valve

I noticed that it had the very same 2 washers on the right.
So would I presume that these are as they should be and all i need is some ptfe tape around the thread?

Thanks again

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Leak in towel radiator pipe.

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