cap off rediator Or connect In to Out?

[vern]

I have a radiator in the bathroom which will no longer be used,
should I put stop end cap on both in & outlet, Or should I make a connection in&out to keep the water flow back to the boiler to heat up?

 

[kevplumb]

cap the pipes

 

[nstreet]

Kevplumb,

If it was the last radiator on a leg could you join then?

Just for future reference.

 

[ChrisR]

You shouldn't, assuming it's a normal 2 pipe system.

If you did it would effectively "short out" the radiators. On the other hand, if it were the last rad on a branch, you would be leaving long undesirable "dead legs" of water which wouldn't be circulating. They can cause weird problems, so you'd want to cut the pipes back to the previous rad and cap them there.

 

[nstreet]

The 'dead leg' is what I had doubts about.

If joined the water would short circuit the radiators because of the pressure differential I guess? Water will take the route of least resistance.

Just broading my knowledge.

Many thanks.

 

[ChrisR]

Radiators aren't very resistive either, so the system would still wprk to a point, except for the rad(s) nearest the "short". It would make a horrible problem to diagnose without going under the floor!

 

[vern]

ic, so the best way is to cap it on the previous rad... but what happen if u duno which one is the previous one...... ?

 

[TexMex]

Replace it with a heated towel rail?

 

[doitall]

and it could just be a heat sink, or by-pass rad.

 

[ChrisR]

You could join the flo and return which went to the rad, with a cheap isolating type valve in the pipe, open just a teeny bit. It would stop the water stagnating without being a "Short".

 

[Bahco]

ic, so the best way is to cap it on the previous rad... but what happen if u duno which one is the previous one...... ?

Get your floor boards up and trace the pipe back. Where the pipe feed tees off is where you need to alter your pipework, dispensing with the tees and replacing with a coupler

 

[doitall]

and it could just be a heat sink, or by-pass rad.

And if it is the system could become unstable and create a thousand and one new problems.

When will you guys learn you can't simply remove or alter the system without knowing what does what.

 

[Bahco]

and it could just be a heat sink, or by-pass rad.

Good point Doitall

Vern
You will need to find out if your boiler has an internal bypass fitted or if there is one on your pipework or if a rad has been used as one.
If there is you can go ahead with your work but if not and your rad is the heat sink you will need to modify your system to accomadate one.
Ask a heating guy to check out your system before you go ahead.

 

[vern]

ok, thanks for all the information