Help to find replacement radiator

[Milleniumaire]

My house was built nearly 24 years ago and I would like to change one of the original radiators as part of a downstairs toilet refurbishment. It's the smallest radiator in the house measuring 49cm wide and 42cm high. The pipe centres are at 57.5cm and around 3.5/4cm from the wall. The size of the radiator is the problem as I can't seem to find any radiator that is a similar size.

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I wonder if based on your experience you might be able to point me in the direction of a radiator that would fit without having to alter the pipe positions, which would require the chipboard flooring to be taken up!

I was hoping to go for a more modern looking radiator, but I may have to accept a basic looking style due to the size.

Thanks.

 

[ianmcd]

The height can be whatever you think fits best, the width will have to be 500mm, will fit no problem

 

[Anon_E_Mouse]

https://www.mrcentralheating.co.uk/revive-400h-x-500l-single-premium-radiator-k1. This should fit fine.

 

[ianmcd]

Yes that will fit fine, but personally I would go for the 600 H 500l for all the difference in price and you will get more heat, you will just put a towel over it anyway

 

[Milleniumaire]

The height can be whatever you think fits best, the width will have to be 500mm, will fit no problem

I had thought a 500mm wide radiator would be okay, but of the one's I've looked at the pipe centres are all wider than 575! i.e. 590mm, 588mm etc.

Then there's the distance from the wall, which varies massively, but 4mm seems quite close for most radiators! I can probably get a little bit of movement away from the wall if really necessary, but would rather than stress the copper pipe!

I started looking for radiators that are narrower than 500mm and came across this, which has pipe centres at 550 and 34mm pipe centres from the wall, which I may be able to work with. If really necessary, I guess I could pad out the brackets to bring it off the wall a little more.

Screwfix sell extension radiator tails that can be cut to size. I think these would allow me to span the additional 25mm gap to the pipes? Not sure how they work, but assume one end screws into the radiator and the other end is cut to size using a pipe cutter and then an olive used to attach the nut to the valve? Radiator tails I've fitted before have had the nuts "fixed" in place, but I assume these extensions work the same as attaching a piece of pipe to the valve?

I see there are telescopic extension tales or fixed extension tales, but it would appear the telescopic ones tend to leak so while they may be easier to fit, maybe I should stay clear.

 

[ianmcd]

Stop measuring pipe centres, you measure rads by the length of the rad a 500L will fit no problem

 

[Milleniumaire]

https://www.mrcentralheating.co.uk/revive-400h-x-500l-single-premium-radiator-k1. This should fit fine.

Yes that will fit fine, but personally I would go for the 600 H 500l for all the difference in price and you will get more heat, you will just put a towel over it anyway

I much prefer the price of these "standard" radiators!!!!

It's a shame they don't provide the pipe centres measurements as I wouldn't want to order anything unless I was 100% sure it would fit.

The expensive, designer radiator I linked above is made from aluminium. Is there an advantage to using aluminium instead of steel when making radiators? My previous car was aluminium and I had assumed rust would never be a problem, which it wasn't as aluminium doesn't rust. However, it certainly corrodes and I had to replace a wing due to corrosion, so struggling to understand how aluminium radiators would do any better than my old car!!!!

 

[Milleniumaire]

Stop measuring pipe centres, you measure rads by the length of the rad a 500L will fit no problem

I understand it is the physical dimension of the radiator that determines its size, but surely pipe centres takes account of the radiator tails and therefore is a better indication of how the radiator will fit to the pipes? Most of the 500mm radiators I've looked at state pipe centres wider than my existing setup, so how could they possibly fit without having to move the pipes further apart?

 

[Anon_E_Mouse]

As Ian said the pipe centre's are irrelevant just go by the width of the radiator.

 

[ianmcd]

I understand it is the physical dimension of the radiator that determines its size, but surely pipe centres takes account of the radiator tails and therefore is a better indication of how the radiator will fit to the pipes? Most of the 500mm radiators I've looked at state pipe centres wider than my existing setup, so how could they possibly fit without having to move the pipes further apart?

just trust me a 500l will fit no problem, stop looking for problems that you dont have

 

[Anon_E_Mouse]

Old radiator 490 mm new radiator 500mm 10mm difference 5mm either side.

 

[HERTS P&D]

I much prefer the price of these "standard" radiators!!!!!

You are defiantly a Yorkshire man?



Andy

 

[Milleniumaire]

You are defiantly a Yorkshire man?



Andy

I'm going to take everyone's advice and go for a 500mm wide radiator.

However, if it doesn't fit, I'll be chasing you for the cost of return postage

 

[HERTS P&D]

I'm glad we got there in the end!

Andy

 

[Anon_E_Mouse]

It'll fly in, and he'll wonder what all the fuss was about