How would you alter this rad feed?

[Deluks]

See pictures.

The previous rad was closer to the wall than the new towel rad.

The bent pipe needs removing and replacing with new pipe with a gentler bend.

Obviously can't fix a fitting to the bend itself as the pipe is extruded.

If I cut the bend off. There's not quite enough unbent stub left to get a compression fitting on. (Would prefer not using a comp. )

A new solder fitting would be right up against the existing one, making soldering tricky, I'd end up weakening or unsoldering the other joint in the process.

Could try and unsolder the right angle coming off of the reducing tee, but there's likely to be water in it so the prolonged heat might end up unsoldering the tee (?)

How would you do it?

 

[Deluks]

Just to add.

I've got cement board, steel plate and sildering mat to protect the cables etc.

I'm using Yorkshires.

Cheers

 

[oldbuffer]

What is the difference to be adjusted for?

1. If less than 5 mm:
1a. If I was feeling really lazy I'd be tempted to pull the pipework into place with brute force, then add a pipe clip to take the strain.
1b. If not feeling lazy I'd un-solder the final elbow, put an external spring on it and try and ease it into a more gentle curve. Then measure, trim end as necessary and a new elbow and vertical pipe.

2. If 5 mm or more (or wanting to do the job properly):
2a. Drain system fully and wet vac out any remaining water.
2b. Remove reducing T and replace with an elbow.
2c. Cut 22mm pipe to right of new elbow, insert reducing T (22:15:22) and new pipe and elbow up into towel rail.

 

[Razor900]

Put the end of a floorboard under the tee and use it as a lever to gently raise the pipework half an inch or so to let the water drain from the pipework then unsweat the elbow and put a new piece of pipe in.

Looks like it will be almost straight anyway!

 

[Deluks]

Thanks guys.

Managed to unsolder the first elbow and remove the entire bend, it's not as straight as it looks!

Have cleaned up the end, it's still got some of the old solder on it but a new fitting does go on.

I need to bend a new section of pipe using an internal spring, approx 20mm offset over 150mm length.

1) Do I need to heat the pipe before bending for such a small bend? (Is it preferable to?)

2) Do I still need to flux the pipe over the old solder? (I will put a small amount in the fitting, either side of the solder ring)

 

[oldbuffer]

1. If you anneal the pipe in the bend area it will be easier to bend. Heat to red hot and either quench or allow to cool. But no, you don't have to.
2. Make sure the old solder completely covers the end of the pipe, without void parts. A smear of flux onto existing solder on pipe is essential, or you could easily end with a dry joint. Looks OK but hasn't really soldered.
2. Try to avoid putting flux into the fittings. When you insert the pipe it pushes some of the flux down inside the fitting, which is not a good idea. If you flux the pipe, when you push it into the fitting it "wipes" any excess flux out to where you can clean it off.

 

[Nozzle]

Flux is all very well and good... AFTER you've had a go with the wire wool.
Cleanlines is the key to it all, any oxide in there and it'll scupper the whole joint

(And moisture too, as it limits the temperature of the copper to 100C until all the water has boiler off - hence the suggestion to drain down and wet-vac)

Nozzle

 

[Deluks]

Great stuff chaps. Got the bend sorted, it was only slight so did it by hand.
I've cleaned up the old solder with wire wool , the Yorkshire fitting is tight but it goes in all the way.

Already soldered up the second elbow (beneath the rad) went to fit it all together and solder the first elbow but I've come up short! Doh!

Measure once, swear twice.

So now the vertical pipe doesn't reach the rad. I don't know what went wrong, tired I guess.

I've got no spare bends but much head scratching leads me to believe a short rad tail extension would solve the problem, which I'll pick up tomorrow. then I'll solder in the final bit.

thanks again.