Old Curved Single Bay Rads replaced with 3 double Not Workin

[Nige F]

Why didn`t the " London" plumber suggest leaving the old curved rad in situ - and adding a rad like one of the 3 you now have - on another wall aswell But then I`m just a " country" plumber

 

[johnnojob]

name the radiator installer here..........
to do a decent job you will probaly need to move 2 side rads along a bit so lockshield valves and radiator valves fitted.
just put trvs on side radiators and convert to 2 pipe system as per the recent picture.as per yellerbelly.but do pipe work under floor then it will look more professional.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Was called to a v. similar set up recently. Two 1600mm long doubles, side by side, linked as yours are.

I'm afraid yours is even worse. Flow goes into the left rad, where it circulates inside rad, dispersing its heat to the rad, then flows out much cooler into middle rad, where it transfers what little heat is left to that rad. By the time it leaves the middle rad, and enters the right-hand rad, the water flow is virtually cold.

Presumably, its floor boards underneath, as the only way these rads will ever work, is if they have their own seperate flow and return pipes. Has to be re-piped.

Don't look on Mickey Mouse ratings websites. Get out there and speak to friends, neighbours, relatives and colleagues. One is bound to know a good plumber.

This plumber (and I use the term loosely) made you throw away a perfectly good (and not to mention expensive) curved rad, then fitted rads in a way that is worse than DIY. All he had to do was add another rad somewhere else in the room. Job done.

P.S. Is the rad on the right on the p*ss?

 

[Infinity]

Untitled

• YELLERBELLY
• 17 Dec 2010
• 1

Thanks - I'm managed to connect the top vent from the first rad to the second and its made a difference. Now the first and second rad get hot but still not that hot at the bottom. I tried the other vent but dont have the skill and tools to do it. Looks like I am going to have to spend more money and find a decent plumber who knows what they are doing! That's ther hard part especially as it nearly xmas.

Thanks for the pic, this will hopefully be the best solution. I also need to get the rads attached to the wall properly.

Thanks everyone its really appreciated!

Anyone know any decent plumber aorund NW London (Ruislip)?

 

[gasman1987]

hello there is nothing wrong with that layout as someone else has said it is just a 1pipe system it will just take a while to heat all 3 rad but a 35cdi will do it in no time
i would not waste your money you don't need to adjust the top of the rads
it is just air and balancing
try turning all other trvs of or lockshiels and pushing the air to the top of the rads , this will also tell you to a degree if the pipework / valves are ok
are they new valves as well

 

[Fellacim]

Just because it has one pipe linking 3 rads doesnt mean its a one pipe system. You can still balance a one pipe system but you cant balance these. The 1st rad will always be the hottest and the last will always be the coldest because radiators are designed to remove the heat that they contain. By the time the water gets to the last rad, the heat will be lost.

 

[gasman1987]

yh but you can still get that setup going i would agree if it was the whole house. but the 35cdi want have a problen and if you try isoling each other rad on the trv it will tell you if you can get the rad going without a re pipe

and after sometime they should more orless be the same temp

 

[doitall]

When you drain down to fix the rad properly I would check the tails in the others for a blockage, at the same time change the trv to the flow pipe.

There's no reason it shouldn't work as is, other than a restricted flow.

 

[Nige F]

I agree with DIA and look @ it not as a 1 pipe - but as a large sectional rad BUT with small - 1/2 inch connections between sections The old sectional cast rads had @ least 1inch bsp holes between sections . It`s a case of getting the volume of water to it ( meaning the 3 joined rads) to maintain the water temperature within .

 

[Terrywookfit]

If you consider that the total output of the 3 rads are probably in excess of 13000 btu.
You will NEVER get it to work properly in that configuration.
Most 1 pipe systems were pi$$ poor any way.

 

[gasman1987]

have they said the size of the rads

i have a customer that had a 18 rad system and there are 4 600mm high by 1200 , 1200 ,1800 , 2000, in his lounge dinner that are in the 1 pipe system link and the rest of the house is two pipe
the longe is on it's own zone with 1 room stat

this is ran of a 831 vailant and


i have not installed the lounge but did change the rest of the house
there is nothink wrong with that setup just is not practical

would i have it in my house no but sometimes thats just the way it is as enganeer you have to sort out these problems and that can be sorted out

 

[Terrywookfit]

have they said the size of the rads

i have a customer that had a 18 rad system and there are 4 600mm high by 1200 , 1200 ,1800 , 2000, in his lounge dinner that are in the 1 pipe system link and the rest of the house is two pipe
the longe is on it's own zone with 1 room stat

this is ran of a 831 vailant and


i have not installed the lounge but did change the rest of the house
there is nothink wrong with that setup just is not practical

would i have it in my house no but sometimes thats just the way it is as enganeer you have to sort out these problems and that can be sorted out

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:00 pm Post Subject: Old Curved Single Bay Rads replaced with 3 double Not Workin



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi,

I recently had a single curved really old bay radiator changed, as it was not heating the room enough. I spoke to a few plumbers and was told I could replace it with 3 new double smaller straight ones. I used a well known website to find the plumber.
In the end I got 2 X 800x600 and 1 X 600x600 fitted together with on thermostat.

 

[dhill]

All this fuss over this way or that way, who is right, who is wrong, they all cost time and money. Id stick with my first advice as why the hell would you want to look at three ugly, right angled radiators under a curved bay window for the rest of your life RANT RANT RANT no offence to anyone xxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Whitespirit66]

hello there is nothing wrong with that layout as someone else has said it is just a 1pipe system it will just take a while to heat all 3 rad but a 35cdi will do it in no time
i would not waste your money you don't need to adjust the top of the rads
it is just air and balancing
try turning all other trvs of or lockshiels and pushing the air to the top of the rads , this will also tell you to a degree if the pipework / valves are ok
are they new valves as well

Don't want to doubt you, but can't agree with anything you say.

1) One pipes work by thermo-syphon from having a valve at each end of the rad. How can thermo-syphon possibly be efficient if the rad is split into 3 seperate rads?

2) One pipe relies on the rad having short tails. Who knows how long the tails extend under the floor to the main F and R pipes?

3) You have recommended that he keeps this ba$tardised one-pipe abomination, but have neglected to point out that one-pipe really needs larger bore valves. Thermo-syphon will be killed through the narrow ways of a standard TRV. Needs one-pipe valves eg. Danfoss RA-G.

So, a rad split into 3, wrong valves, and poss. long tails. How do you propose that this is ever going to work as one-pipe? This whole mess needs a few simple additions of an extra pipe to each rad to make 2 pipe. Otherwise it will always be grief.

OP, Yellowbelly's suggestion, while not the neatest or easiest, will do the job if you don't want to lift the flooring.

I think Agile is in your neck of the woods if you need someone good.

 

[mehran]

the easiest thing to do is have the rads attach at the top and bottom. that should make them one big rad.