Towel heater not plumbed in Electric only

[mysteryman]

I still think Matthew's advice is dangerous. He is making assumptions and is guessing at the truth as he goes along.

 

[transam]

Mysteryman is correct towel rail should only be used for the purpose for which it was designed for ! following the manus intructions !

 

[MJN]

Mysteryman is correct towel rail should only be used for the purpose for which it was designed for ! following the manus intructions !

Wise words. Here's an example set for the GET range:

http://www.getplc.com/Folders/air\warm air\g5trld - g5trcd 300w & 500w .pdf

Note the section on use with an electric heating element only, copied here for convenience:

Electric Heating Element Only Installation

GET Towel Radiators MUST BE FILLED WITH WATER when using the electric heating element. Ensure that no part of the electric heating element is exposed above water as this will damage the element and invalidate any warranty.

• Follow the Dual Energy installation steps, but fit the additional blanking plug (supplied with O-ring seal) into the other unused threaded tapping in the bottom of the Towel Radiator and tighten to provide a watertight seal
• Fill the Towel Radiator, via one of the top tappings, with 95% water, 4% Fernox MB-1 (recommended inhibitor), leaving a 1% air gap to allow for expansion.

Ultraheat, another one of the other main manufacturers in this area, say the same (albeit with the additional suggestion of adding anti-freeze if susceptible to very low temperatures) but I can't find an online softcopy of their instructions.

Mathew

 

[transam]

Hmm ?? cannot log on to the site ?? however as far as I am concerned when ever water is heated in a seled unit logic would dictate that there should be 3 things
1) provision for expansion
2) An overheat cut out device
3) A safety or pressure release valve or similar ??

 

[MJN]

Hmm ?? cannot log on to the site ??

It works fine for me. Try this if anyone else has issues.

however as far as I am concerned when ever water is heated in a seled unit logic would dictate that there should be 3 things
1) provision for expansion
2) An overheat cut out device

Yup.

3) A safety or pressure release valve or similar ??

No need if you've got 1 and 2 as demonstrated above, and there could be issues ensuring safe discharge.

Mathew

 

[steve32]

my local independent merchants sell loads as far as i know they have not had any problems.

tradeplumbing.co.uk/Electric-Towel-Rails_c_5135.html

 

[HeatingBargains]

We sell loads of pre-filled and separate elements and they are equally safe if fitted correctly. The biggest risk is not allowing enough room for expansion, depending on the design you can need up to 10%. One way of being 100% sure is to bleed it on full heat. This will release any excess and mean that the item runs at zero pressure on full heat and a slight negative pressure on cold. The "oil" filled ones are not filled with oil as such, they are filled with the same sort of mix that you would find in your central heating system, the "oil" is glycol oil which is the base of central heating protectors.

All of the elements have to have an internal thermal fuse by law which will blow the element if the thermostat fails so that they cannot get hot enough to boil.

 

[handsomejackuk]

I picked up a 400 X 700 chrome curved towel warmer from B and Q today, for £20.... it had no fixings, but can get them cheap anyway... Just to note, they had the electric version of the same towel warmer available for £80 and it was exactly the same... i had a look at it, even made by the same company with the same barcode on the unit it self...

was rated at 150w element. so would have thought popping in a 150 watt element is gonnna be the same thing...