Towel Rail Plumbing

[Schmill]

I am fitting a towel radiator in my bathroom, and I will be capping off the old radiator feeds, and instead taking the feed for the towel rail after the pump, but before either of the motorised valves, (CH and DHW), so that it heats whenever either system is causing the boiler to fire up.
I believe I also have to take the return back to tee into the return pipework BEFORE the DHWC return?

Also with regards to any future need to drain the towel radiator;

With a 'normal' radiator the flow and return enter the rad horizontally, so if I need to remove the rad for any reason I just close both valves, shove a paint tray under the return side and loosen the fixing nut, allowing the rad to drain down into the tray.
With the towel rad thought the flow and feed enter it vertically. If I need to remove this later and use the 'normal' procedure then the water from the rad will just run down the outside of the pipe, (as I'll be unable to get a paint tray under it). To avoid this can you get a 'nice looking' chrome section with a drain tap built in, or is there some other method used to remove a towel rad, (without draining down the whole system?)

Many thanks
Also, as the feed into the towel rail is vertical, do I need to use a valve with a drain-off tap built in, (so that in future if I need to empty the radiator I can drain it)? On a 'normal' radiator I just put a tray underneath and undo the compression nut on the joint, but these connections are normally horizontal (so work with a tray under them), but the towel rail pipes will be vertical.

Thanks

 

[Schmill]

No suggestions or have I not made sense?

 

[mysteryman]

It is a good idea. Use lockshield valves on the HTR so it becomes the [only] bypass.

It is unlikely that you need to amend the return pipework - it is almost certainly close enough to the correct location already.

I wouldn't worry too much about possible removal either - you can always drain it slowly and catch the drips with an old towel, or whatever. It seems fairly pointless to make the job untidy for the sake of a very unlikely problem later on.

 

[Schmill]

It is a good idea. Use lockshield valves on the HTR so it becomes the [only] bypass.

I've already bought the TRV set, was that a bad idea? I just didn't want to get teh bathroom roasting just because someone had been using hotwater in the kitchen for example.
Can you explain the purpose of the bypass, I've seen it mentioned in passing previously, but no explanation. I don't believe the system currently has a bypass, (if I understand it correctly that it would just be a pipe from teh pumped side to the return?)

It is unlikely that you need to amend the return pipework - it is almost certainly close enough to the correct location already.

Currently it will just flow back into the standard CH return line, is that ok then, I thought I'd need to get that water back to the boiler soon as possible.

I wouldn't worry too much about possible removal either - you can always drain it slowly and catch the drips with an old towel, or whatever. It seems fairly pointless to make the job untidy for the sake of a very unlikely problem later on.

Yeah, must admit I didn't really like the idea of having a drain tap hanging off the bottom of the towel radiator, but if it was the 'correct way' I would have done it.

 

[vulcancontinental]

Wouldn't this contravene Part L?

Not sure, just asking.

 

[TicklyT]

If you need to drain the rad, cut up a plastic pop bottle to make yourself a funnel / spout you can tape to the pipe with PVC tape to direct the water into your paint tray.