Towel Rail to replace Expansion Rad

[topgazza]

I have a 600 x 500 single rad in my bathroom which is the hot water/towel rad for the unvented system. It stays hot from most of the time of course.

Thinking of replacing it with a chrome towel rail with lots of pipes or bars so good heat capability. Is this a good idea ? Is it a case of matching BTUs of the rads or should I forget it and stick with a new standard rad as a replacement

 

[stem]

A towel rail, will only emit a fraction of the heat when compared to a radiator of the same size, and then when it is covered with fluffy insulating towels that is reduced to almost nothing.

In your case for comparison purposes, I would estimate the existing radiator would be rated about 2,000 btu and a towel warmer of the same size about 500 btu, but that's without any towels on it. You can of course fit a larger towel warmer.

I'm not sure that you have described the system you have correctly, "expansion rad" and "unvented system" doesn't sound a right combination to me, but I'm not a professional, so maybe it will mean something to others.

 

[topgazza]

From what I understand the "expansion rad" appears to be a left over from the previous vented system. Its only on the hot water side of things and not part of the central heating circuit so in effect a "towel rad". Maybe expansion is the wrong word as its probably just a heat source for the bathroom for towels anyway or similar. In any case they left it as was when the converted the house to unvented.

So the biggest problem will be BTU output especially as you say with towels on it more than now as we have a separate towel bar above the rad. The change is for cosmetic reasons to modernise the bathroom

 

[stem]

OK, that makes more sense, I guess you had / have a solid fuel system, that needs to rid its self of excess heat.

 

[topgazza]

Yes, sorry, I re read my first post and it reads like that. I've changed the post so thanks for pointing it out, I blame too many Lemsips

I've always sub- consciously viewed the rad as a "safety" feature which is clearly wrong.