Radiator advice, please!

keystone

malc_b wrote: »

That system has been used for years.

You still find them but nobody in general has installed one for years.

Radiators are all in parallel.

Errm no - Radiators are all in series on a one pipe.

Lukewarm radiators are a flow issue.

Not in the OP's case.

Cheers

malc_b

I forgot the n't as in "single pipe systems haven't been installed in years". A typical house CH is like this

http://davidkearns.co.uk/boilers_files/conventional.gif

Note that the diagram above the red, feed pipe goes to both radiators (in this 2 radiator house). The return, blue pipe comes from both radiators. If you turn one radiator off then the water can still flow through the other. That is not a single pipe system.

The issue is that the radiator is luke warm. That is related to flow. Yes, designer radiators are often less efficient that bog standard white but if that were the issue then the OP would be reporting the his radiator is hot but the room is still cold. He might have that problem when the flow is fixed but let's fix the flow issue first.

malc_b

Gloomendoom wrote: »

We have a bizarre situation where we have to keep one of the bedroom radiators turned completely off otherwise we don't get any heat to the hall or sitting room.

Which is why you always need to balance CH system. There will always be radiators with less flow resistance and those with more flow resistance. If you don't balance the system then all the flow goes through one radiator (or a few radiators).

It also messes up the heating. The boiler puts out say 5kW into the water and you have 5 1kW radiators taking that water and giving it's heat up to the air. If all the flow goes through 1 radiator then the system it just giving up 1kW to the air as only one radiator is working. The whole thing is very inefficient.

Same applies if say 50% of the water goes through 1 radiator with 50% shared between the others. Max output is thus 2.5kW + 1kW, not the 5kW it should be.

eastofeden

Thanks all. Keystone, the reason I had a vertical rad, apart from trying to be trendy, is that there is very limited wall space in the kitchen. The only wall to put one on is only about 45 cms wide, so it made sense to do it that way I thought!

When you say a proper one, it would be too small?

Thanks everyone!

eastofeden

PS Malc B I am a lady not a man!

malc_b

Sorry. The only way to tell if designer radiator was your best option is to look at the maximum normal radiator vs your designer radiator. All radiators specify their output. If you designer one is more than a double plus normal radiator then it was your best choice. As long as double plus (2 panels with 2 fins) wasn't too fat for you of course.

The usual issue people have is fitting towel rails in place of standard radiators. A single white finned radiator 600x600 is 600W. A 600x700 chrome towel rail is 260W and that's before you cover it with towels of course.

gas4you

Whatever radiator you have fitted, it should always get as hot to touch as all the others.

Whether when it is 'hot to touch' it actually heats the room up is another matter, as it may be too small for the room.

I fitted two 'designer' radiators in a new kitchen/diner a year ago, ridiculously priced and one even had a mirror as its finish, but all getting hot and working well. But they were still sized for the heat requirements of the room

Was back there this week servicing the new boiler, and there were no complaints about the room not being warm enough.