replacing radiators with smaller metric versions

timbr00 · 1 October 2017 at 6:18PM

i wish to replace 3 radiators that are imperial sizes e.g 17595h x 690w. the nearest i can find is 1600 x 700. how can i fit one that is 159mm shorter without adjusting the pipes?

i have seen radiator valve adapters of 80mm in tool station but not sure if they do what i am after.

my thinking is that 80mm x 2- 160mm and the pipe will move by 1mm to fit.

please excuse the terminology, i assume the TRV has an external thread and nut, the adapter has an external thread which fits into the radiator and an internal thread. how does this then fit to the TRV? do i have to remove the TRV from the pipe to wind this on? and what happens with the nut? or have i totally mis understood how these work or is there a better way?

Alex1983 · 1 October 2017 at 6:25PM

That is probably what you want, google rad valve extension and you see images of what they look like, in work we use all different sized ones starting at 20mm and going up to 80mm.

TheCyclingProgrammer · 1 October 2017 at 6:25PM

You can get pipe tail extensions though they aren’t that attractive and I’ve seen a lot of negative reviews saying they eventually leak. If you can access the pipes I would get them modified.

timbr00 · 1 October 2017 at 6:32PM

As A new member I can’t post links but I was looking at 80mm valve extension on toolststion site. Just can’t figure out where the nut on trv would go

Alex1983 · 1 October 2017 at 6:36PM

The ones your looking at screw into the radiator and then the radiator tail goes inside the extension you fitted.

Bit of advice screw the tail into the extension and then put it all in to the radiator in 1 piece and don’t over tighten the extension into the radiator it will snap off.

timbr00 · 1 October 2017 at 8:06PM

Thanks, I was hoping to shut the valves off and just remove the radiator I guess the only way to do it is to drain the whole system?

Alex1983 · 1 October 2017 at 8:42PM

No you will be able to do it by just shutting the valve off. The tails are after the shut off. You can shut both rad valves, drain and remove rad. Take the old tails out of the old rads and then fit them into your new extension pieces and then into new rad.

timbr00 · 1 October 2017 at 8:54PM

Thanks, I assume that as each side of the radiator is 80mm shorter than existing. Re using old valves with the 80mm adapters will fill the gap.

Alex1983 · 1 October 2017 at 9:06PM

Should be, the extensions come in all different sizes if it slightly out you could get the appropriate sized one.

Cornucopia · 1 October 2017 at 9:22PM

Maybe I've misunderstood what you want to achieve, but I would have thought that the new radiator will have inlets at the same height from the floor (more or less) as the old radiator. Therefore fit the new one in the same location so that the inlets line up with the existing pipework and move the wall brackets accordingly.

I've swapped out a couple of radiators as a DIY exercise, and found it a reasonably straightforward job. I didn't have to drain the system on either occasion.

Alex1983 · 1 October 2017 at 9:28PM

I’m assuming it’s the other way. 690mm high is the size of the myson round top radiators and the length of the new one is slight shorter.

If it is a myson round top radiator your taking out, you can buy a direct replacement, myson still make round top rads. They will be more expensive though.

replacing radiators with smaller metric versions

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