Central heating - microbore
Farouq Taj
We currently have copper tubes of roughly 3mm diam.
supplying water to the radiators.
I think the tubing is called microbore and is available
in a roll from plumbing suppliers.
I need to know what the advantages/disadvantages are of
using this copper tubing instead of the usual copper pipes
for central heating.
Thanks.
Farouq Taj.
Mungo Henning
>
> I'm considering upgrading the central heating.
>
> We currently have copper tubes of roughly 3mm diam.
> supplying water to the radiators.
diameter... don't think so.
>
> I think the tubing is called microbore and is available
> in a roll from plumbing suppliers.
>
Yep, microbore alright (or if it IS three mill then it's "ultrabore",
but now I'm becoming "boring"... :-)
> I need to know what the advantages/disadvantages are of
> using this copper tubing instead of the usual copper pipes
> for central heating.
I've used microbore recently and in the past, but although you save
some money on the piping, the fittings can compensate for that.
Depending on the route, it can be easier to install microbore though.
In future I'll stick with 15mm copper (until I become "converted" to
the plastic stuff... need to see a demo up close first! :-), having
had some hassle with the microbore.
Larger diameter pipes should be less noisy IMHO when water flows
through them.
Remember to consider thermostatic valves, and if so note which
pipes are FLOW versus RETURN.
Otherwise, methink the FAQ will contain more details (okay, haven't
browsed it in a while).
Hope this helps
Mungo
Alistair S Ross
>
> I'm considering upgrading the central heating.
>
> We currently have copper tubes of roughly 3mm diam.
> supplying water to the radiators.
>
> in a roll from plumbing suppliers.
>
> using this copper tubing instead of the usual copper pipes
> for central heating.
>
>
> Farouq Taj.
I belive that ease of instalation is it's best claim to fame, the pipe
can be bent by hand, so less joins and fittings. My parents home is
fitted with microbore and it works fine.
ttfn....Alistair
--
: Alistair S Ross
: Room W7b, Instrument Shop, C.U.E.D.
: phone - UK(01223)332853
: email - a...@eng.cam.ac.uk
John Ward
1. easier to install, due to smaller holes in floor joists and very few pipe
joins. The usual way to install this is to run all of the radiator pipes to
a central 'hub' which has 6 or 8 micro connections and 1 conventional 15mm
connection (one hub for flow and one for return pipes).
2. less water in the pipes, resulting in a larger percentage of the total
water in the system being in the radiators where the heat is required.
Other points to consider are that the connection to the radiators will be
different - both pipes go
into the same end fitting, rather than one pipe in each end of the radiator.
Disadvantages could include a higher possiblility of damage to the visible
sections of pipes (typically those between the floor and the radiator),
could possibly cost more than conventional 15mm pipes due to different
radiator valves and connections.
Microbore is the correct name, although the pipes are 4mm AFAIK.
John Ward
Farouq Taj wrote in message ...
Steve Smith
Each radiator has to be driven by it's own flow and return pipe from a manifold. Adding additional
radiators later on can be a problem, as you have to run pipe from the manifold, you can't just tap
into another radiator.
The pipes can fir up over time. Whereas you can get away with a fair bit of firing on 15 mm pipe,
you haven't got very much to play with on a microbore pipe. Consequently, the heating system can get
less efficient of time.
Because the pipes are so thin, it requires a fair bit of pressure to push the water round the
system. The pump has to be set to it's highest setting. As a consequence, it is noisier and wears
out more quickly.
As you can probably guess, I am not a fan of microbore systems. I had ours taken out earlier this
year and replaced with conventional 15 mm pipes. It's wonderful. Our microbore system was quite long
in the tooth. When the pump started up you could here it all over the house. The radiators never
managed to get the house warm, probably because of a combination of less efficient old rads, and
firing up of the microbore pipe work.
--
Hope this helps,
Best Regards,
Steve Smith
>
> I'm considering upgrading the central heating.
>
> We currently have copper tubes of roughly 3 mm diam.
> supplying water to the radiators.
>
> I think the tubing is called microbore and is available
> in a roll from plumbing suppliers.
>
> I need to know what the advantages/disadvantages are of
> using this copper tubing instead of the usual copper pipes
> for central heating.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Farouq Taj.
Simon Jenkins
REMOVETHISBIT> writes
>The main advantages are
>1. easier to install, due to smaller holes in floor joists and very few pipe
>joins. The usual way to install this is to run all of the radiator pipes to
>a central 'hub' which has 6 or 8 micro connections and 1 conventional 15mm
>connection (one hub for flow and one for return pipes).
>
>2. less water in the pipes, resulting in a larger percentage of the total
>water in the system being in the radiators where the heat is required.
>
>Other points to consider are that the connection to the radiators will be
>different - both pipes go
>into the same end fitting, rather than one pipe in each end of the radiator.
>
>Disadvantages could include a higher possiblility of damage to the visible
>sections of pipes (typically those between the floor and the radiator),
>could possibly cost more than conventional 15mm pipes due to different
>radiator valves and connections.
>
>Microbore is the correct name, although the pipes are 4mm AFAIK.
>
>John Ward
>
>
>Farouq Taj wrote in message ...
>>supplying water to the radiators.
>>
>>I think the tubing is called microbore and is available
>>in a roll from plumbing suppliers.
>>
>>I need to know what the advantages/disadvantages are of
>>using this copper tubing instead of the usual copper pipes
>>for central heating.
>
>
3mm or a 15mm bore pipe - which one is it more likely to get through ?
OK, so the pump will generally push it through, but most heating systems
are fitted with a Grundfos 15-50 that won't pull the preverbial off a
rice puddin'
Yes I am a traditionalist who won't try a new idea unless its been tried
for the last ten years.
--
Simon Jenkins
Peter Parry
<Si...@ballarat.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>Imagine a lump of muck suspended in water. Its trying to go through a
>3mm or a 15mm bore pipe - which one is it more likely to get through ?
Microbore is usually 8mm or 10mm - not 3mm.
>Yes I am a traditionalist who won't try a new idea unless its been tried
>for the last ten years.
The system I put in my parents in laws house 25 years ago works fine
today - I didn't use a manifold but ran two 15mm pipes along the
landing and hall and took the 10mm off these. Perfectly quiet, same
boiler and pump still working perfectly, one zone valve replaced.
Much easier to install in an old house than conventional heating.
One thing though - the detailed calculations of heat loss I did came
out with a much smaller boiler and radiators than several simplistic
guides and 3 plumbers quotes!). The system installed has been more
than adequate for the coldest winters and about 15% a year cheaper to
run than next doors (identical house) professionally installed
system.
--
Peter Parry. 01442 212597 0973 269132 fax 01442 233169
http://www.wppltd.demon.co.uk
Matthew Marks
pe...@wppltd.demon.co.uk (Peter Parry) writes:
> The system installed has been more
> than adequate for the coldest winters and about 15% a year cheaper to
> run than next doors (identical house) professionally installed
> system.
While I agree that oversizing the boiler is wasteful, there are *far* too many
other variables to be confident that that can account for a 15% lower bill
for your system, as compared with next door's.
--
Matthew @rd.bbc.co.uk My opinions, not Auntie's
Peter Parry
wrote:
>While I agree that oversizing the boiler is wasteful, there are *far* too many
>other variables to be confident that that can account for a 15% lower bill
>for your system, as compared with next door's.
Agreed - but in this case it was two identical halves of a semi, both
elderly couples living alone with similar life styles (and enthusiasm
for recording figures :-) ) and with similar views on what the
"right" temperature for a room was. Both houses with identical
windows, loft insulation and wall insulation so its a fair guess that
the efficiency of the heating was a large factor.
Matthew Marks
pe...@wppltd.demon.co.uk (Peter Parry) writes:
> Agreed - but in this case it was two identical halves of a semi,
In that case their longest walls face in opposite directions, so experience
quite different wind and amounts of sunlight.
> both
> elderly couples living alone with similar life styles
To the extent of having baths, and having the heating on, in synchronism?
> and with similar views on what the
> "right" temperature for a room was.
What do they say - a 1 degree difference can make 5% difference to your
heating bills, or something?
> Both houses with identical
> windows, loft insulation and wall insulation so its a fair guess that
> the efficiency of the heating was a large factor.
I agree that the situations are remarkably similar, but I still think that
there are too many variables!
John Plant
radiator. There are no thermostatic versions of the double valve. It's a
shame as they made instalation and removal for decorating much easier. Any
views?
--
John
Simon Jenkins wrote in message ...