2 Radiators in series?
PeterC
same as the present one. The gap will be only about 10cm or so, room to get
valves in.
Instead of fitting valves to both rads., I was wondering about just
connecting them in series with a bit of pipe. Is there any major drawback
to this method?
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway
fred
<giraffe...@homecall.co.uk> writes
>I'm adding another radiator to a room; it'll be on the outside wall the
>same as the present one. The gap will be only about 10cm or so, room to get
>valves in.
>Instead of fitting valves to both rads., I was wondering about just
>connecting them in series with a bit of pipe. Is there any major drawback
>to this method?
No bigee, just treat them as one when balancing ie maintain the drop
across the pair rather than each in turn. Technically you will get a
better result if you join both top and bottom with pipes but I don't
have figures on the difference (I'd expect it to be small).
--
fred
FIVE TV's superbright logo - not the DOG's, it's bollocks
Tabby
> I'm adding another radiator to a room; it'll be on the outside wall the
> same as the present one. The gap will be only about 10cm or so, room to get
> valves in.
> Instead of fitting valves to both rads., I was wondering about just
> connecting them in series with a bit of pipe. Is there any major drawback
> to this method?
No. If carried to extreme, eg having all the house's rads in series,
the last rad gets lukewarm water and has to be correspondingly huge.
NT
Spamlet
"PeterC" <giraffe...@homecall.co.uk> wrote in message
news:udzljdh6nyr7$.196bld952hynk.dlg@40tude.net...
One drawback is that if one rad develops a fault you will not be able to
isolate it, and moving the rads as a pair might be fiddly and require care
not to get black goo everywhere if you have to loosen the joiner pipe.
Minor details but worth thinking about if you have nice carpets. [ Yes
folks, I'm stingy, and prefer to empty one rad at a time if I can, rather
than keep forking out for expensive inhibitors etc after draining the whole
system.]
S
PeterC
Thanks for the replies - I'll pipe them in series.
Good point, Spamlet, I've changed the compression tails to in-line valves.
Fredxx
"PeterC" <giraffe...@homecall.co.uk> wrote in message
news:udzljdh6nyr7$.196bld952hynk.dlg@40tude.net...
> same as the present one. The gap will be only about 10cm or so, room to
> get
> valves in.
> Instead of fitting valves to both rads., I was wondering about just
> connecting them in series with a bit of pipe. Is there any major drawback
> to this method?
If the radiators are largish, I would avoid putting 2 in series. The second
one would be cooler and less efficient. I also can't see how you could fit
thermastic valves which would work for both rooms.
If you were hell beint on fitting them both in series I would consider
fitting a top pipe as well. Then both rads would have similar top to bottom
temperature gradients.
You ought be able to get right angle lockshield valves within 10cm.
fred
<fre...@spam.com> writes
>
>"PeterC" <giraffe...@homecall.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:udzljdh6nyr7$.196bld952hynk.dlg@40tude.net...
>> I'm adding another radiator to a room; it'll be on the outside wall the
>> same as the present one. The gap will be only about 10cm or so, room to
>> get
>> valves in.
>> Instead of fitting valves to both rads., I was wondering about just
>> connecting them in series with a bit of pipe. Is there any major drawback
>> to this method?
>
>If the radiators are largish, I would avoid putting 2 in series. The second
>one would be cooler and less efficient. I also can't see how you could fit
>thermastic valves which would work for both rooms.
>
efficient than a single 4m radiator when the temperature drop across the
pair is the same as the drop across the single long one.
Pete Verdon
> Instead of fitting valves to both rads., I was wondering about just
> connecting them in series with a bit of pipe. Is there any major drawback
> to this method?
I have three towel rails connected in series in my bathroom. I just
treat them as one big radiator. Works fine.
Pete
PeterC
> "PeterC" <giraffe...@homecall.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:udzljdh6nyr7$.196bld952hynk.dlg@40tude.net...
>> I'm adding another radiator to a room; it'll be on the outside wall the
>> same as the present one. The gap will be only about 10cm or so, room to
>> get
>> valves in.
>> Instead of fitting valves to both rads., I was wondering about just
>> connecting them in series with a bit of pipe. Is there any major drawback
>> to this method?
>
> If the radiators are largish, I would avoid putting 2 in series. The second
> one would be cooler and less efficient. I also can't see how you could fit
> thermastic valves which would work for both rooms.
>
They're 1200mm and within 10cm of each other in the same room. No TRVs as
they'd argue with the 'stat.
> If you were hell beint on fitting them both in series I would consider
> fitting a top pipe as well. Then both rads would have similar top to bottom
> temperature gradients.
>
That's easy to do as a retrofit.
> You ought be able to get right angle lockshield valves within 10cm.
PeterC
I've done the same sort of thing: needed a 2m single, curver rad. for a
bay. It would have been expensive and several weeks to arrive. Use 3-off
600x500 in series and yes, there was drop across them but that's what rads.
are for! The drop was about the same as a 1600mm in the same room.
Fredxx
I misread some aspects of your post. As you say 10cm is not enough room to
put 2 lots of lockshield.
I would plumb in the top pipe as a matter of course. It'll then perform as
good as a single rad of the same length.
PeterC
Done it: increased the distance to ~12cm, 2 angle valves and a 'U' of
copper at the bottom.
Couldn't join the tops as the rads. have no top unions, only bleed.
fred
<giraffe...@homecall.co.uk> writes
>
>Done it: increased the distance to ~12cm, 2 angle valves and a 'U' of
>copper at the bottom.
>Couldn't join the tops as the rads. have no top unions, only bleed.
Well done, balance across the pair and the difference in heat output
will be next to bugger all.
PeterC
> In article <vnrjaz72bvy9$.1ipa2ese...@40tude.net>, PeterC
> <giraffe...@homecall.co.uk> writes
>>
>>Done it: increased the distance to ~12cm, 2 angle valves and a 'U' of
>>copper at the bottom.
>>Couldn't join the tops as the rads. have no top unions, only bleed.
>
> Well done, balance across the pair and the difference in heat output
> will be next to bugger all.
That's what I've found, Fred: fully open vlves (well, half a turn in)
between the rads and the other 2 open the right amount and lots of heat! -
but why was I doing this when the temperature in the house was 22C?!!
Added some gunk and filled the system, heated it up a couple of times to
get it all mixed in, now leave it for a week, drain down, wash through and
refill with a drop more gunk in it - that, I hope, will do it for a few
years.
Awkward job getting the additive in as only 1 rad. with top unions. Used a
right-angle of pipe on a service valve and a 60ml syringe. Made the mistake
of filling the system intending to drain down a bit and add upstairs, then
found that I couldn't seal into a bleed hole. Had to turn off all valves
except the new one and bow some water out of that to get access.
By the time it needs doing again I'll have forgotten how I did it.