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Radiator fitting quandary

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Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 11 Nov 2017, 17:19

Most of the CH radiators that I've fitted in the past, have had a sort of hook type contraption on the back which fitted over brackets screwed to the wall - the radiator being dropped in a vertical direction to make them meet. These radiators were also fed from pipes coming up from the floor.

So relatively easy and enough play in the pipe to make the connection.

Now the ones I'm in the process of fitting have two concentric sleeves. The hollow female part is screwed to the wall and the male spigot bolted to the radiator. The radiator is them fitted in a horizontal direction. This works OK for feed pipes that come out from the wall horizontally but I'm puzzling how to connect pipes, that come up vertically from the floor, to the radiator given that there isn't very much play in the pipes.

Any thoughts ?

TIA
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Phil » 11 Nov 2017, 17:23

What about these flexible metal woven pipe connectors that are used to connetc water pipe to toilets?
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 11 Nov 2017, 17:34

Phil wrote:What about these flexible metal woven pipe connectors that are used to connetc water pipe to toilets?



Nice idea, Phil, but the Chief Design Authority would never go for it !
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby old » 11 Nov 2017, 18:49

Use 10 mm annealed soft copper with suitable reducing fittings.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Doug » 11 Nov 2017, 18:50

Any chance of a photo Rog, I’ve seen most styles of rad going but can’t picture what you problem is
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 11 Nov 2017, 22:27

Image

Works fine for horizontal pipes as everything is in the horizontal plane. For the fixing think a thick walled tin can with the base screwed to the wall. Open at the other end facing the room. Into that goes a steel rod bolted to the radiator. So not much up and down movement available. But the pipes are vertical and you need some wiggle room up and down to get the pipes onto the TRV/lockshield etc.

Need a telescopic joint !
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 11 Nov 2017, 22:30

Et voila...

Image

Just needed the right search term !

Thanks chaps.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 11 Nov 2017, 22:33

Spoke too soon :cry:
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Doug » 11 Nov 2017, 22:55

You just need straight through radiator valves not the angled ones in the photo
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Robert » 12 Nov 2017, 00:10

As said straight valves as seen on most towel radiators should just work. If you do need clearance whilst hanging the rad your telescopic thing will work. I have used a telescopic connector when I changed a rad and the size didn't match. Works OK - there's an O ring to seal the sliding part. Wouldn't fancy adjusting it after it has been in use for a long time but easy to replace if need be.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 12 Nov 2017, 07:34

Doug wrote:You just need straight through radiator valves not the angled ones in the photo


I've got straight valves, Doug !

Robert has grasped the problem.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Doug » 12 Nov 2017, 09:58

RogerS wrote:
I've got straight valves, Doug !


Are they ground faced or the horrible nut & olive type that require a lot of movement to connect/disconnect?

These are the sort I’m referring to https://shop.westco.co.uk/products/heat ... ce-rv.html

I’ve never had a problem using these when pipe movement is restrictive.
I’d avoid those telescopic extensions I’ve taken several of those out over the years as the O ring hardens & eventually leaks over time.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 12 Nov 2017, 10:26

Doug wrote:
RogerS wrote:
I've got straight valves, Doug !


Are they ground faced or the horrible nut & olive type that require a lot of movement to connect/disconnect?


Damn...you've hit the nail on the head. You're absolutely right. Trouble is I've already got the TRVs.

I share your concern re telescopics leaking after time.

I think that the upstairs rads won;t be so much of a problem as I've got some wiggle room. The ones downstairs (some of them) have little waggle room. May have to bite the bullet, cut the floor open, remove the poor polystyrene insulation that's there underneath the pipes to give me that little bit extra.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 21 Nov 2017, 09:20

Doug

How do you fit the radiator tails ? Tried copious amounts of PTFE tape but most of it gets removed as you tighten it up (It is wound the right way !). The slightest untwisting movement while you fit the valves means that chances are it will weep.

The bare fit between tail and radiator redefines sloppy. Had read about using Loctite 577 but think it would have to be seriously gloppy and thick to fill in the chasm between the two.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Deejay » 21 Nov 2017, 09:35

Morning Roger

Boss White and hemp was used before PTFE came along.

Much to my surprise, it is still available ...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hemp+ ... 8wetqqeIDQ

That Loctite 55 stuff might be OK

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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Andyp » 21 Nov 2017, 10:38

A little OT but I was amazed to see my plumber using horsehair.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Doug » 21 Nov 2017, 11:34

As Dave says hemp & Boss white though these days I use Boss universal as it’s suitable for more applications https://www.cityplumbing.co.uk/BOSS™-Universal-Compound-500g/p/122983 just wind the hemp into the threads ( the right way so it doesn’t unwind as the fitting is screwed in) & smear with jointing compound

Just fitted this beauty :lol: for my engineering mate in his workshop, i used up most of my hemp on the 2” fittings

437A87B2-C07F-471B-9BF9-8A6769768132.jpeg
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Last edited by Doug on 21 Nov 2017, 11:42, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Doug » 21 Nov 2017, 11:37

Andyp wrote:A little OT but I was amazed to see my plumber using horsehair.


Probably hemp Andy it looks like horse hair, my old dad would always kid particularly the female customers that it was horse hair
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 21 Nov 2017, 11:53

Do you use hemp with Boss White Universal as the City Plumbing site says not to. But then it also says Universal is for tapered threads but the tails are not tapered...at least as far as I can see.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Robert » 21 Nov 2017, 12:36

Don't know if it's best practice but I smear trublu on to the male and female threads before wrapping with PTFE tape. I have some thick PTFE tape that I think is made for gas that comes in handy when a lot of normal tape would be needed.
The trublu stuff lubricates the threads so the tape stays in place.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Doug » 21 Nov 2017, 14:02

Boss universal is suitable for potable water hemp is not so their comment is more likely to stop you using hemp on drinking water.
As your working on central heating water that doesn’t matter, I’ve been using Boss universal with hemp for years with no problems.
Re your valves they sound really cheap ones, I’ve had problems previous like yours with cheap valves predominantly when the customer is supplying materials.
Bottom line is if you are worried about using Boss universal use Boss white it’s been in use for what you are doing for decades, I’ve lost count of the cylinder leaks I’ve mended because someone has used PTFE tape on straight threads.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 23 Nov 2017, 14:43

Quandary in initial post sorted. Obvious once one remembered that the pipes were going to need moving

IMG_20171120_161225-2.jpg
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Radiators can be fitted then the pipes fitted easily by virtue of the plastic pipe.

Looked at a few Youtube videos of hemp and Boss but then came across Loctite 55 and it's the DB's....brilliant stuff.
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby Doug » 24 Nov 2017, 19:34

Did you put stainless steel inserts in the plastic pipe before tightening the compressing fittings ?
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Re: Radiator fitting quandary

Postby RogerS » 24 Nov 2017, 22:48

Doug wrote:Did you put stainless steel inserts in the plastic pipe before tightening the compressing fittings ?



:D Yup ! I've since discovered that there are a lot of different inserts and different pipes. Not all match with each other :?
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