Just fitted a new towel radiator & it's not working ......

[a4drk]

I'm in the middle of fitting a full bathroom.
Tiling / plumbing / electric under floor heating.

I've fitted a new towel radiator to the wall.
the existing pipes were 8mm micro-bore.
So, what I've done is raggled the wall & extended the pipes up the wall by using endfeed 8mm to 15mm - all hidden the pipes in the wall & then tiled over.
Drilled 2 perfect 16mm holes & the 15mm pipe pops tho.
Looks great....... however it doesn't work!
Brand new valves were used - they are Ok - i've taken them off - open / closed them - blew thro them.
The radiator bleeds OK - full of water.

What i thought was an airlock in the return ?

The house has 2 floors - upstairs has 2 bedrooms & this bathroom.
the 2 bedroom rads work OK.

How can i check the pipework on the return ?

I've not tiled the floor yet - not going to until this problem is solved.

Hope I've explained it well enough
any help would be much appreciated

Cheers
David





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[PlumbBobBob]

stupid question but did the old one work?

 

[a4drk]

I asked the customer that too !
Yes, it did..

I was thinking of fitting it (some how) and trying to eliminate the towel rad.
Q - Am i right in thinking that when i drain the towel rad - if water comes out both legs - it's OK?

David

 

[ederz]

have you tried balancing the system?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

maybe it's on hot water side not heating side i.e. plumbed into feed and return at hot water cistern so on all the time plus poss air lock?

 

[a4drk]

Steve - Sorry, meant to say - it's a combi boiler.

Ederz - no........ I'll try that t'row.

If i disconnect the valve from the rad on the left (which is where i think the problem is) and also the return on another radiator (in the bedroom next door).
open the valves
Should i be able to blow through one pipe to another?
(or suck if i get a VAX)
David

 

[PlumbBobBob]

is the pressure ok on the boiler. maybe some solder blocking microbore?

 

[a4drk]

Pressure fine.

Thats what i'm worried about. - I'm dreading that i've over cooked the 8 to 15mm reducer - which the 15mm part goes straight into a 15mm end-feed straight coupling.
therte was loads of solder on it to be safe (as its under a tiled floor)

Might cut a wee hatch & re-do the 8 to 15 part.
means thats the tiles on the wall will be ok.

Keep ye posted !!

Cheers
David

 

[ederz]

Turn all the rads down and see if it gets hot then before you start ripping of tiles!

 

[Blake]

Undo the valves and then open them into a bucket which will tell you if you are getting a decent flow to the rad. If this is ok, then as said above, turn off all the other rads and try and force it to the T-rail.

 

[a4drk]

Cheers guys - I already drained the towel rad & had the 2 valves open & turned upside down into 2 buckets.
I went downstairs to the combi & turn the water on @ the filling loop.
When i went back upstairs, there was water coming out of the RHS pipe / valve only.

Should it have come out the LHS one too ?

David

 

[a4drk]

Just realised - on the LHS pipe - the 15 to 8 reducer is behind the tile !
so, I'll need to break it off, chisel the adhesive off, re-solder it & then drill 2 more 16mm holes ..........
bummer......

David

 

[Blake]

I know this is obvious, but the valve is def open? You have taken the head off the valve and fully unscrewed it?

 

[a4drk]

Yup - took both the new valves completely off - held them in my hand & blew thro them - opening & closing them.
They are fine.
That was the 1st thing I done.
My money is on too much solder filling the micro bore.

David

 

[AWheating]

tek the valve off and bang a hose on, open the filling loop on ya boiler and run water through into your toilet soil point. if you have plenty of water then its the valve or rad, if not its pipework.

 

[pobsdad]

Bugger,and such a good job of tiling,as well!And Murphy's law states that your problem will be behind the wall in the worst possible place!Wouldn't you love to strangle that bloody Murphy?One up for pushfit,at least?

 

[a4drk]

@ AWheating
- I've done that already - but the water only comes out the RHS pipe.
Should anything come out the LHS one ?

Cheers
David

 

[AWheating]

yes, so i would say its pipework related.

 

[a4drk]

It's working now !

Basically, the 8mm pipe was blocked with solder.

I had a 15mm endfeed straight coupling, which went into a 15 to 8 reducer
and then about 10mm length of 8mm pipe which went into a 90 elbow.
As it was all pretty close together,
the solder has just run right to the bottom & blocked up the elbow.

Took me 2 hours to sort it - including replacing the tile.
then I tiled the floor today, so it's looking good now.
Time for a beer now .......

Thanks for all the help & advice

Cheers
David

Hammer & chisel ..... :-(


Bottom left was the problem


Job complete, apart from the grouting

 

[dontknowitall]

Well found and I'm impressed with the tiling. Grout can hide loads of mistakes/uneveness but that looks loverrly and flat!!

Also lines on floor are matching walls. Nice job!!!

Just one question ... why's the HTR on upside down?

 

[a4drk]

It's not on upside down.
This towel rail came with only 1 hole at the top for the bleed valve, the other side was all chrome / moulded over.
Normally you get a blank plate to screw in - not on this one.

Here's a pic of the full rad.


Did you notice the mirror ?
I got this bespoke made - 300 x 1202.5mm & tiled it in flush
(Basically 2 full tiles width + a 2.5mm spacer)
Really pleased with it - first time I've replaced tiles with a mirror

Cheers
David
PS - the tiles line up on both sides !

 

[dontknowitall]

You fell for it - I was only joking!! Bit sick I know.

I'm really impressed and I hope you're chuffed to bits as you should be!!!

 

[a4drk]

Funny you should say that - we bought our flat off a property developer about 8 years ago & we have got a towel radiator in the kitchen.
Looks great, except it's upside down !

David

 

[verdigrey]

Fantastic job , I am really jealous of your tiling skills .

 

[PlumbBobBob]

glad you got it sorted. really good tiling job there.