How to have towel rail on with either CH or DHW

[JimA2]

I've got a s-plan setup with 3 zones - DHW (tank), CH upstairs and CH downstairs. However the towel rail in the (upstairs) bathroom is currently plumbed into the DHW so dries my towels all year bit it's a bit cold in the winter in the bathroom.

I'd like the towel rail to come on with the DHW or CH upstairs. I can only think of 3 options, none of which are great:

1. Direct connection between boiler flow & return - but it would come on when the downstairs heating is on which is unwanted
2. Own zone - but then needs own timer which would need to coincide with either DHW or CH otherwise the boiler will cycle due to the minimal load
3. Connected after both the DHW and CH upstairs valve, but with a non return valve to stop unintended flow into the other zone ie. ensure the water only flows in the direction of the arrows in my picture. However would the non return valve add so much restriction that most of the water would just go through the tank and not warm the towel rail?

Any ideas very welcome!

 

[dilalio]

Own zone is best.
Or Get a duel fuel rail that has an electric element in the bottom but this will need an electrical supply.
Also, towel "warmers" are not suited for heating a room.

 

[MeldrewsMate]

If you plumb the towel rail into a new zone you can install and electrical relay to enable the towel rail zone to come on with either or both of the two zones you specify, but equally it is not beyond the wit of man to have an extra, independant, programmer (4 zones = two 2 channel programmers) and set the times you want the towel rail to be on just as you would any other zone.

You should consider installing a radiator too, with TRV, to warm the room, then the towel warmer can do what it does best...warm towels.