How to plumb in a type 22 radiator for an old type 11?

[PaulUszak]

Hi.

I'm thinking of doubling up an old radiator. Thing is the inlet and outlet pipes as the radiator will stand off the wall by double the current amount. I have 10 mm microbore copper. Now it's standing off ~40 mm and I need to go to 83 mm. Also the radiator can be dropped by 50 mm to fit in with this spec for Kudox types.

Any ideas as to what I should do please?

 

[Mottie]

Unless you want to drain the whole system to remake the pipes, it looks like you may be able to bend those pipes out to meet the rad. 10mm pipe must be a lot easier to bend than 15mm pipe.

 

[PaulUszak]

Thanks. If I were to remake, would I have to punch holes in the plasterboard and extend from that side? Or could it be all done from this side? 40 mm is a lot of bending...

 

[Mottie]

I would sweat the elbow off the bottom and replace it with a straight solder joint and a fresh piece of pipe with a 90° bend in it. You'll need the system completely drained before you could solder it though.

 

[diynoob]

Don't try to bend it without a pipe bending tool or it will kink. Before doing anything, turn off the valves and drain down the radiator and assess the situation with the pipes. They have a surprising amount of give in them.

Note that radiator brackets can be fitted two ways, to give different distances from the wall. I replaced a type 11 with type 22 once and by reversing the brackets it meant that the new radiator was fitted closer to the wall, so the type 22 radiator inlets weren't that much further from the wall than the type 11 and the pipes just about reached.

If you do end up re-piping it then you should be able to do it from this side, although it's hard to tell through all the dirt. If you were to cut the elbows off is there enough pipe protruding through the wall to accept a new fitting?

 

[PaulUszak]

I think that there is just enough to cut elbow off and replace. You'd be right on the plaster though. I guess plaster doesn't burn...

Just been looking at Screwfix's range of 10mm valves - not that many these days.

 

[Mottie]

Rather than cut the joint off, if you sweat the elbow off you should be able to clean the pipe with some wire wool when the solder is hot. Use a soldering mat to protect the plaster when fitting the new joint.

 

[PaulUszak]

Is it possible to sweat off the elbow? It will be full of water as all the drain cocks are on the rad valves and the elbow is beneath them, so still full. I guess I could cut a slot in it to drain...