Question for plumbers/heating engineers.

RaglanSurf

RaglanSurf

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Hi folks,

I’m just having some work done in the house and have had first fix plumbing done for a couple of radiators, unfortunately the radiators I was going for are now out of stock

The pipes have been positioned for 450mm centre to centre, how precise do they need to be? I have found replacements that require 435mm and 440mm will my pipes still be in the right place or will I need to get the plumber back again to move them?

Or if I wait for the radiators to come back into stock can I run my central heating in the meantime?

Thanks
 
There is about 15-20mm tolerance overall and you can also get rad valve extensions if necessary. You can run it if there are manual valves and not trvs as they will open if the temperature drops.
 
have they fitted in copper or plastic?
There might be a little wiggle in plastic maybe 5mm but even then its not ideal.
 
Depends how long the tails to the radiators are in respect of free movement, if they are very short in that they are "anchored" in some way e.g. coming out of a wall for a short distance then you will be placing the pipes under strain if they need to bend to the new position, if there is say 30cm between the anchor/support and the radiator connection you "should" be ok.
I am just about to replace a radiator as it's leaking and the new centres are a little wider than the original but I have quite a long piece of pipe joining the rad to the header so I think it will be ok.
As for running the system, I would temporarily cap off the tail pipes with compression fittings where the rads are currently missing.

I am not a plumber but I do work in a related field, so take the advise above as an amateur's best guess.
 
Last edited:
gerry s said:
There is about 15-20mm tolerance overall and you can also get rad valve extensions if necessary. You can run it if there are manual valves and not trvs as they will open if the temperature drops.
Click to expand...

Sounds like I should be ok. The info sheet for the rads I was going to get spec 450mm centre to centre and my likely options are only 440mm so should be ok.

Mr Bump said:
have they fitted in copper or plastic?
There might be a little wiggle in plastic maybe 5mm but even then its not ideal.
Click to expand...

They're copper but haven't been fully plastered in to place so I recon I can get 5mm each out of them.

MatBin said:
Depends how long the tails to the radiators are in respect of free movement, if they are very short in that they are "anchored" in some way e.g. coming put of a wall for a short distance then you will be placing the pipes under strain if tehy need to bend to the new position, if there is say 30cm between the anchor/support and the radiator connection you "should" be ok.
I am just about to replace a radiator as it's leaking and the new centres are a little wider than the original but I have quite a long piece of pipe joining the rad to the header so I think it will be ok.
missing
As for running the system, I would temporarily cap off the tail pipes with compression fittings where the rads are currently missing.

I am not a plumber but I do work in a related field, so take the advise above as an amateur's best guess.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, they're just capped off pipes at the moment but was hoping I could get the system up and running without all the rads in place.
 
RaglanSurf said:
Sounds like I should be ok. The info sheet for the rads I was going to get spec 450mm centre to centre and my likely options are only 440mm so should be ok.



They're copper but haven't been fully plastered in to place so I recon I can get 5mm each out of them.



Thanks for the info, they're just capped off pipes at the moment but was hoping I could get the system up and running without all the rads in place.
Click to expand...
Bear in mind if you "flood" the system when you take the caps off then the water will drain out of the system if it's a low point via the caps you are going to remove unless they are at a high point, in which case you will need to drain the system (a bit) before you remove the caps and then refill the system including any inhibitor required
 
Thanks Matt
 
It will need inhibitor any way when new rads are fitted... so just carry on and use it if it gets cold.
 
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