Heat sink Radiator

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by Lightingman, Oct 27, 2014.

  1. Lightingman

    Lightingman New Member

    Hi All
    I have just had a plumber assess my current central heating system run off a boiler equipped woodburning stove. He has found that the flow and return pipes from the stove to the hot water cylinder coil are lengthy and in 22mm not 28mm. He has suggested that its possible to re-route and reduce these from about 15 mts to 5 mts and pipe in the correct 28mm. This I can fully understand and agree with. However he says I havent got a heat sink radiator and one needs fitting. As the cylinder is in the unheated loft he says this has to be fitted in there and has to be above the cylinder. According to the Stove manufacturers website this has to be 2KW. The stove gives 2KW heat to the room and 6.2KW to the heating circuit.
    I said I wasn't too happy with heating the loft (at least the mice might appreciate it!) but he says it has to be done. I can fully understand the need for this radiator and the safety reasons for having it but surely this cant be correct and I shouldn't have 2KW of heat going into the loft? Or have I misunderstood and this radiator will only heat up should the pump fail? The pump incidentally will be a Laddomat or Esbe Heat charge unit.
    Advice appreciated!
    LightingMan
     
  2. plumberboy

    plumberboy Well-Known Member

    The theory is 1KW heat sink or leak for every 10KW output,hope that helps.;)
     
  3. Lightingman

    Lightingman New Member

    thanks plumberboy, but doesn't answer my fundamental question of whether I have to waste money heating the loft!
     
  4. plumberboy

    plumberboy Well-Known Member

    Have it in the bathroom.
     
  5. Lightingman

    Lightingman New Member

    Can't Plumberboy, if you read my post you will see i have said that the cylinder is in the loft and the plumber has said this radiator needs to be ABOVE that and as the bathrooms not on the roof ;-) !!
     
  6. plumberboy

    plumberboy Well-Known Member

    Doesn't look like you've got any options then,sorry forgot you said it was in the loft,although a bathroom on a roof might be the new look,you could hang your loo roll on the TV aerial.:)
     
  7. Lightingman

    Lightingman New Member

    Ok, please can I ask for second opinions and can any other of you very experienced and knowledgeable professional guys, who's advice I greatly appreciate, answer these three basic questions;
    1. Does a heatsink/leak radiator heat up in normal use, or only when the pump fails/stops?
    2. Does this radiator HAVE to be fitted above the coil in the cylinder?
    3. As I would guess a lot of people have this set up with their cylinder in the loft, is it normal and accepted practice given that we are always been told to be green yet this is simply wasting heat isnt it?
    Thanks
    Lighting Man
     
  8. plumberboy

    plumberboy Well-Known Member

    Sorry if I'm not experienced and knowledgeable and professional enough for you.:) Sounds like you have no faith in the company you had round so why not get other companies into look at your layout,give advice and quote,and then compare advice and quotes.
     
  9. Crowsfoot

    Crowsfoot Screwfix Select

    HEATAS regs are currently one big balls up so my advice is to fit something else until it gets sorted.

    No one manufactures a suitable radiator to work on gravity anymore and this is THE major problem.
    HEATAS won't admit they've got it wrong with the permanently open zone valve either.

    I'm not going to get started :mad:

    Tappy,
     
  10. Lightingman

    Lightingman New Member

    Plumberboy...I said "can any other of you" so wasn't saying you were not experienced, knowledgeable or professional!! I would get another company round but just getting this one was hard enough, seems like most aren't interested unless its a big job and certainly aren't keen when you ask questions!

    Thanks Crowsfoot, I totally agree as I got that impression on other aspects of the set up I have been told about. HETAS only appear to cover stove installations and this is a job for plumbers, when I ask them it seems its a job for a HETAS plumber and where we live they are thin on the ground never mind good ones!!
    What is it about a "suitable radiator to work on gravity" that makes it so? Whats different to a normal one?
    Lighting Man.
     
  11. plumberboy

    plumberboy Well-Known Member

    No worries, I'm pulling your leg.;)
     
  12. Crowsfoot

    Crowsfoot Screwfix Select

    One with a high water content 3/4" BSP tappings which offers little resistance to flow.

    HEATAS are making progress though and the new non fitting of TRVs reg is a good one.

    Maybe your plumbers knows the heat leak won't work properly and that's his idea to shove it out of sight in the loft!

    Tappy,
     
  13. Laldan29

    Laldan29 New Member

    Has to be above the wood burner but not above the actual boiler..

    The heat leak radiator has to be above the stove as it works on gravity so upstairs only. If your not having radiators you won’t need a pump or stats, just a cylinder and heat leak rad. If you run the heating off the sold fuel you’ll need high limit stat, low limit stat, pump, timer control and an injector tee. The injector tee is to stop back flow circulation through the rads when they’re not on. There are lots of other ways to pipe it up which include motorised valves. I’ve not done solid fuel heating for years. Things change very quickly so my way could be out of date.

    The main text is from my mate who's a plumber. We are currently talking about fitting my solid fuel system
     
  14. Laldan29

    Laldan29 New Member

    Just spotted the age of this. So how did it go what was the outcome
     
  15. Laldan29

    Laldan29 New Member

    Also If anyone can advise as I'm here. Literally about to buy a proper expensive radiator unless... I can have a couple heat sink radiators. Basically my stove is below my bedroom that has the boiler in the cupboard. What I'm thinking is can I basically have a rad on trv in the bedroom and then after the trv a heat sink in the hallway and another in the bathroom
     

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