Welcome to the forum. Although you can post in any forum, the USA forum is here in case of local regs or laws

Gravity Feed Custom Radiator Question

View the thread, titled "Gravity Feed Custom Radiator Question" which is posted in UK Plumbers Forums on UK Plumbers Forums.

S

stuart hendry

Hello,


I am creating a gravity fed heat sink for my new stove back boiler. I live on a narrowboat so many of the standard house practises such as installing a F&E tank in the loft cant apply. So please bear with me!

So the only reason for the post is to understand if the heat sink idea will work as a gravity fed system.

Was planniing on using a 10 - 12 meters of 22mm cooper pipe made into a sort of towel rail allow water to thermosyphon. Would be using a pipe bender not joints to keep joint restrictions at near zero. There would be a lot of horizontal pipes in this design idea, which is a concern, I don't have enough experience to know if gravity circulation would function enough under these conditions.


Would use mounts all the way along to support the pipe. Haven't done the maths yet, in terms of how much heat would be displaced, but will get back to that after, once I know this design will work.


The other items I should mention probably are:

- The 'custom towel rail' will be mounted to a wall (so virtual)
- The 'custom towel rail' will be 1 - 1.5 meters above the boiler approximately
- The feed (hot) pipe will rise at a 45 degree angle approximately to the top of the 'custom towel rail'
- The output of the boiler is 3/4BSP converted to 22mm cooper pipe, the entire 'custom towel rail' is constructed of a single piece of pipe (with some joins)
- Full bore valves will be used to endure no constriction of the pipe / flow
- The boiler is rated at 1.4KWH at highest output
- A small header tank will be used which will be vented. This will be positions at the highest point. IMG_0400.jpg


Have attached a basic diagram to assist the explanation!
 
If you are planning a heat leak. Don't install any valves, full bore or not. Try and make the return fall back to the boiler.
 
I need full bore valves as this heat leak will only be used in cases where the circulation pump dies or the system has too much heat and I need to purge some of it. So its only there for safety, most of the time it would be isolated.

You think even with full bore valves it might stop the flow?

What about all the horizontal pipes, surely that would be a problem too?
 
like getting blood out of a stone on here, anyone other replies please before I delete my account?
 
like getting blood out of a stone on here, anyone other replies please before I delete my account?

Not like getting blood out of a stone.

We have a lot of experience of people asking questions and they generally fall into one of these categories.

1. People asking an honest question who are genuinely seeking advice.

2. People asking an honest question who are genuinely grateful when pointed in the right direction.

3. People asking an honest question who require the assistance of a professional on site.

4. People asking an honest question who already think they know the answer and any further advice will not be listened too. Generally only on to blow their own trumpet and troll the forums.

5. People asking an honest question that then proceed to chuck toys out of prams and spit dummies when they either dont like the free advice or it's not given within 2 minutes.

I think you can easily drop yourself into category 4 and 5.

PS. Chalked was spot on. No valves. Get a professional in before your boat turns into the Kursk.
 
You say the rad is only there for safety. So why instsll valves? That would make it unsafe.

Sorry not many replies on this thread. It's really because , tbh, it's all a bit of a bodge.
 

Official Sponsors of Plumbers Talk

Reply to the thread, titled "Gravity Feed Custom Radiator Question" which is posted in UK Plumbers Forums on Plumbers Forums.

We recommend City Plumbing Supplies, BES, and Plumbing Superstore for all plumbing supplies.

Thread statistics

Created
stuart hendry,
Last reply from
Dotty,
Replies
8
Views
1,590
Back
Top