Installing New Rads - Supply Pipes Slightly Different Positions In Concrete Floor

[plumbandplumber]

Hello to all. After a bit of advice about fitting new metric rads in place of old, imperial sized ones. The supply pipes to rad valves in my bungalow come up from concrete floor, so can't move pipe positions.

Some of the new rads are either slightly longer or shorter than old rads and are also slightly different in distance from wall. I need to cut the supply pipes low to floor and install short bits of new pipe with small offsets in them.

Trouble is, because the new bits of pipe with offsets are quite short, the two bends in them for the offsets will be close together. I can't do them in my pipe bender, as when I want to put the second bend in, it's too close to the first bend and fouls the former and guide, etc.

What do plumbers normally do in this situation. Will I be able to do small offsets like this with an internal spring, or won't I get the leverage to bend the pipe?

Any advice welcome, as I'm cacking myself in case I balls this up as the pipes are set in concrete. I have visions of me digging up floors.

 

[Irish]

Get the rad to suit one of the pipes and adjust the other one, also extendable rad valves and m & f endfeed 45 bends are handy for tight offsets

 

[Ermintrude]

You can bend any offset. Over bend first one then put that Bend in former wrong way and bend again.

 

[Irish]

You can bend any offset. Over bend first one then put that Bend in former wrong way and bend again.

Lol don't think op has skills for that fella!

 

[village idiot]

Lol don't think op has skills for that fella!

I think he has, Irish. The clue is in the name. plumandplumba. So he is a plumber. I'm sure if he is determined, he will be up to the job.

 

[Best]

Normally if possible I would have got radiators to suit the pipes. A slightly shorter new rad & then use the longer valve tails would be a lot preferable to a new rad that is a few mm too long when the pipes have no movement. I also try to get similar distance out & use every trick to make it look decent including using the slimmer doubles with one set of fins.
If pipes can't be matched - where you have to use a much larger rad for example, then either use one pipe to valve as stated, or centre the rad on the pipes & bring each pipe to valve using soldered elbows & perhaps a bend out on pipe.
Better to take an hour measuring & figuring out what rad will close match the pipes, than struggling later with the wrong size rad, IMO.

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

you could also turn valves a bit so wouldn't have to bend offset

 

[PlumbBobBob]

if you are not up to making small bends you could use two street elbows together

edit that should have been one street elbow and one normal elbow otherwise you would need a coupler as well

 

[Best]

And do mount the new radiator if possible high up to allow you to use elbows at a reasonable height!
By that I mean, each elbow, street or otherwise, can lose you about an inch or so, therefore 2 elbows will lose you more than 2 inches, so you ideally need the rad up of floor at least 7 or 8 inches perhaps.

 

[Best]

you could also turn valves a bit so wouldn't have to bend offset

Lazy, unprofessional looking plumbing, but very true! :smile:

Actually, if the rad valves are the 15mm tail type & heads fitted horizontally, then to angle the valves will not make the heads stick out past the rad, I guess.

 

[albatross]

Buy smaller radiators and use long valve tails/tail extenders and save altering the pipes.

 

[Best]

I think he has, Irish. The clue is in the name. plumandplumba. So he is a plumber. I'm sure if he is determined, he will be up to the job.

Then does that mean you are actually a Village Idiot? :grin:

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Gun a bit of the floor up to find the original pipes and extend or shorten them, otherwise every time you look at the new rads your going to kick yourself for being lazy.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

if you are not up to making small bends you could use two street elbows together

edit that should have been one street elbow and one normal elbow otherwise you would need a coupler as well

Not heard them being called street elbows in years 🙂

 

[Ermintrude]

We buy streets by dozen what u call them male female elbows? Mouth full

 

[Howsie]

All depends on what finish the customer wants and how much they are willing to pay. Dig the pipes ideally but the ways listed above are workable alternatives if the customer doesn't want to pay.

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

The op states it's his own bungalow, nothing wrong with the other options I agree.

 

[Ermintrude]

Flexi anyone? Ballofix and a 900mm flexi?

 

[Best]

Someone should have invented a telescopic radiator by now.

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Flexi anyone? Ballofix and a 900mm flexi?

Why waste money on a flexi when 900mm of green hosepipe will suffice!