New designer radiators filled with iron balls

[1animal1]

Hi, I've just bought two new designer radiators. When fitting the valves I noticed that theres a good few tiny metal balls inside. Just wondering, are these from the manufacturer process... I guess they are and will need a flush before fitting to remove as many as possible. Is this normal? None of my screwfix specials ever had this.

Thanks

 

[ShaunCorbs]

no not normal and tbh shouldnt be there defo flush before installing

 

[king of pipes]

Make sure you remove all of that bud and have a mag filter on the return back to your boiler if any of that gets in the system it could cause you alot of problems cheers kop

 

[1animal1]

Will do, thanks chaps.

These are the final two downstairs rads for which I'll be setting up new central pipe work ready for a downstairs separate zone, then bridging to the old system until I can get everything else ready for the new unvented to go in - so luckily it'll be hooking up to the old system for now.

Mag being fitted on the new....

 

[Harvest Fields]

Did you take any pictures of it mate?

 

[1animal1]

I'll run some off tonight before I flush them.

They aren't amazing, the usual heavy designer curved bar design. Plumbfix came in at over £200 a piece, these were a third of that... I'm not expecting miracles in quality. I had checked that both were low carbon steel etc... They are rusted inside too (surface)... Is this a concern?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Just make sure you have plenty of inhb in once you install them 2-3 bottles

 

[1animal1]

Will do.... It'll be running for a good 6 months before the system gets changed. Presume it'll prevent further build up prior, even in such a short time span

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yes it's a must with cast steel rads if you don't they won't last long

 

[1animal1]

Are these casts the absolute dogs of the radiator world? I was surprised to see the extra cost plumbfix wanted for the same material/design thinking they must be sturdier

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Will be thicker / better quality

 

[1animal1]

Oh that would have been fun, this tall one weighs in at 40kg... So in effect heavier if it were thicker

Does the inhibitor actual stop errosion or merely slow it down

 

[ShaunCorbs]

It removes all of the oxygen / stop it being produced so yes

 

[1animal1]

Excellent, just what I wanted to hear 🙂

Thanks again Shaun

 

[JCplumb]

Is that what it does? You learn something new every day 🙂
I thought inhibitor stopped the system water behaving as an electrolyte and thus preventing electrolytic corrosion, I had no idea it stopped oxygen production.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Is that what it does? You learn something new every day 🙂
I thought inhibitor stopped the system water behaving as an electrolyte and thus preventing electrolytic corrosion, I had no idea it stopped oxygen production.

Does both

http://ewta.eu/assets/Uploads/corrosion-inhibitors-en.pdf

That's why you have more sludge / corrosion in open vented system that haven't been installed correctly and are pumping over

 

[1animal1]

Is there much difference between brands.... Say the obvious branded stuff or the no nonsense cheapo...

 

[Stigster]

Hi, I've just bought two new designer radiators. When fitting the valves I noticed that theres a good few tiny metal balls inside. Just wondering, are these from the manufacturer process... I guess they are and will need a flush before fitting to remove as many as possible. Is this normal? None of my screwfix specials ever had this.

Thanks

It sounds like they used some kind of shot blasting process to prep the rads for painting/enamelling and some of the steel shot got inside the radiator. That definitely should not be left in there.

 

[1animal1]

Cheers Stig, I've tried taking photos but I'd already cleared one out and the other doesn't show anything. Bizarre

 

[1animal1]

Can I ask you guys another question without wanting to start a new post.

Prepping the downstairs ring. I plan to use push fit on copper like I have done upstairs. 5 rads but obviously trying to cut down the amount of connections. I have seen the black speedfit plastic manifolds, 3x22mm 4x15mm feeds. With my 5 rads, converting one 22mm to 15mm... I am left with one spare 22mm after you put the feed or return pipe on. What is the done thing? I can obviously cap it but conscious of an air lock on what will be a pressurised system when complete, do I loop or block?.... Or go for numerous T's off the 22mm feed/return

 

[king of pipes]

You can get a insert plug to blank it off cheers kop

 

[ShaunCorbs]

or even better get a radiator manifold

Type 1 Topway WHR - Emmeti

 

[1animal1]

Would the blank not create an airlock.

Shaun, wouldn't they be a fortune in comparison? These speedfits are a tenner each...

 

[ShaunCorbs]

yes thats the draw back

 

[king of pipes]

Should not be a problem bud as long as you fill and vent your system correctly and add good quality inhibitor i used hep 2o manifolds on a install recently as i did not want any fittings under the floor it was 2 flats above a shop so if there was a issue it would be disasterous i left two traps hatches in the floor where the manifolds were .

 

[1animal1]

Cheers chaps, I'll have a look at the hep2o ones in that case. The new system is going in a ground floor attached garage adjacent to my hallway. So fitting all the central pipework into the hall under that floor which will only ever be laminate. Then drilling through into the garage which is a foot lower on floor level.... I had thought about hatches as wanted to fit polished porcelain... But there are other connections I'll always need access to. Including in wall connections dropping down to elbows and 10mm to 15mm where I've fitted up the wall into a central placed box (behind rads).

 

[1animal1]

Actually on reflection, I've used speedfit everywhere and have spare pipe to use.... Presume it's best not to mix n match?

 

[king of pipes]

Nothing wrong with speedfit bud been around along time its just a bit stiff and can easily kink if you are not carefull i will post a few pictures of how i did it with no joins in the the walls at all to the rads may help you out cheers kop

View attachment 20170210_123358.jpg

View attachment 20170209_112824.jpg

 

[1animal1]

Nice looking job there mate, very neat.

I much prefer speedfit, although did get the sample Hep stuff and was quite impressed. I'm just not so sure you can use SF on Hep connections?

 

[Stigster]

I became impressed with JG Speedfit after using a 15mm elbow as a pushfit connection on my pressure testing pump. It has been connected and disconnected hundreds of times over the last few years, to every brand of pipe that it would fit on to and it still holds pressure just fine. I can't believe how reliable the thing has been! I use copper for everything I can but if not possible I trust Speedfit and use that.

 

[1animal1]

That's very reassuring.... Would you trust speedfit pipe on hep2 manifolds though?

The speedfit is very easy to use and haven't had one fail yet. I do generally try and use copper with them though unless on a big run.... Much prefer not using the seals where possible

 

[Stigster]

It's one of those situations where I would use it on my own house because I am confident they are compatible because the outside diameter of both brands will be made to a British Standard.

In a customer's property I would avoid mixing brands in case something went wrong and I was blamed for it because I mixed fittings from different manufactures. It would likely invalidate any warranties on the parts I mixed up.