How to choose Towel Rails for an ASHP
Hi all,
I'm struggling a bit here. I am currently quoting up my first ASHP job. I have done the heat loss which comes out at 10.6kW. There is a bathroom which has a heat loss of 570 watts and a WC with a 400 watt heat loss. The bathroom currently has a 1m wide by 0.5m high towel rad, and can only go up to 0.6 high. In the WC it is 1m high and 0.6m wide. These don't match the outputs necessary but I can't find any which will even get close to fit in the space. What would you do in this scenario and is there anywhere you would recommend buying your towel rads from?
Thanks
@rob-nezard is this one you can assist with in terms of sizing or guidance?
@renewables345, UK Radiators is a safe and reliable place to purchase rads from because of their transparent approach to emitters.
Buy a copy of the The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our Homeowners’ Q&A heat pump podcast
Posted by: @renewables345Hi all,
I'm struggling a bit here. I am currently quoting up my first ASHP job. I have done the heat loss which comes out at 10.6kW. There is a bathroom which has a heat loss of 570 watts and a WC with a 400 watt heat loss. The bathroom currently has a 1m wide by 0.5m high towel rad, and can only go up to 0.6 high. In the WC it is 1m high and 0.6m wide. These don't match the outputs necessary but I can't find any which will even get close to fit in the space. What would you do in this scenario and is there anywhere you would recommend buying your towel rads from?
Thanks
So far as I have been able to establish towel rails are essentially useless for low temperature heating, they simply dont emit sufficient energy.
In my bathroom I left the existing towel rail and relied on overspill from the adjacent hall, which works for me. When I run a bath or have a shower steam heats the room anyway! Other installers have suggested a normal radiator, a fan radiator or an electric insert to the towel rail for the short time its actually in use. You can get add-on (sometimes magnetic) rails for normal rads so thats another option.
For my money this is an area where flexibility and customer preference takes over!
4kW peak of solar PV since 2011; EV and a 1930s house which has been partially renovated to improve its efficiency. 7kW Vaillant heat pump.
Posted by: @jamespaSo far as I have been able to establish towel rails are essentially useless for low temperature heating, they simply dont emit sufficient energy.
You've beaten me to the punch. I had this very conversation with Brendon yesterday relating to our towel rails and he said exactly that. They don't emit significant heat and they can affect the rest of your rad/emitter circuit. I will be covering this in our video of the retrospective work we're having done, but Brendon has highlighted to me that towel rails need to be throttled down almost fully.
Buy a copy of the The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our Homeowners’ Q&A heat pump podcast
@editor Hi Mars, sure I will do my best. The only way to increase heat output with any kind of emmitter (which is what is required when moving to lower temperatures) is to increase the surface area of the emitter.
If increasing height/width is not an option then your best bet would be to try and find something with more tubes.
We have one model that is particularly popular for lower temperature systems as there are 2 sets of tubes. https://ukradiators.com/products/crossmoor-white-towel-radiator-h1000mm-x-w500mm?variant=46742482256190 - this may work for the second room mentioned however the first does sound like it is going to be a struggle.
Posted by: @editorBrendon has highlighted to me that towel rails need to be throttled down almost fully.
Why? To stop them acting as a bypass?
4kW peak of solar PV since 2011; EV and a 1930s house which has been partially renovated to improve its efficiency. 7kW Vaillant heat pump.
@jamespa yes, to essentially prevent them consuming unnecessary flow and to allow "more" for the remainder of the heating circuit.
Buy a copy of the The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our Homeowners’ Q&A heat pump podcast
The only viable solution for a radiator to be warm enough to dry towels and heat a bathroom sufficiently is an electric radiator. There was no other way to achieve the required result in my view, and it's the route we went. Glad that we did.
Retrofitted 11.2kw Mitsubishi Ecodan to new radiators commissioned November 2021.
14 x 500w Monocrystalline solar panels.
2 ESS Smile G3 10.1 batteries.
ESS Smile G3 5kw inverter.
Posted by: @jamespaa fan radiator
I've seen pictures of those fitted under a bath where the bath is boxed in. Just make sure to get one that activates the fan at a low flow temperature.
We are going for Stelrad Vertical Ultra radiators in two of our bathrooms. They are K2s with up to three rails attached to them. This means that your towels hang in front of the radiator, so the radiator itself still gives off near to its maximum heat.
They deliver 857 - 2,376 watts at delta T50, but obviously much less at heat pump flow temperatures. Still, it should be plenty for all but the most enormous bathrooms. The radiator won't get very hot, but hopefully if the bathroom is warm enough the towels will still dry.
You can buy them in lots of different colours, but be warned that any colour other than white has a 14 week lead time. They are also eye wateringly expensive. An 1840mm tall x 670mm wide Vertical Ultra costs £1,200 including VAT, but you may save the £200 VAT if it's a full heat pump system installation.
Grant Aerona 290 15.5kW, Grant Smart Controller, 2 x 200l cylinders, hot water plate heat exchanger, Single zone open loop system with TRVs for bedrooms & one sunny living room, Weather compensation with set back by room thermostat based load compensation
@morgan electric towel rails are a great option and definitely something I would recomend if viable.
@grahamf yeah great shout, we have something similar here https://ukradiators.com/products/alpha-black-vertical-towel-bar-column-radiator-h1800mm-x-w460mm-2-column-1 - I didnt recomend for the OP due to space constraints but if space is less of an issue then these types of options open up..
-
How can I programme a setback for my Samsung Gen6 8kW heat pump?
2 days ago
-
Rodents! A word of warning for heat pump owners
7 days ago
-
Retrofitting: moving to ASHP old oil boiler in large old property - experience/advice please on MSC calcs
2 weeks ago
-
How to Zone with a Single Room with UFH
2 weeks ago
-
Compute heat loss from energy used
3 months ago
- 26 Forums
- 2,208 Topics
- 48.7 K Posts
- 57 Online
- 5,868 Members
Join Us!
Podcast Picks
Latest Posts
-
In fairness to mixergy several on this forum including ...
By JamesPa , 17 minutes ago
-
RE: Samsung Heat pump with Yonos Pico circulating pump running all the time
Looks like you have a 25L buffer vessel, so I'm guessin...
By Old_Scientist , 8 hours ago
-
RE: Samsung Heat Pump – Can't Activate TW2 Pipe Sensor (for Delta T Control)
If you do suggest you consider repurposing it as a 2 po...
By JamesPa , 10 hours ago
-
-
RE: Say hello and introduce yourself
Fully agree with @cathoderay. My journey took 2 years ...
By JamesPa , 11 hours ago
-
RE: The Hidden Secret to a Successful Heat Pump: Pipe Size Matters
@editor Agreed. There is another point to be made h...
By JamesPa , 19 hours ago
-
RE: RDSAP10 effect on existing heat pump EPC rating?
Tim, Yes ChatGPT thought I could get another...
By Mike Patrick , 20 hours ago
-
RE: Enabling WiFi: Samsung ASHP on Smart Things App
No problem, @richdorm; glad it helps.
By Majordennisbloodnok , 22 hours ago
-
RE: Help me keep the faith with my air source heat pump installation
If that makes you feel happier then go ahead, but it wo...
By JamesPa , 22 hours ago
-
RE: Testing new controls/monitoring for Midea Clone ASHP
I do already have the same basic setup, all room influe...
By cathodeRay , 23 hours ago
-
RE: IVT Greenline high pressure switch and electrical cassette errors
OK. You dont say whether it is from the feeds to/from ...
By JamesPa , 23 hours ago
-
RE: How can I programme a setback for my Samsung Gen6 8kW heat pump?
Yes, and probably also Adia although the latter has a m...
By JamesPa , 2 days ago
-
@editor I am all in favour of provocati...
By GrahamF , 2 days ago
-
RE: How to Understand Wiring Up a Heat Pump
Morning, On top of what everyone else I would deffo loo...
By Grantmethestrength , 2 days ago
-
RE: Sizing a heat pump: Save me from my headache
Got the results back from the one we’re ...
By Mikeatthezoo , 2 days ago
-
RE: Renewables & Heat Pumps in the News
Thanks Lucia. I'll set aside some time to go through th...
By Transparent , 4 days ago