Speedfit backbox and backplate

[Oz07]

Probably one for nick

http://www.johnguest.com/speedfit/product/pipe-accessories/radiator-outlet-plate/

When using these what is the typical method for first floor rads coming from floor below?

do you take pipes above back box, loop round and into back box then out of the bottom?

 

10mm pipe

[Nickfromwales]

You wouldn't want to create high spots / points by going up behind each rad and then back down to the valve. That would, particularly with Microbore and its lower velocity, create air locks. 

I come up from underneath directly on the centre of the rad valve and have a small piece of pipe between the wall and the valve. 

I know this is a towel rad, but same principle. 

Same thing just 15mm and chrome. You can get 10mm white plastic covers and pull bends in the 10mm copper to make them look as neat as possible. 

[Nickfromwales]

Ok. Just switched my iCloud picture sharing back on.....hadn't realised it was off. Bloody kids. 

the perspective makes it all look out of square but it's just because it was a close up. That's the way I pipe rads up. I'm not a fan of the bent irons in the valve with the pushfit going in tbh. Looks lazy to me   

These were rads I fitted on the last kitchen fit, either side of the wine servery  so had to look good

18 bags of self leveller went in under that oak floor. 0-19mm over 3 metres.

[Oz07]

Yes I usually have tails brought out like this but in 15mm. Seen these boxes used though where the 10mm just comes through box in centre of rad then out to valves. How are they doing this on first floor?

[ProDave]

Out of intertest, how much are those back boxes?

I've seen it all now, plumbers using sparky bits. Looks like a cooker connection plate with the terminal blocks removed and just the front cover.

[Nickfromwales]

Either by looping the pipe up behind or by fitting a bend and a male to female ( M&F ) bend back to back. This is mostly done on site to speed up a build, and is very typical of mass produced or commercial builds. Then the pipe goes behind the rad and into one of these angled rad unions.

[Oz07]

I wondered about the air lock of looping it up behind. Perhaps it doesn't cause a problem if they're prepared to do it

[Oz07]

About 3 quid btw

[Barney12]

These are pretty standard on new builds these days. IMHO they look awful and the big developers don't always manage to hide them behind the radiator, let alone put them on level or central! BODGE! (My 2ps worth!, sorry!)

[Nickfromwales]

Yup. Lazy way of piping imho. Typical of new mass produced builds......quick and easy, and as long as it works until the cheques cleared. 

I'll stick to my method. OZ, the writings on the wall..,,,,.plate

[Oz07]

Yes the consensus is clear. I didn't like the looping back up and down part. What is the distance between copper soldering and joining speed fit while we're at it?

[Nickfromwales]

You can massively shorten the distance by wrapping a soaking wet cloth around the pipe immediately before the fitting. It varies too much to give a one shot answer, tbh, as if you solder a pipe before it goes vertical it's going to heat upwards very quickly and much further along the copper, but if it goes downwards then it's reduced by quite a lot. 

Try and solder up the copper work after mocking it up, as I do, and solder it away from the job. When cool, offer it up and push it into the pushfit pipe.