Quick calorifier fitting query

[starman]

I'm re-plumbing my vertical twin-coil calorifier. It's a rather elderly though still serviceable thing but the connections come out at all angles - there are coil connections at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock, the cold feed at about 7 o/c and the immersion at 6 o/c. It's a mare to install in my small space!

 

I need to come off the coil connections, turn 90 deg then probably go into flexible hose to get me to the regular plastic pipework. Ditto for the cold feed. How can I achieve this with minimum fittings? The coil connectors on the cauli are parallel threaded (I think) so would my best starting point be with 90 deg tap connectors? And if I'm going to end up in 15mm plastic pipework what size flexy hose?

 

Thanks

[Boater Sam]

I would avoid using flex hose on the  coil connections, the constant high heat will give them a short life. You may have trouble getting big enough bore ones too especially if this is a gravity circuit.

Is your plastic plumbing not flexible enough?

Ensure that you could change the immersion without taking it all out again!

[starman]

12 minutes ago, Boater Sam said:

I would avoid using flex hose on the  coil connections, the constant high heat will give them a short life. You may have trouble getting big enough bore ones too especially if this is a gravity circuit.

Is your plastic plumbing not flexible enough?

Ensure that you could change the immersion without taking it all out again!

One coil is to/from engine; the other to/from Webasto.

The plastic pipe really isn't flexible enough - the cauli has to sit in a corner of the bathroom.

And yes, pulling the immersion out is another constraint!

[Boater Sam]

17 minutes ago, starman said:

One coil is to/from engine; the other to/from Webasto.

The plastic pipe really isn't flexible enough - the cauli has to sit in a corner of the bathroom.

And yes, pulling the immersion out is another constraint!

Both pumped then, that makes life easier.

As a retired "plumber" ( a bit more than that really ) I tend to frown on braided tails, its a tradesman thing.

Could you work 15mm copper pipe close up to the cylinder, off the connections, to where you can easily connect to your plastic,?

The cylinder connections will be either 3/4" BSP or 1" BSP parallel I would think, bent tap connectors would be the easy way. In copper they would take up a lot less space.

Reducing inserts to 15mm copper then push fit copper to plastic assuming the plastic is 15mm and not 22mm.

[Neil Smith]

You can use 90% brass fitting then use braided flexi tap tails in either 15 or 22mm.

[Ryeland]

You can put permanent bends (curves) in 15mm plastic pipe using a heat gun or boiling water to heat the pipe. Bend it round something like a big paint tin and secure the ends until it has cooled down.  It will relax a bit but not too much. I don't think that flexible are designed for constant high temperature use.  If you do use them try and get the ones with 13mm bore. Many are much smaller bore.

 

Richard 

[dor]

Flexible braided tails tend to be quite small bore.

 In one boat where I had a calorifier in a very confined space I used flexible copper pipes.  30cm long ( I think) and most of the pipe was corrugated and so could be formed into quite an intricate curve.  Standard 22mm on either end.

[Boater Sam]

1 hour ago, dor said:

Flexible braided tails tend to be quite small bore.

 In one boat where I had a calorifier in a very confined space I used flexible copper pipes.  30cm long ( I think) and most of the pipe was corrugated and so could be formed into quite an intricate curve.  Standard 22mm on either end.

This is the stuff, in various configurations sizes and end fittings.    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flexible-Copper-Plumbing-pipes-4Sticks-15-mm-x-15Mm-x-300mm-UK/274164806048?hash=item3fd57ef1a0:g:nLYAAOSwy3hdglhQ

 

Its a good idea if a bit pricey. I use it for making hot rod cylinder converters.