flexible connectors to a back boiler

[Tim Doran]

I am thinking of installing a back boiler to heat a couple of radiators. i was wondering if i could use those ribbed copper connectors to connect the boiler to the rest of the pipe work. it would allow for easy fitting. does anyone know of the suitability of them or where to get them?

[RLWP]

I am thinking of installing a back boiler to heat a couple of radiators. i was wondering if i could use those ribbed copper connectors to connect the boiler to the rest of the pipe work. it would allow for easy fitting. does anyone know of the suitability of them or where to get them?

 

Cold water, mains pressure, but my sister lost a ceiling and had a room redecorated on insurance because of those corrugated copper pipes. The insurance company insisted they were replaced with conventional pipes.

 

You will have more temperature cycles and consequent movement with a back boiler, but much less pressure. Your choice...

 

Richard

[Justme]

Can you get them in a large enough size?

 

Especially if you have a thermosyphon system.

[RobinJ]

I am thinking of installing a back boiler to heat a couple of radiators. i was wondering if i could use those ribbed copper connectors to connect the boiler to the rest of the pipe work. it would allow for easy fitting. does anyone know of the suitability of them or where to get them?

You will probably be using 22mm at least and althoguh the pressure may not be much, the heat would cause a lot of expansion and contraction, which may not be a good thing!

Far better to just use compression fittings and some bends if needed?

[KevThePipe]

In 8 years as a plumber, I've only seen those things a couple of times... they're really thin copper so the likelihood of them dealing with expansion/contraction for any length of time is minimal.

 

DO NOT use plastic/vinyl pipe (Hep2O, SpeedFit etc) as a flexible alternative.

 

You should be able to cope with amy angle with 3x 90deg elbows... if there's space! If not, try and find a plumber locally who will visit your boat and make up the necessary pipes to go from back boiler to the straight runs... this shouldn't take more than a couple of hours.

 

even if that's £50+, that's better than boiling water being sprayed over yourselves and your belongings...

 

hope that helps?

[bag 'o' bones]

flexible pipes are ok for plumbing in taps in difficult situations but not where there is a lot of expansion and contraction which over a period of time will harden the corrugated copper and eventual failure due to fatigue.

 

Compression joints are the only way to go........