Connecting a heated towel rail to a hot water riser diagram

The presence of a heated towel rail in a bathroom or a combined bathroom is a very convenient “option”. And there is a whole list of explanations for this. First of all, this room traditionally has high humidity, that is, after taking water procedures, the towels will take longer to dry unless special conditions are created for this. The next argument is that bathrooms most often do not have their own heating devices (radiators), and the function of heating the air is also assigned to the heated towel rail. Finally, after taking a bath or shower, especially in the cold season, it is much more pleasant to use warm towels and put on a heated bathrobe. Such conveniences are also provided by this simple device.

The heated towel rail itself most often does not really amaze with the complexity of its design. Essentially, it is a bizarrely curved pipe or a combination of several pipes connected hydraulically. But connecting such a device is sometimes fraught with “surprises” - after installation and startup, it turns out that the tubes or loops do not warm up completely, and sometimes the device refuses to work at all. Why?

Let's figure this out. The topic of today's conversation is connecting a heated towel rail to a hot water riser - which diagram will be optimal, which one will be questionable, and which one should definitely be avoided.

Some general information about connecting heated towel rails

Let’s immediately make a reservation that modern heated towel rails can be designed for connection to a heating system (centralized or autonomous) and to hot water supply (DHW) pipes. Electric models are gaining popularity. You can also purchase a universal device that will operate “on water” during the heating season, and on power supply during the warm season.

But since the topic of our article today is connecting specifically to DHW pipes, we’ll stop there.

Heated towel rails were a mandatory item in the interior of the bathroom or combined plumbing unit of most series of multi-storey buildings that were massively erected throughout the country in the second half of the last century. True, these were, as a rule, not some original, easy-to-use and pleasing to the eye devices. Most often, the matter was limited to a curved section of pipe, U-shaped or, less commonly, M-shaped.

Probably familiar to everyone are the “official” heated towel rails, that is, those once installed in every apartment “by default” - U and M-shaped.

In essence, they were a section of a hot water supply riser, in which, according to the rules, constant circulation of water was maintained. Immediately pay attention to the nuance that the loop itself is made from a pipe that has a diameter larger than that of the riser (at least equal). This is not without reason: in this way, they sought to minimize hydraulic resistance, which is always greater on curved and, especially, loop-shaped sections than on straight ones.

Most often, dryers were installed on a downpipe, that is, with a flow directed from top to bottom. The considerations are that the consumer receives hot water at the required temperature, regardless of what floor he lives on. And only then, during the reverse movement, additional heat extraction was allowed for the operation of heated towel rails and heating of bathrooms. However, such considerations were sometimes ignored, that is, these devices could also be found on the ascending pipe. Sometimes apartment owners also contributed to this “anarchy.”

So, for the correct installation of a heated towel rail, the owner of the apartment will one way or another need to clarify which pipe, ascending or descending, of the hot water supply riser it will have to be connected to. This sometimes seriously affects the choice of scheme.

It is clear that those same old heated towel rails have already outlived their usefulness both physically and, so to speak, morally. It is quite legitimate for the owners of apartments to want to change them to something more modern, which fits well into the interior of the bathroom and is characterized by increased operational efficiency. Fortunately, there is no shortage of supply in our time.

It is understandable that the owners want to get away from “boring forms” and install modern, beautiful and efficient models of heated towel rails. But the installation of a new product should not affect the performance of the entire hot water riser, but this happens...

And this is where sometimes incidents begin. Installed independently or by an inexperienced technician with little understanding of the laws of hydraulics, the heated towel rail suddenly refuses to work fully. The “ladder” shooting range models cause the most trouble in this matter. Moreover, since the dryer is installed on a common hot water riser, the problem with the hot water supply begins to spread to the neighbors. This is because the balance of the entire system is disrupted, circulation in the riser worsens or even stops completely.

It is clear that this becomes, at a minimum, the cause of constant scandals and proceedings. But the case may end in more serious consequences, including the application of penalties.

Therefore, it is worth looking carefully in advance to figure out which scheme in specific conditions, taking into account the characteristics of the riser, the selected model and the wishes of the owners for its installation, will be optimal. And which one, on the contrary, will either become the cause of eternal problems or not work at all.

Difficulties with installation are one of the reasons why buyers are now increasingly choosing electric heated towel rails. Which require only simple installation and an outlet for operation. In our opinion, the best heated towel rails of 2020 are offered by the French company Atlantic. Due to its mass production, this European manufacturer produces luxury models of heated towel rails at a price that is approximately 10 times lower than its analogues. At the same time, the company’s division in Italy is developing the design of Atlantic devices. That is, the buyer receives designer heated towel rails from Italian couturiers.

The Atlantic model is equipped with the maximum range of capabilities of modern heated towel rails

Prices start from only 8,400 rubles, and even for this amount you get a 300 W model (300, 500, 750 W options are also available). This is enough, including for full heating of a bathroom up to 3 square meters. A Russian model of similar power will cost from 20,000 rubles, a European one – about 80-100 thousand rubles. Moreover, models of the same power with tubular bars are simply not able to quickly dry a towel, due to the insufficient heat transfer area.

Any Atlantic model is equipped with the maximum range of capabilities of modern heated towel rails. In particular, you can set the temperature in the bathroom to be automatically maintained at a certain level. Or run for 2 hours every day at a certain time. This is enough to warm up the bathroom, take a shower in a warm room and dry the towel. As a result, electricity costs are significantly reduced, the monthly fee does not exceed 200-300 rubles. At the moment, there are simply no analogues with similar functionality on the Russian market for heated towel rails.

Let's start with the simplest.

Heated towel rail and heating system

The heated towel rail is designed to create a comfortable microclimate, to reduce humidity, and to speed up the drying of air and surfaces in the bathroom. High humidity, which is created in the bathroom due to the purpose of this room, contributes to the formation of mold and fungi, which can cause harm to human health. To reduce the risk of mold, it is necessary to thoroughly dry the room, and this is what heated towel rails are designed for.

It is important to note that the heated towel rail must operate both during the heating and non-heating periods, and that is why it is connected not to the heating system, but to the hot water supply system. That is, despite the fact that a heated towel rail is essentially a heating device and emits heat that is consumed specifically to heat the room, the heated towel rail does not belong to the heating system and is technically part of the hot water supply system.

Legally, a heated towel rail is also an element of the MKD hot water supply system and does not belong to the heating system. In this case, the area of the bathroom, which can actually be considered heated by a heated towel rail, is included in the area of the room used when calculating the cost of the heating utility service. That is, the law establishes that the bathroom, like all other parts of the living space, is heated with heat energy consumed through the heating system. The fact of additional (or separate from the rest of the room) heating of the bathroom with a heated towel rail is not recognized by law.

This position is confirmed by judicial practice.

The Arbitration Court of the Arkhangelsk Region, by its Decision dated 02/04/2016 in case A05-14518/2015 (upheld by the Resolution of the Fourteenth Arbitration Court of Appeal dated 05/23/2016 and the Resolution of the Arbitration Court of the North-Western District dated 10/11/2016) established: “ The current legislation does not provide for the collection separate fee for heating the bathroom. Hot water supply services are provided through heated towel rails in the bathroom and risers; the circulation of thermal energy in them cannot be regarded as a method (device) of heating .”

Previously, the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation, by Determination of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation dated 04/08/2013 No. VAS-3202/13, established: “When resolving the dispute, the courts proceeded from the fact that, within the meaning of Article 15 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, bathrooms are included in the total area of the premises, the heating fee for which is already included in the heating fee for the space as a whole .”

Thus, it is unlawful to consider a heated towel rail as a heating device and take into account the heat energy consumed through the heated towel rail as heat energy consumed for heating.

Connecting U- and M-shaped heated towel rails

It really is the easiest thing with them. If errors do occur, they are not due to the general connection diagram, but, so to speak, due to non-compliance with some installation nuances.

Yes, despite the wide variety of heated towel rail models, many still pay tribute to the “classics” - curved U- or M-shaped hinges. Some are quite satisfied with the design, others simply do not want to redo the liner from the riser, designed for this particular version of the device, while others are attracted by the affordable cost and ease of installation can also play an important role.

Of course, modern heated towel rails of this type are quite nice products made of stainless steel, chromed steel or non-ferrous metals. But their operating principle and connection diagram are exactly the same as those of the “veterans” made from bent VGP pipes.

Modern heated towel rails of the simplest design certainly look much better than their predecessors, but in terms of their operating principle they are no different from them.

The easiest connection

And the scheme for connecting them was generally practiced in the most uncomplicated way - this loop (or two loops) was simply part of the riser, not separated from it by any locking or adjusting devices.

So this scheme can still be used now, although it is difficult to call it optimal.

The simplest scheme for inserting (almost literally) into a hot water supply riser.

In this diagram, the hot water supply riser will continue to be shown in dark gray. Blue arrows indicate the permissible direction of water flow. As you can see, in this case it has no meaning, that is, any value is acceptable. Violet lines will show the newly created sections of the liner from the riser to the heated towel rail. These pictures are not yet available, but they will appear soon.

What imperfection of this scheme immediately catches your eye? The heated towel rail is absolutely devoid of “autonomy”. It cannot be turned off if, for example, the owners do not want it to work at a given time (for example, it is too hot in the bathroom). To change to another model or eliminate a possible accident, you will have to turn off the entire riser completely. In your own home this is not so important, but in a high-rise building it won’t be a hassle!

It would seem that a solution suggests itself - to install shut-off valves on both supply pipes to the heated towel rail. They can be closed at any time in order to take the device out of service for one reason or another.

It would seem like an obvious solution... But doing so is strictly prohibited!

But this is exactly what you cannot do. Such installation of shut-off elements completely disables the entire hot water riser on all floors if at least one of their taps is closed. It's simple - the circulation is interrupted. And conflict with neighbors and employees of the management company is guaranteed.

A mandatory element of the “piping” of the heated towel rail on the hot water riser is the bypass

It must be said right away - any kind of insertion of heated towel rails, with any bottom, side or diagonal connection, must be carried out exclusively with a bypass on the riser. And the only exception, which was shown above (direct insertion without taps), is not taken into account due to the primitiveness of the scheme and its mentioned shortcomings.

What is a bypass, if anyone doesn’t know? – This is simply a jumper between the supply and return terminals of any radiator connected to one pipe (which fully includes a heated towel rail). The meaning of such a jumper is extremely simple: no matter what happens to the connected device, the circulation of water through the riser should not be interrupted for a second.

Since we're talking about bypasses, it's worth taking a closer look at them.

On hot water risers into which heated towel rails cut, you can find three types of bypasses:

The role of the bypass is played by the riser pipe itself. Two terminals for connecting a heated towel rail are simply welded into it or mounted on tees.

There is no jumper as such - just the integrity of the vertical pipe is not broken.
But two horizontal terminals are connected to it for connecting a heated towel rail. The area between these terminals becomes, in fact, a bypass. It must be said that such a scheme is distinguished by excellent performance in a wide variety of conditions. In vain, some plumbers mercilessly criticize it - they say that it will not allow the required volume of water to pass through the heat exchange device - the heated towel rail. They say that the water will flow directly because it is easier for it - there is less hydraulic resistance. Nothing of the kind - practice shows that circulation through the device occurs fully - it’s just that in addition to the usual pressure (water pressure), other physical laws also come into play. In particular, a kind of “pump” is obtained, based on the difference in the density of water depending on its temperature. The cooled water in the loops or “grid” of the heated towel rail tends downwards, giving way to hotter water.

So you don’t have to fool yourself - and leave the pipe “as is”. The vast majority of circuits, as we will see later, work perfectly with just such a bypass. And, conversely, “improvements” in bypasses are sometimes not beneficial, somewhat narrowing the variability of connection schemes.

Narrowed bypass - in the area between the terminals on the heated towel rail (radiator), a pipe is welded (or mounted in another way), the internal diameter of which (nominal diameter) is one step smaller. For example, if the riser is made of a pipe with DN 1" (25 mm), then a section with DN ¾" (20 mm) is welded.

The same connection, but with a narrowed bypass.
Many plumbers consider such a bypass a “panacea”, and it is difficult to convince them that in some cases this leads to overcomplicated installation and a decrease in the operational capabilities of the riser.

In fact, everything looks really logical - narrowing the lumen increases the hydraulic resistance in this area, which encourages the flow of water to be guaranteed to pass through the more tortuous tubes of the heat exchange device.

In fact, most often it is not needed. In addition, the fascination with such narrowed bypasses also entails the likelihood of unbalancing the normal operation of the hot water rack. Imagine that such a connection diagram is made on several floors. Moreover, in several apartments the heated towel rails are turned off due to temporary use. It turns out that on one vertical pipe several areas have been artificially created to reduce the diameter of the passage, which gives a sharp increase in the total hydraulic resistance of the entire riser included in the circulation.

In a word, there are no special benefits; installation is more difficult. If you still have such a bypass from the old connection, you can still resign yourself and find a suitable circuit for the heated towel rail. But to make such a narrowing on your own, believe me, is unwise.

Another type of bypass, called “biased”. It is not placed coaxially with the riser, but is placed to the side - a section of pipe connects the horizontal leads going to the heat exchange device. In this case, the jumper is installed with the same internal diameter as the pipes it connects, without narrowing or widening.

Offset bypass - its necessity in most cases is also doubtful.
It is believed that the “accelerating” horizontal sections created with such a scheme to the bypass will also guarantee that, despite the presence of a jumper, the required volume of water will be directed into the “labyrinths” of the heated towel rail.

Is it worth “fencing” such a bypass? If it is easier to leave the riser intact, then there is no need for this. But it happens that you don’t want to touch the riser, but horizontal sections have already been made from it to the shut-off valves - where the old-style heated towel rail used to be. Then, indeed, it will be easier to mount the jumper here, in front of the taps, using tees.

Sometimes, to properly connect a heated towel rail, it is easier not to redo the riser, but to install a jumper between the existing connections, for example, using tees. The result will be just a biased bypass.

Another option is that such a jumper was left after dismantling the old heated towel rail, and there is no desire to redo the existing sections of the liner. Then you can leave it as it is - below we will consider which connection schemes are guaranteed to work with a biased bypass.

One more nuance is extremely important. Quite often on the Internet you can find both drawings and photographs of work already completed, which immediately attract the eye by the presence of a shut-off device (faucet, valve) on the bypass.

Do not trust the proposed diagrams or photographs of finished work!
Remember the categorical rule - there cannot be any taps on the bypass! There is even a “motivation” for this matter - they say that an installed faucet or valve allows you to finely regulate the amount of hot water passing through the heated towel rail, that is, in essence, the heating level. It seems that everything is correct...

Meanwhile, this is a gross mistake! It turns out that the tap ends up on the riser again, which was already mentioned above as unacceptable. There is a possibility of even unintentionally blocking the circulation or unbalancing the operation of the hot water riser. Excuses like: - are not accepted. Where is the guarantee that the tap will not be accidentally turned off by any other resident who does not understand the intricacies, say, a child - even just out of curiosity?

Well, if “an adult, understanding person” has no intention of shutting off the bypass, then why put a tap there in principle? Moreover, many special devices have been invented to regulate heat exchange devices (towel rails or heating radiators), which in any situation do not have a negative impact on the overall operation of the entire system.

In a word, the rule is uniform and categorical: in no case should the bypass be equipped with any kind of shut-off device.

Since we came across this picture (with taps on bypasses), we can draw the reader’s attention to another unacceptable point. It is shown on the left side of the illustration, which shows a diagram of the assembly of the liner to the heated towel rail made of metal-plastic pipes.

So - this is not worth repeating! Anyone who has ever dealt with the installation of metal plastic knows that compression fittings are used. And their distinctive feature is that they are equipped with fittings, which are tightly inserted into the pipe before crimping the fitting. This, of course, leads to a significant reduction in its lumen.

Fittings for metal-plastic pipes always imply a sharp reduction in the diameter of the nominal diameter.

And even on a structure that is not particularly complex, there can be quite a lot of such parts - bends, tees, taps, transitions to other pipes, etc. That is, the number of sharp narrowings in diameter becomes frighteningly large, which negatively affects the normal operation of the riser and the heated towel rail connected to it.

The best option is metal pipes or inexpensive and easy-to-install (if you have a soldering iron and the skills to work with it) polypropylene.

Well, that’s it, we’ve figured out the simplest connection diagrams - it’s time to move on to more “interesting” options.

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I think many residents of apartment buildings have encountered such a home phenomenon as a cold heated towel rail. Although, in theory, it should be hot. Why does this happen, why does the heated towel rail not heat?

First, you need to figure out how the hot water system works in a typical apartment building. As you know, a hot water supply system can be open or closed. In short, an open DHW system is when water is drawn for DHW needs directly from the heating network.

A closed DHW system is when the hot water supply is separated into a separate circuit in the building’s heat supply system, and in the ITP of residential buildings, cold water is heated through heat exchangers to a hot water temperature (at least 55 °C).

But for both closed and open systems, the so-called DHW circulation scheme is most often used in apartment buildings. According to my observations, this hot water circulation scheme is used in 80-85% of apartment buildings. With this scheme, hot water passes sequentially through the pipeline, which leads to the faucets in the kitchens and baths of the MKD, and then through the heated towel rail it returns to the ITP (heating point) of the building in the return pipeline of the heating network.

That is, through heated towel rails, hot water circulation is carried out in the house, so that the hot water, in fact, is hot in fact. The pipeline of a heated towel rail can, in principle, be called the return line of the DHW line.

In the basement of a residential building it looks like this: a pipe goes to the hot water supply (faucets in kitchens and baths), a pipe from heated towel rails returns (circulation), the third pipe is cold water supply (CW).

For an open DHW system, the water temperature must be at least 60 °C, for a closed system - at least 55 °C. But this is all ideally, according to a book, according to a textbook. What is happening in reality?

In reality, the circulation line, on which the heated towel rails are located, causes a lot of trouble and headaches for both the heat supply organization and the organization serving the house (most often this is the management company). The fact is that through the circulation line (read - through heated towel rails) overheating occurs through the return pipeline. And overheating is a direct loss, especially for the resource supply organization.

Overheating, in turn, occurs due to non-functioning DHW temperature regulators. I wrote about this in this article. That is, water enters the hot water system much higher than required according to the standard, and returns through heated towel rails to the return line also higher than required for the return coolant according to the temperature schedule. This results in overheating of the return.

Naturally, the organization servicing an apartment building is forced to deal with overheating. This is done by adjusting the hot water circulation line in the heating unit of the house. Simply put, this circulation line is “pressed up” thoroughly either with the help of a balancing valve (if there is one) or with the help of shut-off valves (valve, gate valve).

In this case, return overheating becomes less (it can even fall within the required 5%). But, naturally, the flow rate and pressure in the hot water supply line decreases. Hence, the DHW circulation becomes “sluggish”. Hot water has to be drained to become hot, and heated towel rails become barely warm, or even cold. Especially when there is no intensive water supply throughout the house, not during rush hour.

What needs to be done to ensure that the heated towel rail is hot, and that the hot water from the mixer tap is always hot and does not have to be drained?

First of all, it is necessary that the DHW temperature regulators really work, that is, they produce TDHW into the system no higher than normal. If 7-8 years ago a working hot water temperature regulator in an ITP was considered an incredible curiosity, now the situation is still changing slowly for the better. There are such working regulators. A modern working hot water temperature regulator consists of a control valve, a temperature sensor, and a controller. Everything is included together. This is my personal opinion about RT DHW.

Less often, a situation occurs when the regulator operates in normal mode, and there is no overheating in the DHW circulation, but the heated towel rail is still cold and does not work. There may be different situations here.

For example, this can happen after repair work in the ITP (heating unit) of a building. That is, they “slowed down” the building for heating and DHW, closed the inlet and house valves, shut-off valves along the DHW line, and for the DHW circulation. After the repair work is completed, it often happens that the heated towel rails do not work. And then you have to bypass them, that is, create forced circulation by opening a vent on the riser in the basement of the house.

It also often happens that the DHW end risers do not flow through the house. And this despite the fact that in the heating unit with hot water supply everything is normal in terms of parameters, primarily in terms of pressure. In this case, it is necessary to carry out balancing on the risers in the basement of the building. That is, the risers closest to the heating point are “pressed” in order to provide greater flow and pressure for the end risers of the hot water supply. The principle here is this: the risers closest to the ITP are “pressed” thoroughly, then less and less.

We also had to deal with situations where heated towel rails do not work due to outdated, Soviet-era shut-off valves on hot water risers. Not such a rare situation, by the way. In this case, the fittings that “hold” both pressure and flow must be changed. There is no other option.

And finally, another reason that the heated towel rail does not heat up and is cold is the “independent activity” of the residents of the house. After all, often a person does not even think that he lives in an apartment building, and the DHW line runs vertically through the entire house, from the first floor to the last. I also saw heated floors connected from the hot water system, and a sharp narrowing of the diameter of the heated towel rail pipeline to some non-standard, unimaginable diameters, etc., etc. Naturally, in these cases they do not think at all about the neighbors who live on other floors of the house. Here we have to look into each case individually; these are not typical, let’s say, cases of non-working heated towel rails.

Connecting ladder-type heated towel rails

What kind of “ladders” are there?

This is the most popular category of heated towel rail models these days. Such devices look very advantageous on the bathroom wall, they are easy to use - crossbars, and often additional shelves on top make it easier to hang things for drying or heating. Their high heat transfer is noted.

The form can be different, sometimes quite unexpected. But, as a rule, the design principle is preserved - two vertical pipes (let's call them collectors), connected by jumper pipes of smaller diameter. The connections for connecting the heated towel rail to the riser are located only on the collectors.

But the “ladders” can also differ significantly in the location of these pipes.

Thus, a separate group of models in this category is equipped with two pipes on one manifold, directed to the side. Such heated towel rails, quite understandably, are intended exclusively for side connection.

This ladder model allows only lateral connection. By the way, the model shown is not the most successful, since there is a “hump” above the upper pipe. Air will definitely accumulate in it, requiring removal - either periodically manually or through an automatic valve.

In other models, heated towel rail manifolds have the ability to connect both from above and from below. That is, two points will be used for tapping into the system, and the remaining two are either silenced or closed with air vent valves. Of course, such models provide much more “space” for choosing the optimal method of connecting to the riser.

Any two of the four ends of the vertical collectors can be used for insertion into the system. The remaining two are muffled or closed with an air vent.

However, there are also models in which exclusively the lower ends of vertical collectors are used for insertion - this is provided for by the design, and it does not allow other options. But there are also good connection diagrams for such devices.

Let's look at the available schemes in order

Schemes for lateral or diagonal connection of a heated towel rail

To begin with, there are two simplest and, at the same time, attractive circuits with their versatility and exceptional performance. If you look closely, you can see many similarities with those simplest options that are used with U or M-shaped devices.

Scheme of a simple side connection - both pipes are connected to one vertical manifold.

This scheme works great with universal-type “ladder” models. The bypass is ordinary, that is, it does not require either a reduction in diameter or displacement. The operation of the heated towel rail is practically not affected by the speed of water flow in the riser, nor its pressure, nor direction. If necessary, the liner sections can be quite long - up to 4 ÷ 5 meters. True, some important and perhaps not immediately noticeable and understandable nuances must be observed.

The top connection point to the riser must be higher than the top connection point on the heated towel rail. Similarly, from below - the lower point of insertion into the riser - below the connection of the lower line to the device. This is achieved by giving the supply pipes a slight slope - a 20, maximum 30 mm height difference per linear meter will be enough

The slope, however, becomes optional if the distance of the device from the riser does not exceed 2 meters, and if pipes with a DN of 1″ or more are used for the liner, then you can be content with a strictly horizontal laying.

The eyeliner sections must be straight. No bends are allowed where air can accumulate. (By the way, there is traditionally always more dissolved and suspended air in hot water pipes than in cold ones!)
The diameter of the liner (internal, of course, that is, DN or DN) is at least 20 mm (this is external 25 for polypropylene and standard ¾" for metal pipes). Taps or valves - also with a passage of at least 20 mm.
Pipes in the supply section are usually thermally insulated. Usually they are hidden in cut-out grooves, so insulation will be necessary in any case - so as not to dissipate heat in the wall

As already mentioned, no displacement or narrowing of the bypass is required. Let's say even more than that - such an “improvement” deprives the circuit of its versatility, since when feeding from bottom to top, it is possible that the heated towel rail circuit will completely block, and it will become inoperable.

With a top feed, a system with a narrowed bypass will definitely work, but not without some “preferences” for the owner. That is, there is no sense in sight.

So to speak, “in development” of this scheme, a diagonal connection of a heated towel rail is sometimes used.

The diagonal connection of a heated towel rail is not much different from the simplest diagram. Unless it's a particularly necessary complication.

In principle, all the requirements listed above remain in force. But does such a connection provide any advantages?

Apparently, a stereotype is at work here by analogy with heating radiators. There, indeed, a diagonal connection gives some gain in heat transfer, a few percent. And on the scale of, say, a whole house, the effect is noticeable. Here, in the conditions of one small heat exchange device, it can be guaranteed that no one will feel much of a difference. That is, you don’t have to complicate the installation. Although the scheme itself is, of course, fully working and very effective. By the way, the direction of the diagonal also does not play any role - you can choose any one.

These were, so to speak, basic schemes, and now there are several variations.

For example, there are old tees in the riser, spaced further apart than the height of the heated towel rail, and you don’t want to redo them. Or, for other reasons, the insert into the riser should be significantly higher and lower than the location of the device, say, in order to mask horizontal sections. No problems - everything is solved simply:

An option with tie-in points into the riser that are more spaced apart in height.

The only difference is the presence of vertical sections from the connection points up and down to the horizontal liner. By the way, the length of these vertical sections is not limited by anything - at least within reason.

The other extreme is that the old supply pipes from the riser are located too close to one another, but you don’t want to redo them. So, you can apply this scheme:

The lowest point of insertion while standing is still below the device. But with such a scheme, there is no way to do without installing an air vent.

The rule for placing the top insertion point above the device cannot be observed. And this creates a “hump” - a kind of step in which the air contained in the water can accumulate. And where, by the way, an air lock is guaranteed to form when the water supply in the riser is temporarily interrupted. This means that there is no escape from installing a device that allows this air to be vented. The installation location is shown with a yellow arrow.

In the simplest version, this is a Mayevsky valve, and air release will have to be done manually as necessary. A more modern option is an automatic air vent, which will independently release accumulated gases.

The Mayevsky tap is on the upper edge of the vertical manifold of the heated towel rail (in the picture on the left). An automatic valve that does not require constant user intervention will be much more convenient to use (right).

But what to do if there is still a narrowed or displaced bypass left from the old connection? Remake? Let's figure it out.

Even the simplest scheme has lost its universality: the direction of water movement is allowed only from top to bottom. The same fully applies to a circuit with a biased bypass.

Let's look at the simplest basic diagram, but with a bypass from a pipe, one step smaller than the diameter of the riser. (With a diagonal connection, nothing changes, so we won’t repeat it).

Practice shows that such a scheme will be guaranteed to work only when the water flows downwards. When directed upwards, there is a high probability that part of the upward flow will be redirected to the heated towel rail, where it will meet the flow going in the opposite direction - under the action of the heat pump, which was already mentioned above. That is, with a stream of cooled water flowing down under the influence of gravity. It turns out that two oppositely directed vectors meet. And there is a high probability that the heated towel rail circuit will simply shut down. The system turns out to be unstable, very much dependent on the temperature and pressure of the water in the riser. For example, when there is a large supply of hot water across floors, the circulation in the heated towel rail may stop completely or be barely noticeable. That is, the device will be either cold or barely warm.

In one word – “depending on your luck.”

In this case, the diagonal connection not only does not increase efficiency, but can, on the contrary, become an even greater brake on normal circulation.

Exactly the same picture will be with a biased bypass, so it makes no sense to present it separately. The only thing that can be said about this is that the offset bypass must be the same diameter as the riser. It happens that he is narrowed down, which is completely unacceptable.

So, the conclusion. If you “inherited” a riser with a narrowed or offset bypass, then you can leave it without alteration only when the flow direction is from top to bottom (as, by the way, according to all the rules it should be). If the direction is the opposite, or the owner has no information about this, it is better to switch to a universal scheme that is guaranteed not to fail.

Bottom connection diagrams for heated towel rails

Many apartment owners like this kind of connection. Indeed, it is easier to hide it in scrubs or even under a decorative casing. Manufacturers, studying demand, offer many models designed specifically for this option.

It would seem - what secrets could there be? But no - with the bottom connection everything is even somewhat more complicated than with the side connection.

Let’s say right away that in terms of heat transfer efficiency, any bottom connection scheme is somewhat inferior to the universal “side” options. It may not be so noticeable at the everyday level, but still. The second general nuance is that any of the options with a bottom connection necessarily requires the installation of an air vent. There are no exceptions. Therefore, we will not repeat every time about the need for such a device.

So which schemes are acceptable?

A good universal bottom connection diagram

The simplest diagram is in the illustration. It is universal, that is, it will work in any direction of hot water flow. But if some conditions are met:

It is advisable to place sections of the horizontal supply with a slight upward slope from the riser to the device, with a rise within 10÷20 mm per linear meter. This requirement does not apply to pipes with a diameter of 1 inch or more, and at a small distance, up to a meter, from the riser.
In any case, the lower insert into the riser should be below the heated towel rail. For the top tie-in point, if a conventional direct bypass (riser section) is used, there is no hard and fast rule, although you should still strive to create a slight rise in the horizontal section.
Supply pipes, which in such conditions are almost always walled up in walls, must be enclosed in thermal insulation.

The case when vertical sections are required on the rise to the heated towel rail.
This scheme is just a variation of the previous one. The only difference is that, for one reason or another, vertical sections are necessary before connecting the device. There are no additional requirements other than those previously listed. On the contrary, the guaranteed location of both tie-in points on the riser below the heated towel rail is the best option!

What to do if the riser has a narrowed or offset bypass, and a lower connection is required?

If you are lucky and the location of the bypass allows you to comply with the rule that the tie-in points into the riser are below the heated towel rail, then there is no need to worry. True, in this case it is strongly recommended not to skimp on the slope of the horizontal section of the liner. In this version, the circuit will fully retain its versatility and suitability for any direction of hot water flow.

Provided that the insertion points are located in this way and the slope of the horizontal supply is observed (the rise from the riser to the device), the circuit retains its versatility even with a narrowed or offset bypass.

But it also happens that the existing bypass is embedded high, and you don’t want to change its position. But this does not make it possible to comply with the recommendation regarding the position of the upper point of insertion into the riser - otherwise the heated towel rail will be lifted up to the ceiling. What should I do?

This scheme can come to the rescue, which, alas, is not without its drawbacks:

Not the best, but still, with reservations, a working diagram for the bottom connection of a heated towel rail.

What are the reservations?

— The permissible direction of water for guaranteed operation is exclusively from top to bottom. If the flow is directed upward, the heated towel rail circuit will most likely soon be blocked and circulation through it will stop.

— The top point of insertion into the riser definitely cannot be higher than the top edge of the heated towel rail.

If you cannot meet even one of these requirements, you will have to redo the riser, organize new tie-in points into it, and remove the old narrowed or displaced bypass. And apply a universal scheme acceptable to the case.

Connecting a heated towel rail to a hot water riser diagram

The procedure for connecting a heated towel rail to the hot water riser

Connecting a heated towel rail to a hot water riser is not the most difficult undertaking. But certain knowledge and adherence to the procedure are required. Why will we connect to the hot water supply? With centralized heating, this is the best option. One of the important advantages is heating the room when using hot water. When connecting a heated towel rail to a heating riser, heating will depend on the heating season. In the private sector, this connection method is more often practiced.

Connection options

The principle of connecting a heated towel rail to a riser is the same for all models: water is supplied to one end, and its outflow (return) from the other. The connection option depends on the specific modification of the device:

the hot coolant is connected at the top, the return – at the bottom;
connection is made from below;
hot water supply - from above, outlet - on the opposite side from below, diagonally;
bottom center connection;
four-point connection (for large dryers with horizontal pipes).

Methods for connecting heated towel rails to the hot water system.

Connection diagrams for heated towel rails to the heating riser:

How to connect a heated towel rail to a riser?

Before connecting to the hot water supply system, we carry out a number of preparatory measures:

Turning off the water supply to the riser we need.
Removing (if necessary) the old heated towel rail.
Trying on a new model and marking the wall for fastening. The heated towel rail should not be more than two meters away from the riser. Otherwise, a significant amount of heat will be lost.
Checking the horizontal and vertical position of the unit using a building level.
Fixing fasteners.

How to connect a heated towel rail to a hot water supply riser?

Heated towel rails are connected to hot water supply with centralized hot water supply year-round. It is possible to connect the units to independent year-round heating systems. In this case, it is necessary to install shut-off valves that allow you to turn off heated towel rails in the summer.

Increasingly, iron pipes (cast iron, steel, copper) in homes are being replaced with plastic ones. Almost all apartments now contain polypropylene. Let's connect the heated towel rail to the plastic pipeline.

This is what the connection node looks like in a closed scheme:

The units are connected to the DHW using couplings. They are available in the following sizes:

Connection node according to an open circuit:

In the direction of movement of the coolant, make a slope for the supply to the heated towel rail. Along the entire length - from five to ten millimeters. If the eyeliner is less than fifty centimeters, then it can be strictly horizontal.

The axis of the heated towel rail and the supply pipe can be removed from the surface of the facing tiles or plaster by:

3.5 centimeters – with a pipe diameter of up to 23 millimeters;
5-5.5 centimeters - with a pipe diameter of 40 to 50 millimeters.

The liner and the unit must fit snugly against the supports and be firmly fixed. In this case, the heated towel rail and supply pipeline are not welded, but placed on brackets or supporting hooks. A “hot” pipe is subject to thermal deformation. Anyway. If you weld, the load on the wall will increase.

The heated towel rail must be clearly aligned horizontally. Otherwise, an air lock may form inside, preventing the coolant from filling the entire unit. To prevent such troubles, Mayevsky taps are added to the connection diagram.

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Correct connection of the heated towel rail

The bathroom is a room where elevated temperatures are required. Firstly, it feels more comfortable, and secondly, warm air will quickly remove excess moisture after taking a shower or bath. Heating in the bathroom is done infrequently - it is not accepted. A more common method is to install a heated towel rail, which we’ll talk about next. For everything to work without problems, you need to choose the right connection diagram, and even implement it correctly. And you will have to figure everything out on your own. After all, even if you don’t do everything yourself, you’ll have to keep an eye on the plumbers. This is the only way to be sure that you will be left with a properly functioning dryer.

In order for everything not only to look good, but also to work without problems, you need to lay out the eyeliner correctly

What designs are there?

Heated towel rails come in different shapes. When choosing them, people are often guided solely by aesthetics, which is not entirely justified. These devices work normally with good water circulation, but not all models provide such circulation. With some you have to spend a long time trying to find the right connection diagram, otherwise they simply refuse to work.

So, all heated towel rails can be divided into four groups:

U-shaped or U-shaped. The simplest models, basic connection (lateral). Ideally, when replacing the old one, you find a model with the same center distance. Then, if you're lucky, you won't even have to redo the bends.
Ladder. Modern designs with a certain number of crossbars. Also a good option from a hydraulic point of view. The connection can be bottom, side or diagonal. But it is not chosen arbitrarily, but according to a set of conditions (where the supply comes from, location relative to the riser).
Snake. Another classic model with side connection. Installing a heated towel rail of this type, as a rule, does not present any problems.

Complex shape. There are very unusual heated towel rails. They can even be an interior decoration, but their proper connection is a problem. As a rule, consultation with a competent specialist, a plumber who is well versed in hydraulics, is required. As you understand, finding one is not an easy task.

It often happens that after installing a heated towel rail it simply does not work. If the error is serious, the riser to which it is connected also stops working. Therefore, it is necessary to know and follow the connection rules.

Where to connect and where to hang

You can connect a water heated towel rail to both the hot water riser and the heating system. If both of these options are available, DHW is usually chosen. There are three reasons for this: there is less hassle with permission to connect, you can connect at any time of the year (agree with the management company to turn off the riser and that’s it) and, most importantly, such a heated towel rail heats up all year round.

If there is no hot water supply in the house, you will have to connect to the heating riser. This requires permission from the Criminal Code and a project. Buy a heated towel rail (preferably a simple design), go to the housing office with its passport (copy), write an application. If permission is given, order the project (you will also need a copy of the passport with connecting dimensions). Then, according to the project, you do it yourself or hire performers (plumbers from the housing office, as an option). Call representatives of the Housing Office for acceptance.

To ensure that the “towel” always warms up without problems, all connections are straight, without arcs or pockets

When determining where to install the heated towel rail, questions may still arise about what height it should be hung. If you have a choice, it is most convenient to place it so that it is at head level and below. This is if you install a U-shaped or snake. If we are talking about “ladders” of great height, the top bar is placed at the level of the heat of the raised hand (approximately 190-200 cm).

When choosing a location for installing a heated towel rail, you must also take into account the distance from the riser. In principle, the closer to the riser, the better - the greater the chance that it will work. But, it can be attributed to a meter or so only if the following conditions are met:

low hydraulic resistance of the heated towel rail (simple shape and cross-section 1″ or 3/4″),
sufficient pressure (2 atm or more)
drain pipes of normal diameter (one step smaller than the riser).

At the same time, be sure to follow other connection rules. Then there will be chances that such a “remote” device will work normally.

How to make bends and how to change the riser

If the riser is metal and you are not going to change it, then installing a heated towel rail is possible with steel or polypropylene pipes. If you change the riser (the best option) and install polypropylene, there is no choice - PPR pipes are also used for bends. Use polypropylene for hot water, preferably reinforced with fiberglass.

Why is metal-plastic not suitable? Because its fittings have a very narrow clearance. This has a very bad effect on circulation. As a result, even 100% efficient circuits do not provide normal heating.

Installation of a heated towel rail with polypropylene pipes

A little about why to change the riser. It makes sense to do this in old houses when renovating a bathroom or bathroom (depending on where your riser is located). Firstly, the pipes are usually already old and worn out. Even welding an outlet to them can be problematic, the metal is so worn out. Secondly, modern renovations involve hidden installation of communications and you will also want to cover the riser. Hiding an old pipe and then destroying everything again a few years later... is not a good solution.

A little about how to change. You need to come to an agreement with the neighbors below and above, as well as with the housing office (DEZ, UK). With your neighbors that you will cut off their riser and install a new one on the thread. Why do they have it? Because leaving an old pipe in the ceiling is dangerous: it will collapse and leak. It will flood you or your neighbors below. Therefore, it is better to pass through the ceilings with a new pipe.

With this connection, the dryer is part of the riser and there cannot be any taps

Having agreed or not with your neighbors (their riser may already be closed), you go to the housing office and agree on the date of replacement and the time for which the riser will be turned off. The work can be done by “local” mechanics, you yourself (if you have welding qualifications) or people you hire. After the connection, the water is turned on, you check the functionality of the heated towel rail and the system as a whole. If it doesn’t start to cool within 30 minutes, it means it’s set correctly. This completes the replacement or installation of the heated towel rail.

With or without bypass

Let's start with what a bypass is. This is a jumper between the input and output of the device, which ensures water circulation when the device fails or is turned off.

The jumper between the input and output of the heated towel rail is the bypass

If the circuit has a bypass, shut-off ball valves can be installed at the inlet and outlet of the device. This is convenient - you can turn it off if necessary (during repair or replacement) and not block the entire riser.

If there is no such jumper, no taps can be installed. In this case, the heated towel rail is part of the riser; by closing the taps, you completely shut off the riser.

When connected without bypass, no taps

The bypass can be direct (as in the first photo in the chapter) or offset (in the photo below). An offset jumper is installed at the top supply of coolant for better performance (circulation improves). With bottom feed, the offset only gets in the way. If you don't know where the water is coming from, it's better to do a direct bypass.

Offset bypass with upper coolant supply improves circulation

Bypasses (straight or offset) are also made narrower. Tapering, as well as displacement, improves circulation, but only in the case of top feed. The narrowing is made with a pipe that is one step smaller than the main one (if the riser is inch, the bottleneck is made 3/4″). You can't do less. The insert size is at least 10 cm.

Once again: an offset and/or narrowed bypass only works with top water supply. At the bottom, it interferes with circulation. If you are not sure, make the bypass straight and untapered.

It is strictly forbidden to install taps on the bypass. Each tap is a loss of pressure, which means it worsens the circulation of the entire riser, the water flows no longer so hot. For all neighbors above or below (depending on the direction of supply), the pressure deteriorates noticeably. Sometimes it also falls on the owner of the bypass with the tap. In addition, this is an absolutely unnecessary detail that only causes harm, and no noticeable improvement in circulation in the heated towel rail is observed. Well, and besides, this is a violation of SNiP 01/31/2003 (clause 10.6) - interference with public communications, for which a (considerable) fine may be issued.

How to place taps (connection methods)

For lateral and diagonal connections, the outlets should be located at the same level as the heated towel rail inlets or slightly higher/lower. What definitely won’t work is installing a heated towel rail if the outlets are located at a distance less than the distance between the inputs. The photo below is an example of a non-working diagonal connection with closely spaced taps. The option for correcting it (top feed) is indicated in black.

With a side connection, the heated towel rail will only work if the outlets are located slightly above and slightly below its inputs or at least on the same level

When connecting, the taps must be positioned strictly horizontally or slightly at an angle. Slightly at an angle - this is from 2 cm per meter (2%) or maybe a little more. The direction of the slope depends on the connection diagram and which end this outlet will be connected to. To make it a little clearer, let’s look at several typical connection diagrams for heated towel rails.

Universal bottom connection for heated towel rail "ladder"

This circuit works regardless of the direction of hot water supply. Connection type - bottom, both outlets should be located lower than the bottom edge of the dryer. With top feed, an option is acceptable when the edge is located between the bends, but the work may not be so efficient (it may heat up worse).

Universal connection for heated towel rail (bottom)

In this scheme, you can install shut-off valves. For its normal operation you need:

Mayevsky valves (air vents) installed on the upper outlets to release air accumulated in the upper part. They will need to be periodically opened and vented (as the heat begins to worsen). There is an option - install automatic air vents. They are also compact. This will make it easier to use.
The bypass is straight and narrowed. The size of the narrowing is a pipe of one step smaller in diameter.
Bends are made with a pipe of a step smaller in diameter than the main riser.

If this option suits your height, do it. The scheme works in any conditions, with ladder-type heated towel rails of any type.

Possible bottom connection for top supply

When pouring hot water from above, you can make the upper outlet higher than the bottom edge of the dryer. With the bypass displaced and narrowed, it should heat up normally. This method is not the best, but it works.

Working option for top spill of hot water

The presence of air vents and bleeding of air after the system is stopped are mandatory.

Universal side connection

You can connect the pipes from the side to the heated towel rail in any of the standard shapes - U-shaped, snake and ladder. The connection itself does not depend on the form. The standard version comes with a straight, unnarrowed bypass. Bends are either strictly horizontal or with a slight slope. There is a slope in the figure: the end of the upper branch is tilted slightly downwards (2 cm by 1 meter), the lower one is tilted slightly upwards. The diameter of the outlets is not less than the diameter of the heated towel rail.

Lateral universal connection for heated towel rail

This connection diagram is good because there is no need to install air vents on the “ladder” (they install plugs), since the air simply goes into the riser.

With the top supply on the bypass, you can narrow it and/or move the jumper towards the heated towel rail. This will improve circulation and the dryer will heat up better. But once again: such a scheme will only work with top water supply.

When supplying water from above, the bypass can be shifted and made into a pipe with a smaller diameter step

With this scheme, it is also possible to make bends at a slight angle or strictly horizontally.

Possible side connection option (not the best)

A lateral connection scheme with the top outlet located below the top edge of the heated towel rail is acceptable. But with such a connection, Mayevsky taps are needed, through which you will have to bleed the air after turning off the hot water supply for repairs/maintenance. It may also be necessary to periodically remove air during the process.

Not the best, but quite a workable option

Diagonal connection

There is no particular point in the diagonal connection of most heated towel rails: their efficiency is no different from the side one (in any case, there is no significant improvement), but the pipe consumption is greater, longer grooves are required, and this is labor-intensive. Although the scheme is workable.

The diagonal works fine if the water supply comes from above. Then the upper outlet is connected to the far edge of the “ladder”, and the lower one to the near one.

Diagonal connection with top feed

In this case, you can also make a narrowed and offset bypass, but even without this everything should work with a bang. With bottom supply, the bypass is not narrowed, exactly along the riser, connection

Heated towel rails with complex shapes: how to connect

In the case of connecting heated towel rails of complex shape, in addition to the usual means, it is also necessary to take into account the structural features of each specific model. They must be considered from the point of view of hydrodynamics - where water flows best, water is supplied there. For example, the popular model “Elegy” from Sunerge. This is not a ladder or a zig-zag.

A diagonal connection is chosen here, because anything else simply won’t work.

Installation of the Sunerzhi Elegy heated towel rail was chosen from the side, since with any other installation the circulation will be disrupted. There are no options at all.

Another model with a bottom connection and a complex design has three installation options. Provided water is supplied from above, the second one will work best, the first one will work a little worse, and the third one will be the most ineffective.

Bottom connection options with top spill

When feeding from below, options 1 and 3 remain, but only without narrowing the bypasses - it will interfere, not help. We exclude the second option completely.

What not to do

All the above schemes work stably. As you noticed, all bends go straight, without bends in the form of an arc or rings. This is not accidental - air accumulates in all irregularities, which interferes with, and sometimes completely blocks, circulation.

This scheme doesn't work

The installation of the heated towel rail in the photo is incorrect. At least two mistakes were made:

the bends are made narrower than the center distance of the heated towel rail;

They are made with a metal-plastic pipe with loops.

This connection simply cannot work. Metal-plastic pipes are an excellent material, but not for connecting heated towel rails. Their fittings have a very narrow lumen, which has a bad effect on circulation. Plus, air accumulates in the loops, and the flow along the upper loop, even when supplied from above, will not flow - too much hydraulic resistance to the water must be overcome.

Unstable circuits

The following two schemes may work, but not always. At the bottom of the heated towel rail, the water stagnates and, given any difference in height, cannot rise. No one can say specifically when it will work and when it won’t. Depends on the pressure in the riser, the diameter of the pipes and the design of the dryer itself.

Unstable connection schemes

With such a connection, even a working connection may suddenly (usually after stopping) stop working. Everything is simple: the pressure has changed, the pipes are clogged, the water from below is not “pressed”, the heated towel rail does not heat.

Another option for an unstable circuit is with a loop on top. Again, it will work under certain conditions. But sooner or later the highest point will become airy and block the circulation. The problem can be helped by installing an automatic air vent at the highest point, but if the pressure drops, it will not save you.

With loop on top

Not true at all

The photo below shows examples of what not to do. Schemes without a tap on the bypass are inoperative. What this threatens is known. In addition, after several years of use, they will stop functioning altogether. Most likely this will happen after the next shutdown - the system will become clogged with dirt. This is because the entire flow of hot water is directed through the heated towel rail. After repairs, the water carries a huge amount of dirt, which safely settles in the bends (in the lowest areas first). Within a few years everything becomes completely clogged. Fortunately, everything needs to be redone and connected correctly, but only flushing can help the fire.

Very bad idea

It is necessary to wash both the heated towel rail and the connections to it. To do this, remove the dryer and wash it in the bathroom, and wash the outlets one by one by connecting a hose to the free outlets, the other end of which is taken to the sewer. By manipulating the taps, pass a flow of hot water through one outlet, then through the other. After washing everything is put back in place. It may be possible to start the system after this.

Installation process

The connection of the heated towel rail to the finished outlets is standard for plumbing - suitable fittings, flax and packaging paste or fum tape. For mounting to the wall, there are brackets or special holder clamps into which the pipe is pressed. The process is shown in detail in the video.

Connection diagram for a heated towel rail to a hot water riser

Drying clothes is not the only task that a heated towel rail performs. In addition, the presence of such a sanitary product helps maintain a favorable atmosphere in the bathroom, the benefit of which is to prevent the appearance of unpleasant odors, fungus and dampness. If you analyze the range of products offered on the plumbing equipment market, you will find a large number of models that differ in both design and functional features.

Next we will talk about how to properly connect a heated towel rail to a hot water riser. From this article you will learn about the design of this plumbing product, and also get acquainted with its connection diagram.

Design features

The water heated towel rail offered for sale today can be made in various versions. Among the models available for sale today, a particularly popular one is the coil, the connection point of which is the general hot water supply system. Most often, this plumbing product could be found in Soviet-built houses.

If you pay attention to new buildings, there is another option for installing a heated towel rail, which boils down to connecting a hot water riser using a separate outlet. This option makes it possible to install a heated towel rail of any modification, from the traditional U-shaped to the popular “ladder”.

And among all the options available today, it is the last one that can most often be found in the apartments of our fellow citizens. Interest in it is primarily due to its ease of use, as well as high functionality. To connect such a plumbing product, you will need the following elements:

valves with which the water will be turned off;
water circulation system, presented in the form of supply and return pipelines;
stopper plug;
air release valve;
a bracket used to install plumbing fixtures on the wall.

Tools and materials

The technology for connecting a heated towel rail to a riser requires a number of tools and materials:

heated towel rail;
brackets with which the product will be fixed at the installation site;
pipelines made of polypropylene;
connecting elements in the form of fittings and couplings made of polypropylene;
a knife with which propylene will be cut;
welding machine;
ball valves in the amount of 2-3 pieces.

Main stages

If the “ladder” or another modification is selected as the connected plumbing product, then you must adhere to the following sequence of work:

Dismantling the existing heated towel rail;
Installation of a new riser;
Installation of ball valves and bypass;
Connection by welding of pipelines;
Installation of a heated towel rail, including its connection.

Situations are quite common when, even before connecting a new heated towel rail, you have to remove old products. For such cases, the following connection diagrams for heated towel rails of older modifications have become widespread:

for modern devices;
for old-style coils.

Dismantling of a modern structure

If the bathroom has a modern model of heated towel rail, installed in compliance with all requirements and having detachable connections, then there should be no difficulties when dismantling it. Particular attention should be paid here to ensure that the design of the installed sanitary ware matches the old model, and the dimensions in the centers of the connecting pipes are identical.

You should make sure that the center of the connecting pipes is located on the product in the same place as on the heated towel rail being dismantled. After removing the old product, it is necessary to install a new one by attaching it to the mating elements of the connectors, after which they begin to connect it to the system and fix it to the wall.

Removing the old coil

Much more difficulties will arise if you have to deal with an old Soviet coil. With this option, the installation scheme for a heated towel rail with a side connection requires its installation simultaneously with the riser. It is noteworthy that this element can be replaced completely or partially. Moreover, replacing only part of the old pipeline does not seem to be the best solution, so it is best to install a new riser. To implement such a plan, you will have to obtain consent from the neighbors below and above so that you can connect a new riser to them. Such situations occur quite often, as owners realize what a great threat old pipes in the ceiling pose.

Replacing the riser

After all the necessary issues have been resolved, the owner will have to turn off the water. Most often, to solve this problem you have to use the services of a service organization. After this, take a grinder and begin cutting out the riser and coil. Having dismantled these elements in your apartment, you must then do the same in the neighboring ones. Next, threads are cut on the pipes of the neighbors above and below, after which they begin to connect the pipes and introduce them into your bathroom, using holes in the ceilings for this.

Jumper installation

The jumper seems to be a very useful thing, as it can come to the rescue in the most unexpected situations. Although the owner can install it only at his own request, such advice should not be neglected. For example, if there are signs of a leak at the connection points of the heated towel rail, and there is more and more moisture every day, the jumper will help prevent emergency situations. In such cases, the owner does not need to contact the emergency service and wait for several hours for specialists to arrive.

Bypass is an effective solution to such problems. In its design, it looks like an ordinary section of the pipeline. Installation of this element requires the installation of standard ball valves at the ends of the heated towel rail, using which the owner can easily turn off the water in emergency cases.

Water heated towel rail: side connection

When connecting a heated towel rail to a hot water riser, the side mounting scheme is used quite often. A similar connection diagram is used in cases where there is a need to install a heated towel rail in a standard riser or to connect it to a hot water supply network. In other words, the owner will be spared the need to prepare additional drainage.

But, having decided to install a heated towel rail in this way, you should remember the important disadvantage of such a scheme. We are talking about welded elements that will have to be used during installation work. However, if the owner purchased plumbing equipment from a trusted manufacturer, then you can be sure that after installation the plumbing product will serve for a long time.

When starting to install a heated towel rail, it is important to take into account a number of important characteristics:

the diameters of the pipeline must coincide with each other;
the center spacing, which refers to the distance between the outlet and inlet holes, should be minimal.

When using a ladder connection diagram for a heated towel rail, you often have to use water couplings. It should be borne in mind that when performing such work, it is unacceptable to create a transition from pipelines with a larger diameter in the direction of pipes with a smaller cross-section. Otherwise, there is a possibility of an increase in pressure in the plumbing product, which can lead to such an unpleasant phenomenon as a leak. In some cases, this may even result in the rupture of welded joints.

A fairly common side connection scheme can be used in cases where the owner has an idea about laying tiles over water pipes. Keeping this in mind, it is necessary to take care of protecting the pipes and the plumbing product itself from moisture during installation work. This problem is solved with the help of gaskets and couplings, which must be very carefully tightened using an adjustable wrench of the required diameter.

When installing a heated towel rail using a side connection scheme, you should keep in mind that the coolant will circulate under high pressure conditions. Therefore, care must be taken to ensure that the connection points can cope with sudden pressure fluctuations and increased water supply pressure.

How to connect correctly?

When installing plumbing products in the bathroom, it is important to strictly comply with the requirements of current standards. Therefore, if for the scheme used for connecting a heated towel rail to a hot water supply riser, all the requirements that are enshrined in SNiP 2-04-01-85 must be met. If the work is carried out in a private house, then installation of such a structure is carried out to the heating system.

If a heated towel rail is connected to a riser in multi-apartment buildings, then it is best to carry out this work taking into account the project. The best option is when this structure is connected to a separate riser. This solution will be the best due to the fact that the central heating system only has to work with the onset of the cold season, while the coolant flows into the apartments without interruption in both winter and summer.

For any modifications of the heated towel rail, the connection diagram will be the same: the main thing here is that optimal conditions are created for proper water supply and outflow. In this case, you can count on a regular supply of water. Several connection diagrams can be distinguished, based on the design features of the product being installed:

installation with top connection;
installation with bottom connection;
installation of a heated towel rail in the lower part;
diagonal connection diagram.

Therefore, in order to avoid problems in the operation of the heated towel rail, it is necessary to choose a connection diagram taking into account the installation conditions and type of construction.

Basic moments

Proper installation of any plumbing product in the bathroom requires professional skills. The fact is that it is enough to allow a small error in measurements for this to cause serious troubles and problems with the operation of the device. Therefore, if you are faced with the task of installing a heated towel rail, it is best that this work be entrusted to a qualified specialist.

When carrying out such work, there are important points to remember:

When taking measurements, rounding is not allowed;
Before installation, it is necessary to accurately select the installation location of the plumbing product;
It is mandatory to use elements such as couplings, fittings, brackets, etc. in the design.
It is imperative to choose the correct device connection diagram.

Conclusion

A heated towel rail seems to be a complex plumbing product in terms of its connection to the hot water supply system. During the installation process, it is necessary to perform many different operations that can affect the quality of installation and the reliability of the plumbing product itself. Therefore, only a qualified specialist with practical experience can most efficiently connect a heated towel rail to a hot water riser. If you do not have such skills, you should not take unnecessary risks, but it is best to entrust this work to the personnel of the service organization.

Sobolev Yuri Alekseevich

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Which schemes should be avoided in principle?

Finally, it remains to look at several schemes that contain a fundamental error. These options either don’t work at all, or are so “capricious” that it’s better not to mess with them. And if the invited “master” plumber begins to “sculpt” something like that, his services should be refused immediately.

The desire to hide the upper section of the horizontal line, for example, above a suspended ceiling, sometimes leads to such “works of art”.

It is quite obvious that air will soon accumulate in this man-made hump, which will tightly block the circulation of water through the heated towel rail.
They may object - they say, is there an air vent or a Mayevsky valve stationed on this loop? Then we will object - is it even worth being smart with such an inadequate scheme? Wouldn’t it be better to find a simpler and more reliable option?

The next unsuccessful option is when, with a lateral connection, the insertion point of the lower connection ends up above the bottom edge of the heated towel rail. That is, most often - if you do not want to redo the riser left over from the previous model of the device.

A scheme that will certainly torment the owners with its “whims” and, most likely, will soon stop working altogether.
A loop has formed (it is highlighted in the diagram with a red oval) which turns into a kind of “trap” for the water flow. Here, at the lowest point, there will probably be forced flows, depending on pressure, and gravitational flows, depending on the difference in water density, and there will be no way out for both. One will be locked by pressure in the riser, the second by hotter water, which will be in the upper part of the heated towel rail. Which will begin to cool down and tend downwards, but the resulting “trap” will in every possible way prevent this.

As a result, the heated towel rail, which seems to have started up at first, soon begins to cool down, and very unevenly, with a clear gradation of temperatures along the height. The collision of oncoming flows will lead to stagnation in the circuit, and it will simply be easier for water to move along the riser rather than make its way through the labyrinths of the device.

They say that sometimes this option even works - a lot depends on the pressure and temperature of the hot water in the riser. But do not disdain good advice - do not rely on luck, but initially consider this scheme unworkable. It’s easier to choose another one than to look sadly at a heated towel rail that has turned into an ordinary hanger.

And one more option that you should run from like fire!

By what physical principles a heated towel rail should work with such a connection is completely unclear!
All the rules have been broken. That is, both insertion points are located above the bottom edge of the heated towel rail when it is connected at the bottom. This already makes us think - what incentive will water have, in principle, to move along the contour of the device? In addition, not only one “trap” for water flows has been formed, but two. Which certainly guarantees quick locking of the circuit if there is some kind of circulation at first.

Although, it is unlikely that it will start at all - there are too many reasons for water to choose a simpler and shorter path through the riser.

All of the above incorrect connection schemes may have their own variations. Therefore, it is important to understand the key error, the reason for the inoperability, in order to prevent such installation.

* * * * * * *

As you can see, there are quite enough working schemes, including completely universal ones. If you plan to do the installation yourself, check the drawing once again, according to which the assembly will be carried out, for possible fundamental errors. If a master is invited, ask him to present in advance the scheme that he is going to implement. Unfortunately, among the craftsmen there are people who have absolutely no understanding of the principles of operation of plumbing fixtures. And those who only know how, even if efficiently, to perform a certain set of actions, without understanding and coordinating with the existing real conditions. And sometimes even with common sense...

Ladder connection diagrams

When connecting a water heated towel rail with a ladder, a bypass is required. Bypass with or without narrowing depends on the circuit and direction of coolant supply. The diameter of the supply pipes can be the same as on the riser or one step smaller. It is selected depending on the chosen scheme. Please note that for normal operation the following conditions must be met:

pipes must be at least 25 mm in internal cross-section (more is possible, less can cause poor performance or complete inoperability);
fittings (angles, bends, taps) are selected so that the pipe clearance remains the same;
branch pipes are smooth, without depressions or humps;
the connection points are on the same axis.

When connecting a water dryer, you must use high-quality (fluoroplastic) gaskets that can withstand high temperatures for a long time.
In addition, when laying hidden (in grooves), installation in thermal insulation is highly desirable. The best choice is foam shell, but any other insulation suitable for installation inside the wall will do. Even if the pipe is simply laid in corrugation, this is already a plus. This shell is a compensator for thermal expansion of pipes and reduces the likelihood of electrocorrosion. By insulating the supply pipes, any connection diagram for a heated towel rail will work more stably.

Side outlets: heated towel rail connection diagram

Ladder towels often have a side connection. Moreover, they can be connected not only on the right or left, but also diagonally. Both types of connection - direct lateral and diagonal - are effective regardless of the direction of water supply; the heated towel rail can be located at a considerable distance from the riser ( but not more than 4.5 meters ).

Please note that the pipes from the riser run at an angle (from 3 to 30 mm per meter of pipe). If the length of the supply pipes is no more than 2 meters, the slope does not need to be made. For longer distances, slope is a prerequisite for normal circulation.

In order to be able to turn off the water at any time, shut-off valves are installed. When choosing them, make sure that they do not narrow the lumen of the pipe. Ball valves are ideal for this.

Scheme of direct and diagonal connection of a ladder-type water heated towel rail

Both the direct and diagonal connection schemes have an unbiased and unabridged bypass. This is where it should be for normal operation. If water is supplied from below, the bypass (the section of pipe between the outlets) must be of the same diameter and must not be offset. When serving from above, you can narrow it one step. In any case, the layer pipes must be perfectly straight, without depressions or humps. Pay special attention to the connections with the branches - they must be in the same plane. Only under such conditions will the heated towel rail connection circuit work properly.

Possible side connection options

It is not always possible to convert outlets from the riser to fit a new heated towel rail. In this case, two other schemes can be implemented. They operate at normal system pressure and are not overly complex in design.

Options for side connection of a water heated towel rail

When choosing corners and other fittings, pay attention to ensure that they do not narrow the clearance. In these schemes this can be critical. There are also restrictions on the distance from the riser. This connection works normally with branch lengths of up to 2.5 meters. One more point: the scheme on the right only works with top feed.

Bottom connection: working diagrams

The bottom connection itself is less efficient - water circulates worse. With this type of installation, a device for bleeding air (Mayevsky valve or automatic air vent) is installed on one of the racks at the very top. This connection has one advantage: you can run pipes not along the walls (in grooves or openly), but in the floor or down along the walls (under the bathroom, for example). So the connection diagram for the heated towel rail must be selected and executed very carefully.

Working diagram for connecting a heated towel rail with bottom outlets

There are three well-working options for the bottom connection of a heated towel rail. In any of them, the bottom outlet must be lower than the level of the bottom outlets on the dryer. This guarantees functionality with any delivery method. Also note that in the diagram with an offset and narrowed bypass (center and right figure), the upper outlet should be slightly below the connection point. This guarantees functionality even with bottom feed. If the water supply comes from above, you can make layering higher.

Acceptable options for the bottom connection of a heated towel rail

For the operation of the circuit, a bias towards the heated towel rail is also observed (this is not noticeable in the pictures). Slope - from 3 mm to 3 cm per meter. The more complex/larger the structure, the greater the slope (the more, the better). These schemes operate with branch lengths of no more than 450 cm.

Heated towel rail connection diagrams with errors (non-working or unstable options)

We also give non-working options for connecting heated towel rails. With this installation, they will only work if a circulation pump is installed in the supply. But such a low-power, reliable and quiet pump is very difficult to find.

There may be other errors. But the most typical ones are presented. Let's look at them in more detail. The first two schemes (see figure below) are with artificially created rises. Any “humps” block circulation. Air accumulates at the highest points, which blocks the movement of water. In order not to redo the connection, you can try to install an air vent at the highest point (preferably an automatic one). In theory, this could help. In practice, it depends on how high the “humps” are raised and whether the pressure is able to overcome them. There may be a situation with “periodic” work. When the water flow in the riser is low, the heated towel rail is warm, but when the water flow is high, it does not heat up.

You cannot connect a heated towel rail this way.

In the next two diagrams there is another error - the lower outlet is above the connection point. Such schemes can work, but unstably (at low flow rates they heat up, at high water consumption they do not). It is impossible to predict the exact height at which they become inoperable, since it depends on the type and diameter of the pipes, pressure, water flow in the riser, etc.

The last scheme is an offset and narrowed bypass with a side connection. With this connection method, usually only the heated towel rail rack, which is closer to the riser, is warm. It’s just that the circulation usually goes through the bypass - up, and down - through the first rack. The crossbars are heated unevenly. They are slightly warm closer to this “warm” counter and cold at the far one.

Thermostat

You can install a thermostat in any heated towel rail connection diagram. It is placed after the shut-off valve. On the feed or on the return, it doesn’t matter. But keep in mind that the thermostat in any case has less clearance, that is, it impairs circulation. That is, if the heated towel rail is barely warm, the thermostat will only worsen the situation.

But there is a way out, albeit not a very elegant one. You can buy a thermostat for pipes with a larger cross-section (one step at a time), assemble a unit from adapters and a thermostat, and install it as an assembly. As a result, the clearance will be equal to the diameter of the pipe (or close to it). But additional elements mean an additional risk of leaks. The more connections, the greater the likelihood of a leak.

Using stopcocks to make adjustments is a bad idea. There are special thermostats that reduce/increase the water flow smoothly and are designed specifically for this purpose

The second point is that the thermostat cannot make it “hotter”. Just lower the temperature to the desired temperature. If your heated towel rail is already slightly warm, there is no need to install a thermostat. This will only make things worse. But if your bathroom is too hot, a thermostat will really help normalize the temperature.

Possible troubleshooting

If your dryer is connected to the heating network, then at the end of the heating season, the circulation in it will stop working, since you should not expect an influx of new hot water until the next season. If the device is connected directly to the water supply system to the apartment, then the lack of circulation may be due to the lack of water supply by the management company.

Also, one of the most common reasons for stopping the circulation of water in the device is the appearance of a plug of air in it. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to bleed the air using an air vent.

Another possible problem is the formation of blockages. It is quite easy to identify them; in the bypass and riser areas the water will be hot. And in the device itself it is cold. Therefore, to eliminate this problem, it is necessary to carry out internal mechanical cleaning using cylindrical iron brushes that will pass through the diameter of the heated towel rail pipes.

It also happens that in the apartment system to which the heated towel rail is connected, there are no bypasses near the device. In this case, you need to seek help from the management company to resolve this problem.