A familiar attribute of a bathroom is a heated towel rail. The right choice of sizes and connection to communications will allow this plumbing fixture to fulfill not only its direct purpose, but also create the desired indoor microclimate. A large selection of models offered by manufacturers will help to design a bathroom in the desired style and emphasize the orientation of the interior.
What sizes of heated towel rails are
First of all, we highlight the difference in plumbing fixtures by the principle of operation. There are three types of structures:
- electric;
- water;
- combined.
Layout of apartment buildings involves the installation of a stainless steel heated towel rail in the bathroom and connection to a hot water supply or heating system (in old houses). Therefore, water-based plumbing devices are very popular. Simplicity of design and connection makes them popular. The peculiarity of the work is that surface heating occurs only when hot water (heating) is turned on.
Electric heated towel rails include in the required mode, and this allows you to be independent of the water supply. The complexity of the design makes the equipment expensive, which helps to reduce demand.
REFERENCE! Unlike watercraft, electrical appliances are installed in the desired location for the user. To connect, it is enough to have a household power supply. Installation of electrical wiring is carried out by a waterproof method.
A combined type heating device is installed if the consumer wants to use two types of heating for greater work efficiency.
Dimensions
Since Soviet times, a prototype heated towel rail in the form of a coil of the same size has developed. Progress does not stand still and, today, manufacturers of sanitary equipment offer a wide selection of equipment for drying towels, which differs in shape and size. Externally, the devices are:
- M-shaped (habitual coils);
- U-shaped;
- short flight of stairs (with or without a shelf);
- S-shaped;
- other designs.
These designs have different overall dimensions, both in height and in width. Plumbing manufacturers are trying to comply with the standard height of the coils, which are used for the usual connection to the riser of hot water, while the length and internal interweaving of pipes is carried out in various ways. The remaining configurations of heated towel rails do not have size limitations, and if desired by the consumer, custom designs are carried out according to the specified dimensions.
The smallest plumbing device for drying towels has dimensions of 400x500 mm. Such a unit will be convenient for use in a small bathroom, or during installation, as an additional heated towel rail.
Characteristic for devices resembling a letter is the elongation of the structure. For example,
- M-shaped: height - 55 cm, length 50-120 cm;
- U-shaped, with a height of 30 cm, have a length of 50-90 cm.
In plumbing fixtures, in the form of a ladder, more often - on the contrary, the height is greater than the length. For example, with a construction width of 50 cm, the vertical dimension ranges from 60 cm to 130 cm. Moreover, the width can also vary.
When it comes to standard sizes, this means that the applicant for the plumbing fixture speaks of the accepted height for connecting to the riser of hot water. There is also the option of tacit standardization of the rounded dimensions of any design. Let's say 60x80 cm, 50x90 cm or 60x120 cm, etc.
REFERENCE! Sales plumbing representatives sometimes also operate on the size of the pipes of the proposed equipment. This indicator affects the thermal characteristics of the equipment.
Connecting
By the type of installation to the required utility network, the connection of a plumbing fixture can be of the following types:
- vertical (direct);
- lower (horizontal);
- diagonal.
The heat transfer efficiency is considered to be the diagonal connection method. But its use is not always convenient and requires design features of the water supply. The remaining two methods allow you to clearly mount the unit to the required utility networks and use it comfortably.
The diameter of the heated towel rail connection is threaded and is calculated in inch values. Most manufactured instruments are made with 1/2 ”internal thread. Given the large number of manufactured products and manufacturers, not everyone does just such a design for connecting to network pipes. The size can be 3/4 "or 1”, and the threads are made both external and internal.
IMPORTANT! Modern devices of lower and diagonal connection are equipped with a Mayevsky crane. During installation, it must be installed and used when filling the system! With the bottom connection of the equipment it will be impossible to air the unit without this crane!
The purchase of a device for drying towels is due to its further installation in the required place. Depending on the distance between the connection pipes, select the desired option. When carrying out repairs in an apartment or house, it is advisable to purchase equipment before laying down the communications. The supply of pipes in this case is made according to the size of the plumbing fixture.
How to choose the size of a heated towel rail
The specifics of choosing the size of equipment for drying towels is to determine the thermal power of the device, which is directly dependent on the dimensions. The larger the size and number of interlocking pipes of the structure, the better the ability to heat the room in which installation is required.
Heating area
Penetrating thermal calculations of the effectiveness of heating the bathroom with a heated towel rail, one encounters indicators that no one ever pays attention to. For example:
- number of weaves or jumpers;
- construction material;
- diameter of the main and auxiliary pipes;
- coolant temperature (hot water);
- coolant supply mode (frequency of using hot water);
- plumbing fixture area.
It will take a long time to study and understand all the components that affect the heat transfer of the towel drying technique. Relying on rough calculations of experienced specialists, they take an indicator of the thermal power of the coils, with an overall size of 500x1000 mm, equal to:
- 0.5 kW, when connected to a heating system;
- 0.2 kW - to hot water supply.
Based on the existing rules for the selection of heating equipment (1 kW per 10 square meters), it is clear that such a plumbing fixture will heat the bathroom to 5 square meters. m, when connected to heating. Connection to a hot water supply will allow heating the room to 2 square meters. m. Most of the individual bathrooms of apartment buildings have such an area. The stated figures make it possible to understand the difference in thermal power with different methods of connecting to communications, and determine the required size of a heated towel rail.
IMPORTANT! Connection to the heating system allows heating the room and linen only in winter.
When choosing a size, take into account the length and height of the space of the wall on which the plumbing fixture will be installed. The wishes of the consumer are also important for the convenience of using the equipment. The upper part is placed in accessibility without much effort, and the side dimensions should recede from 10-20 cm from walls, door frames or furniture, for ease of use.
The thermal power, which is taken as the calculated one, is taken for a conventional M-shaped device. If the coil is supplemented with auxiliary nozzles, or the structural ladder has a large number of frequent partitions, then the heat transfer of the device will be more than the estimated one by 1.5 times.
When choosing an electric heated towel rail, it is necessary to clarify its thermal characteristics from the seller. The size of electrical equipment is not fundamental in determining the heating power. The heating efficiency of electrical appliances is usually directly proportional to current consumption. If the device consumes 500 watts, then it will heat the room up to 5 square meters. m
Having studied the features of the choice of sizes and connections of heated towel rails, you can safely go in search of the required equipment for the bathroom.
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