SoloRad/SmartRad installation questions

johnnyboy08

Hi,

I have a SuperQ 85/115 oil boiler running 9 rads downstairs and 6 rads upstairs in a dormer, all of which are on 1/2 inch qualpex fed from 2 separate manifolds.
The flow pipe from the boiler is 3/4 inch copper going a pump (unknown capacity), and 3/4 inch from there to manifolds (1 downstairs and 1 upstairs) and cylinder.

The most north facing room needs 2.25 kw for heat and at the moment has 2 large steel convection rads at opposite ends of the room so I'm looking to replace both of these with one SoloRad/SmartRad.

Of these the SoloRad would be first choice as they're made in Ireland. The literature says that these rads needs 6-8 meter head pump for which I think I'm covered as part of the heating upgrade would be to replace the 3/4 inch pipe from the boiler with 1 inch and installing an A rated self regulated pump which goes to 7.

The actual flow and return valves can be sorted with a 1/2 inch to 15mm 310 fitting.

The one thing I'm stuck on is the 22mm flow and return to the SoloRad. Would qualpex suffice if I only have one of the SoloRads in my heating setup? I'm worried that it might not. The rad will be situated around 10m from the downstairs manifold.

Has anyone got these running successfully on a 1/2 inch qualpex flow?

Thanks

Dtp1979

johnnyboy08 wrote: »

Hi,

I have a SuperQ 85/115 oil boiler running 9 rads downstairs and 6 rads upstairs in a dormer, all of which are on 1/2 inch qualpex fed from 2 separate manifolds.
The flow pipe from the boiler is 3/4 inch copper going a pump (unknown capacity), and 3/4 inch from there to manifolds (1 downstairs and 1 upstairs) and cylinder.

The most north facing room needs 2.25 kw for heat and at the moment has 2 large steel convection rads at opposite ends of the room so I'm looking to replace both of these with one SoloRad/SmartRad.

Of these the SoloRad would be first choice as they're made in Ireland. The literature says that these rads needs 6-8 meter head pump for which I think I'm covered as part of the heating upgrade would be to replace the 3/4 inch pipe from the boiler with 1 inch and installing an A rated self regulated pump which goes to 7.

The actual flow and return valves can be sorted with a 1/2 inch to 15mm 310 fitting.

The one thing I'm stuck on is the 22mm flow and return to the SoloRad. Would qualpex suffice if I only have one of the SoloRads in my heating setup? I'm worried that it might not. The rad will be situated around 10m from the downstairs manifold.

Has anyone got these running successfully on a 1/2 inch qualpex flow?

Thanks

Yes solo say youve to run 3/4" to their heaters. Pretty stupid and absolutely no need for it either. The waterways in their product are maybe 5mm, the connections are 15mm and you can barely get 2 1/2" pex pipes in there to join up. It's another case of a pen pusher designing these products without any consideration for the installer.
I've seen and installed several on a 1/2" feeds going back to a manifold. The main thing,
Use a 6m head pump
Make sure the system is powerflushed beforehand.

johnnyboy08

Grand stuff, thanks for the reply.

Would a self regulating pump be able to replicate the 6m head pump?

How have the rads behaved on the 1/2 inch qualpex? Are they still getting up to heat quickly? One of the points mentioned in the SoloRad troubleshooting is running on 1/2 inch piping.

I'd be looking at going with the Solo 6 for the 2.25 kw requirement.

Dtp1979

johnnyboy08 wrote: »

Grand stuff, thanks for the reply.

Would a self regulating pump be able to replicate the 6m head pump?

How have the rads behaved on the 1/2 inch qualpex? Are they still getting up to heat quickly? One of the points mentioned in the SoloRad troubleshooting is running on 1/2 inch piping.

I'd be looking at going with the Solo 6 for the 2.25 kw requirement.

Any solos I've fitted are working perfectly well. It's a stupid design and 3/4" would never work with the little space that they provide for pipes. Clean water is the main issue I see. Obviously all your 1/2" runs must go back to a main 3/4 or 1" line
As for the pump, I'd set it to max speed and constant. Pumps don't use that much energy

johnnyboy08

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Any solos I've fitted are working perfectly well. It's a stupid design and 3/4" would never work with the little space that they provide for pipes. Clean water is the main issue I see. Obviously all your 1/2" runs must go back to a main 3/4 or 1" line
As for the pump, I'd set it to max speed and constant. Pumps don't use that much energy

Perfect, I'll give it a go and see what happens. Any plumber I've spoken too is dubious about installing these, they must not be very popular in this neck of the woods yet but sure there's only one way of finding out if it'll do the job or not. Thanks for the replies.

Dtp1979

johnnyboy08 wrote: »

Perfect, I'll give it a go and see what happens. Any plumber I've spoken too is dubious about installing these, they must not be very popular in this neck of the woods yet but sure there's only one way of finding out if it'll do the job or not. Thanks for the replies.

No problem. Again, don't put them into an existing system unless it's powerflushed. That means using a machine and chemicals to clean it. It dosent mean draining the rads and adding inhibitor