Do-it-yourself polypropylene heated towel rail

An indispensable accessory in Russian bathrooms is a heated towel rail. It is indispensable not only for drying clothes, but also for maintaining a dry microclimate, which prevents the appearance of mold and fungi. The most budget option is a self-assembled construction of polypropylene pipes.

It is quite simple to manufacture, but for beginners there is a risk of improper assembly, connection and unreliable connection of pipes.

ATTENTION! It is not recommended to begin work for beginners without experience in the field of plumbing, in particular with polypropylene pipes, since in case of an accident the room will be flooded with boiling water!

Preparation of materials and tools

First of all, it is worth determining the type and size of the future dryer. According to the type of construction, one can distinguish:

• Vertical ("Ladder");
• Horizontal ("Snake") products.

TIP! It is worth planning the simplest design with a minimum number of connecting elements to reduce the likelihood of leakage and increase the life of the product.

IMPORTANT! The operating pressure of the hot water supply must be taken into account. High probability of accident due to too high temperature or pressure drops! Before work, specify the characteristics of your home system!

According to the principle of operation, our product can be divided into:

• Water - that is, mounted in a heating system or hot water (a more economical option, but depending on the heating season);
• Electric (increase electricity consumption);
• Combined (combine the characteristics of the previous two types).

Having decided on the size and type of construction, we need to prepare everything in advance. So, for the installation and manufacture of a polypropylene dryer, we need:

• The polypropylene pipes themselves, from which we will assemble our dryer (It is worth considering the size of the coil. It should coincide with the seats of your wiring. As a rule, the most acceptable diameter is 20 +/- 5 millimeters);
• Brackets or mounts for mounting the device;
• Polypropylene couplings;
• Two or three ball valves. Better more;
• Welding machine for polypropylene pipes;
• Pipe cutting knife;
• (In case you chose the electronic or combined version) Heating elements (110 W) with external thread 0.5 inches + circuit.

The nuances of the assembly

Before assembling a heated towel rail from polypropylene with our own hands, we need to create our own pipe configuration. It is worth considering that the weakest part of the structure is its connecting nodes. The slightest mistake in the case of installing compression fittings will lead to an accident! It is not recommended to start work without experience with a soldering iron for polypropylene!

TIP! Before assembling, draw the design you want to assemble! Please consider the size of the bathroom.

In the drawing, it is also worth considering the type of connection of the dryer. He might be:

• Side / Diagonal with feed from above. (In this case, the diameters of the pipe and assemblies must coincide. Narrowing will lead to improper operation of the system or even an accident. This method is based on the principle of natural circulation);
• Lower. Combining natural and forced circulation of hot water. This method requires the presence of a "Mayevsky crane" necessary to combat air traffic jams.

Attention! When installing the product, the lower outlet must be located above the outlet point, and the upper, respectively, below the connection point.

Most often, the Mayevsky crane on such systems cannot be installed. An ordinary screw can help you, which you need to screw into the corner docking station. It allows you to lower the accumulated air jam.

However, keep in mind that this solution is not a panacea. Over time, a leak may appear in this place. And also this method increases the risk of a breakthrough.

Features of connecting a polypropylene heated towel rail

So. Taking into account all the subtleties and moments, we proceed to the assembly:

1. Turn off the water.
2. Dismantle the old dryer, if necessary.
3. Connect Jumper / Bypass. It will serve.
4. We install ball valves. This will help remove excess air, which will positively affect the circulation of boiling water.
5. We prepare and weld the pipes with a special apparatus (it can be either bought or rented).
6. We proceed to the installation of our product. Do not forget to maintain the distance - If the diameter of the pipe is less than 23 mm - the distance to the wall should be no more than 35 mm, if more than 23 - then no more than 50 mm.
7. We check all connections for tightness and reliability.
8. We connect water.

Fine! You have successfully installed a polypropylene heated towel rail!