Runtal Towel Warmer Radiators

BobAlu

Looking for any comments on Runtal Towel warmer radiators (hydronic) http://runtalnorthamerica.com/towel_radiators/index.html

I'm looking to do a bathroom renovation (5' x 10') in my home and was thinking of using the Runtal towel warmer radiator to replace my present 4' Slant Fin. Anyone ever use these? I figured it would be a nice addition during the heating season (warm towels) and during the non heating season it would just be a towel rack. Any comments would be most appreciated! Please just keep the talk simple as I'm a homeowner...not a professional like you guys! Thanks!

Bob

Zman

Have used them several times.
They work really well. The TRV is a good option as well.

Paul Pollets

I've used lots of Runtal TBW. They work well and even come with an electric option that will heat the towels year round.
runtalnorthamerica.com/towel_radiators/electro-hydro.html
Side-angle TRV bodies should be used if connected to a hydronic system. Then the TRV head won't stick out.

Here's some pics of Runtals with TRV's:
advancedradiant.com/renovations.php#brossmann

The radiators should be piped with a separate supply and return for proper output. The TRV is installed on the supply inlet.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

They're wonderful!

Mark Eatherton

If your 4 foot convector is in series with other convectors, you can't use a TRV unless you incorporate some means of bypass on valve closure...

Runtals are OK, but no the only choice. Myson makes a nice one too.

I LOVE my towel warmers. Nothing like stepping into a heated bath tub, then when done grabbing a warm towel and stepping out onto a warm floor.

ME

BobAlu

Mmmm. How can I tell if I have a one pipe series loop system or a system that I can use a TRV? (Don't forget, I'm a homeowner here...not a pro!) My basement is finished so I have no access to see what copper lines are running where. Another question about sizing the towel warmer...since the present 4' Slant fin gives adequate heat, should I assume whatever the rated output of 25 year old slant fin is should be the BTU output I'm looking for with the new towel warmer? I want the towel warmer to replace the baseboard to be my heat source as well as a towel warmer and towel bar. My contractor that is doing the bath does not deal in this type of heating options so it's up to me to find the right stuff to have him install it.

Paul Pollets

4ft of SF baseboard would have an output of appx. 2000BTu's at 180 degree supply temp. If you were using a cast iron boiler as the heat source, you'd probably need 180 degree water for the existing baseboard. Mod-con design uses a correction factor so that heat emitters work at lower temperatures. If your changing the boiler and the existing radiation, the size of the radiators change according to required design.

bob eck

Anyone make a towl warmer where you can run your hot domestic shower water through it before going into the shower?

SWEI

Haven't seen one of those, but in some of the high end houses I worked on in my earlier days, they used to route it behind the mirrors and under the marble shelf/seat at the back of the shower on the way to the shower valve. This would keep the mirrors from fogging and eliminate the "cold seat at the back of the shower" thing. Now that I think about it, they may well have run that through the recirc pump.

hot_rod

bob eck said:

Anyone make a towl warmer where you can run your hot domestic shower water through it before going into the shower?

I remember seeing DHW towel bars years back, maybe it was a Myson brand?
Now a days it would need to be a low lead product.

Copper tube towel bars would be simple to build. I thought of using a T-Drilled header pipe for a copper towel bar design.

This one has mineral oil inside and a 300W element in the bottom.

Erin Holohan Haskell

We've had the Runtal towel warmer radiator for a year and have been very happy with it.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

To answer your question about sizing the towel warmer, the smallest or next to smallest models will satisfy the needs of your bathroom. But you shouldn't size the towel warmer based on the size of what you have there now, i.e. 4 feet of BB. You should calculate the heatloss of the room and we can help you do that if you give us the dimensions of the room, the square footage of any windows, ceiling height, square feet of any outside wall and insulation values in your walls, floor and ceiling.
Also, you can pretty much choose any towel warmer you want equal to or larger than your calculated heatloss as long as you install a TRV to prevent overheating. But you've got to somehow make sure you do not have a series loop system.

tim smith

We in the past have hooked up the myson brass towel bars to potable recirc, worked well. Like mentioned above, would have to verify low lead now.