OK one last question for tonight.
I am going to replace a bulky baseboard heating unit with a kickspace heater under the vanity. I've seen 2 types of installation instructions. 1] route the copper under the cabinet and cut out an access panel inside the cabinet for maintenance, or 2] connect with flexible tubing so the heating unit can be slid out the front for maintenance. Any preferences?

there is no comparison between hard piped and flexable. i will not install a kickspace heater any other way but flexable. use the heatway rubber hose kit. it contains 8ft. of specially designed 1/2" ID hose, four 1/2" copper sweat to hose adapters and four self tite hose clamps. do a google search for heatway.
one word of caution, do not use automotive hose and compression type clamps. the heatway hose has an oxygen barrier in it while regular hose does not. be sure to leave enough electric wire to slide the heater out.

If it is replacing a section of standard baseboard heating, then it may be in a loop system, and reducing it to 1/2" through the kickboard heater will have a detrimental effect on the rest of that section's heat output.

Right HJ, reducing a 3/4" loop from 40,000 btu's to about 15,000 less the toe kicks output.

as noted below..
you have to install a kickspace heater with a monoflo tee and a regular tee. most commonly used would be a 3/4 copper x 1/2 copper variety.
simply put, you remove the baseboard heater and in the cellar you reconnect the loop with full size pipe. in this piece of pipe, you put 2 tees. one is a monoflow tee and the other is a regular tee. put short 1/2" copper nipples and ball valves. you can then refill and purge the loop and install the kickspace heater in a nice warm enviroment.
when i install ball valves for a kickspace heater, i like to use one valve with a drain button on the side with the button facing the heater. . when the install is done, open the valve without the button first and open the button on the other valve. this will purge the air thru the heater and out the button. run some water out the button for 30 seconds or so and close the button and open the closed valve.
voila.. heater is in, air is purged and no water on the floor upstairs.
(how's my french hj?)

The current baseboard is already teed off the 3/4 loop (1/2" tee) and nothing else is in this tee. So I should be able to cut out the old baseboard and repipe the new, right? Great idea on the ball valve, I won't have to drain the system if the heater needs replacing. I will go with the heatway tubing kit. Thanks.
I bought a Beacon Morris Twin Flo heater. What is the maintenance schedule for this unit, how long will it last. Thanks.

In that case I would want to see exactly how the connection was made, at both ends of the baseboard, as to whether the kickspace heater will even work correctly.

I see no difference between the two. Both have 1/2" copper in and through the heat exchanger and out back to the 3/4 loop. If water will flow thru the baseboard it will flow thru the kickspace. What are you worrying about? Thanks.

there is no maintainance for that heater. the part that wears out first is the bearing assembly that the impellor spins on. 10-15 years for the bearing but they are replacable.
make sure to leave enough space around the heater for cold air to get to blower. just follow directions and you'll be fine.

I found another answer to my question. See the thread subject : Kickspace Heater Stopped Working.
Gives a good explanation regarding hot water flow.
The safest install is using a monoflow tee as packy suggested.

I am not "worried" but you cannot just put a tee in a hot water system and expect the unit to heat properly. There has to be some "resistance" to flow between the two tees equal or greater than the resistance of the baseboard, or kickboard, heater or the hot water will go merrily on its way past the two tees rather than try to "fight" its way up the lines to the new heater. You do not have to take my word for this, and it will not bother me if you do not, but it is a fact that heating system designers have to cope with for EVERY component of a heating system. If yours works properly, then there is "someone" acting as a guardian angle and watching over even poorly designed systems. Mono Flo tees take care of this problem, but that is not what you say you have, and which is why I stated that I would like to see the system, namely to see if a MonoFlo tee might have been installed.



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C'est si bon, monsieur. Mais, vous n'avez pas,..............Oops. Back to the United States. But you have not addressed how to get air out of the kickspace heater after the initial purge.

Okay I got in the crawlspace and here are the details.
First bathroom :
The main loop is 1" copper.
The current baseboard is 3/4" copper, coming off the main loop with a monoflow tee on the supply side, standard tee on the return side. Distance between tees is about 30".
I want to remove the baseboard and install a 1/2" kickboard heater.

The second bathroom:
Has 1" iron loop (old part of the house) with iron monoflow tees on both supply and return sides. The current radiator is 3/4" copper. I want to remove the radiator and install 1/2" kickboard heater.

What are the recommended connections? I am wondering if I am putting in too much restriction into the system.

I have found a couple local contractors who say they will sell me some short pieces of Onix tubing so I want to run copper through the floor and Onix to the blower.

See the Subject "Replacing baseboard with fan heater" for updated info.



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