Loose wire UFH

[Ian]

Been fitting a 20 m2 room with this over the past couple of days and the kit came in 2x10 m2 rolls of cable, I would normally use heat mats but this room was such an odd shape that loose wire was the only option. I found it really difficult to gauge how far the cable would go to cover the area as there was metres and metres of it and, unlike a mat, adjustments are nigh on impossible without pulling up loads of the cable. I got there in the end but it was a bit of a chore! Does anyone use the loose wire systems regularly and can offer any tips on not getting left with too much or too little cable? I left the advised distance of 50mm between the wires but it still took quite a lot of faffing about to get it right!

 

[Qwerty]

I usually fit loose wire in small rooms. When I have fitted in a larger area I have laid out the first square metre, taken it up & measured how much wire that sq/m consumed and calculated it accordingly from there. Otherwise I always found it was a total nightmare. Not totally fool-proof, but got me near enough to exact length

 

[Mike]

you can measure each run/line and add about 75mm for each 50mm half circle to start the next run. it's always awkward as each bathroom is different in shape and size

 

[doddy41]

I have found the best way is see how many metres of cable on roll then work out distance between cable runs then mark a grid on floor also after seeing an ufh firm using a glue gun now do the same so much quicker and you can pull cables really tight so they stay in straight lines

 

[Ian]

I have found the best way is see how many metres of cable on roll then work out distance between cable runs then mark a grid on floor also after seeing an ufh firm using a glue gun now do the same so much quicker and you can pull cables really tight so they stay in straight lines

I thought of that but, the roll didn't have a total length on it! Trial and error in the end!

 

[redlee]

I use cable on most bathrooms as i find mats a pain to get around basins/wcs. The firm that supplied my last couple of jobs have a calculation in the instructions which from memory is room sq mtr divided by cable length = the suggested spacing. No use if you dont know cable length but the manufacturers should be able to tell you if its not stated on the reel.

 

[Gazebo]

i sympathise with you is all i can add.

 

[CJ]

Not sure wot you used Bri...........Warm-up do a chart in the instructions that tell you the length of cable dependant on sized unit.

I tend to check the size of cable, and using a gauge stick marked at whatever spacing is needed, mark the floor and double check where the first one ends......and the next starts, but it is a faff if you get loads down and have a load of cable left or not enough.

Also, I find that the tape they supply is too bloody narrow, so I buy wider rolls of tape. (I have used double sided carpet tape before now. I also keep a glue gun in the van for UFH.

I did a job not long ago with 5 seperate ufh rolls of cable.......bloody nightmare that was, and the electrician nearly poo-ed himself when he saw all the cables he had to recess into the wall. Time for me to exit pronto.

Have fun............kind off.

 

[Mike]

Not sure wot you used Bri...........Warm-up do a chart in the instructions that tell you the length of cable dependant on sized unit.

I tend to check the size of cable, and using a gauge stick marked at whatever spacing is needed, mark the floor and double check where the first one ends......and the next starts, but it is a faff if you get loads down and have a load of cable left or not enough.

Also, I find that the tape they supply is too bloody narrow, so I buy wider rolls of tape. (I have used double sided carpet tape before now. I also keep a glue gun in the van for UFH.

I did a job not long ago with 5 seperate ufh rolls of cable.......bloody nightmare that was, and the electrician nearly poo-ed himself when he saw all the cables he had to recess into the wall. Time for me to exit pronto.

Have fun............kind off.

how did you manage 5 rolls, 3 thermostats? (i've read in the warmup instructions maximum 2 rolls of cables per thermostat

 

[CJ]

how did you manage 5 rolls, 3 thermostats? (i've read in the warmup instructions maximum 2 rolls of cables per thermostat

If I remember rightly.............he did have 3 thermo's.
I can't remember wot make these kits where?..............but I advised him to get 2 mats for the main area, but he got a bargain from tinternet???????

I nearly poo-ed MYSELF when I saw all the bloody rolls.

 

[jay]

Have a look at this one might explain better than i can Heatwave Electric Underfloor Heating

click on the installation booklet

 

[Stewart]

I never touch loose cables as they are far too time consuming and I find you can easily fit a mat into any shaped room. So i guess my tip would be to only buy mats...!

 

[Ian]

I never touch loose cables as they are far too time consuming and I find you can easily fit a mat into any shaped room. So i guess my tip would be to only buy mats...!

Yeah, I agree with that statement now! Just goes to show you never stop learning. At least it only cost me some time rather than money.

 

[Perry]

i have used it a few times just simple maths as i remember worked it out a few times in my head then found the instructions lol

 

[Dan]

I used to hate loose cable. The firm I worked for when I first fitted it only ever sold and used loose cable so I've done even large floors with it. Nightmare stuff. Never found a solid method that worked every time. Even measuring and planning it for hours beforehand didn't prove to save any time. And if the room isn't square, even measuring and calculating the qty of runs and how far apart they need to be doesn't work. And stick an island in the scenario like in a kitchen and it buggers that calculating method right up no matter how good you are at maths.

It's just a pain in the butt I think mate. Thankfully these days you tend to only see loose cable sold for smaller rooms so you're not faffing around a lot.