Anyone looking for a new radiator comes across many names: radiator, flat radiator, plate radiator, panel radiator, valve-integrated panel radiator, compact panel radiator. Often the same appliance is meant, sometimes not. Here you can read what each word means, which designs we stock in Hagen and which we do not.
Radiator: the everyday umbrella term
Many people say “radiator” for any heater that hangs on the wall and is warmed by heating water. In the past the word mainly meant old sectional radiators made of cast iron or steel. Today it is a catch-all term, usually for the flat radiator. In the trade it lives on, for example in the radiator union (Radiatorverschraubung).
Flat radiator, plate radiator, panel radiator: three names, one radiator
These three words describe the same standard radiator made of sheet steel:
- Plate radiator (Plattenheizkörper) names the construction: flat steel plates through which the heating water flows.
- Flat radiator (Flachheizkörper) names the shape: it sits flat against the wall, usually under the window.
- Panel radiator (Paneelheizkörper) comes from the English “panel radiator” and means the same.
These radiators are distinguished by their type number. The first digit gives the number of heating panels, the second the number of rows of convector fins. Air warms up on these folded sheets and rises into the room. Type 11 has one panel and one row of fins, Type 21 two panels and one row of fins. Type 22 has two heating panels and two rows of fins, Type 33 three of each. More panels and fins mean more heat at the same height and length, but the radiator is deeper. Our Type 22 is 104.3 mm deep, our Type 33 160.3 mm. We do not stock Type 11 or Type 21.
Valve-integrated and compact panel radiators: the connection
These two words say nothing about the panels, but about where the valve sits and where the pipes come in.
A compact panel radiator is a flat radiator without a built-in valve. It is connected at the side; the thermostatic valve sits on the outside of one connection, with a radiator union opposite. We do not stock compact panel radiators.
A valve-integrated panel radiator is a flat radiator with a built-in valve insert. It is usually connected at the bottom via an H-block valve, so the pipes come neatly out of the wall or floor underneath the radiator. That is our range: valve-integrated panel radiator Type 22 and valve-integrated panel radiator Type 33. Both have six connections, each with a 1/2 inch female thread: two on the left, two on the right, two at the bottom. They can be connected bottom left, bottom right or at the side. A valve-integrated panel radiator is therefore a flat radiator, a plate radiator and, colloquially, a radiator all at once.
Sectional radiators, tubular radiators, towel radiators: other designs
Three designs are often confused with the flat radiator. We do not stock any of them:
- Sectional radiators consist of individual sections joined in a row. They are found mainly in older buildings.
- Tubular radiators consist of vertical steel tubes. They count as designer radiators.
- Towel radiators have horizontal tubes for hanging towels on. What the bathroom terms mean is explained in the guide Towel radiator, bathroom radiator, towel warmer.
The terms at a glance
| Term | Meaning | At AKKAYA |
|---|---|---|
| Radiator | colloquially any heater | Valve-integrated panel radiator Type 22 and Type 33 |
| Flat radiator | flat radiator made of steel plates | yes, as a valve-integrated panel radiator |
| Plate radiator | same as flat radiator, named after its construction | yes, as a valve-integrated panel radiator |
| Panel radiator | same as flat radiator, from the English “panel” | yes, as a valve-integrated panel radiator |
| Valve-integrated panel radiator | flat radiator with a built-in valve insert | yes, Type 22 and Type 33 |
| Compact panel radiator | flat radiator without a valve, side connection | no |
| Sectional radiator | individual sections, often in older buildings | no |
| Tubular radiator | vertical tubes, designer radiator | no |
| Towel radiator | horizontal tubes for towels | no |
What we stock in Hagen
Our valve-integrated panel radiators Type 22 and Type 33 are made of steel, powder-coated in white (RAL 9016), with heat output stated to DIN EN 442 (75/65/20). The heights are 40, 50, 60 and 90 cm, and the lengths range from 40 to 200 cm. They are supplied with the wall bracket including plugs and screws, the valve insert (supplied loose, not pre-fitted) and blanking and bleed plugs. All types and sizes are shown in the Radiators collection. Which sizes are available for each height is set out in the guide Radiator dimensions Type 22 and Type 33; how the two types differ in heat output and depth is covered in the guide Radiator Type 22 or Type 33.
Frequently requested sizes have their own page, for example Type 22 in 600 x 1200 mm with 1922 W, Type 33 in 600 x 1200 mm with 2761 W and Type 22 in 600 x 1000 mm with 1602 W, each at 75/65/20 °C to DIN EN 442.
Frequently asked questions
Is a flat radiator the same as a plate radiator?
Yes. Both words mean the flat standard radiator made of steel plates. “Plate radiator” describes the construction, “flat radiator” the shape. Panel radiator is a third word for the same radiator.
Is a radiator a heater?
Yes. “Radiator” is the colloquial word for heaters in general. It usually means a flat radiator, and in older houses also a sectional radiator.
What is the difference between a valve-integrated and a compact panel radiator?
The connection. The valve-integrated panel radiator has the valve insert built in and is usually connected at the bottom via an H-block valve. The compact panel radiator has no built-in valve and is connected at the side. We stock valve-integrated panel radiators; ours can also be connected at the side.
Which flat radiators do you stock?
Valve-integrated panel radiators Type 22 and Type 33 in white, in heights of 40, 50, 60 and 90 cm and in lengths from 40 to 200 cm. We do not stock Type 11, Type 21 or compact panel radiators.
Do you stock sectional radiators, tubular radiators or towel radiators?
No. We only stock flat radiators in the valve-integrated panel radiator design. Towel radiators and designer radiators are not part of our range.
Enquiry and collection in Hagen
Add the type and size to the enquiry list and send the enquiry. We reply with the price, availability and a collection date. Collection is from our warehouse – Im Mühlenwert 22, 58135 Hagen (rear entrance), Mon–Fri 8:30–17:30 and Sat 10–14, by appointment. You can also get advice in our shop – Eilper Straße 29, 58091 Hagen. Installation and connection are carried out by an installer.
More about the shop, warehouse and collection: Radiators in Hagen.