Is this why my new radiator does not work?

[LordWest]

Hello all,

I live in a flat that has communal heating through a single pipe system. I recently had replaced a deco flat panel (waffle) radiator with a more mundane type 22 panel radiator. The problem is that the new radiator sort of worked in the beginning, but it does not emit any heat now. When it sort of worked, what puzzled me was that the return pipe was getting warm, while the flow pipe was not warm, when it actually should be the opposite. Now that that radiator is cold, I bled the radiator to see what happened, and the return pipe got warm (but radiator remained cold) and the flow pipe was cold. Now they are both cold. I did not have this problem with the previous radiator, and I think I may have found out why but I need the experts' opinion. The original radiator was taller, whereas this new one is much shorter and the way the plumber installed it point B is higher than point A, and given that this is a gravity based single-pipe system, the water cannot enter through flow Point A, because return Point B is higher than A. Is that the case? With the original radiator this misalignment did not exist because the radiator was taller and thus point B was lower than point A. If that is the case, should I lower the radiator (so that B is lower than A) or would a radiator pump solve the problem?

 

[plumbingexpert]

It seems like you have correctly identified the issue with your radiator. Yews, the return pipe should be lower than the flow pipe for proper circulation. This is because hot water naturally rises in the flow pipe and then cools down as it goes through the radiator, causing it to descend into the return pipe. From the given description, it appears that the new radiator is not installed in the same way as the old one, and the difference in height between point A (flow) and point B (return) is preventing proper circulation. This could be the reason your new radiator is not emitting any heat.

You can resolve this issue with these couple of options-
If possible, you can try to lower the new radiator so that point B is lower than point A. This would mimic the previous setup and should allow for proper water circulation. Or install a radiator pump to overcome gravity-related issues in single-pipe systems by assisting in moving water through the radiator. But it's advisable to consult with a heating system expert or a plumber who can diagnose your system and recommend the best course of action.

 

[Ricky]

It seems like you have correctly identified the issue with your radiator. Yews, the return pipe should be lower than the flow pipe for proper circulation. This is because hot water naturally rises in the flow pipe and then cools down as it goes through the radiator, causing it to descend into the return pipe. From the given description, it appears that the new radiator is not installed in the same way as the old one, and the difference in height between point A (flow) and point B (return) is preventing proper circulation. This could be the reason your new radiator is not emitting any heat.

You can resolve this issue with these couple of options-
If possible, you can try to lower the new radiator so that point B is lower than point A. This would mimic the previous setup and should allow for proper water circulation. Or install a radiator pump to overcome gravity-related issues in single-pipe systems by assisting in moving water through the radiator. But it's advisable to consult with a heating system expert or a plumber who can diagnose your system and recommend the best course of action.

If you say when it worked a bit the return got hot first have they plumbed the flow and return the wrong way round. Its not good practise to have flow and return on the same end either

 

[Ben-gee]

TBSE is good practice!
As long as flow is the Top.