Radiator Balancing Help

[Riley]

The point being you don’t have a thermostatic radiator valve on each end of the radiator do you

 

[gmartine]

Were all the rads well working before and was the system cleaned as part of the new boiler installation?

 

[hotdogharry]

The point being you don’t have a thermostatic radiator valve on each end of the radiator do you

The point being yes they do have them on each end whether or not they are supposed to be, the point is they do

 

[hotdogharry]

Were all the rads well working before and was the system cleaned as part of the new boiler installation?

I believe the one radiator has never got as hot as rest and I asked fitter if it was flushed and he said yes BUT as to whether he did or not I could not tell you. What would a system clean involve as I was here most of the time he was and tried to watch all he did

 

[gmartine]

It could be a circulation problem but if the rad with two TRV's is the one that doesn't get up to temp I'd get someone in to investigate that first. Extremely odd.

 

[Riley]

The point being yes they do have them on each end whether or not they are supposed to be, the point is they do

No need for sarcasm merely asking. Clearly wrong I suspect neither trv is bi directional. Take a pic further back to get both ends in

 

[hotdogharry]

It could be a circulation problem but if the rad with two TRV's is the one that doesn't get up to temp I'd get someone in to investigate that first. Extremely odd.

Funny enough the rad thats not heating properly is the only one with a lockshield valve the other four all have the two of the TRV'S

 

[gmartine]

I think we'd all like to see a pic of one of the rads with two TRV's

 

[Tim Watts]

Sorry not a clue what that is or how I would use it

Measure the temperature for the flow and return at once, adjust balancing valve until you get a consistent temperature drop across the rad (I go for about 10-12C drop). Measuring the temperatures is the classic way to balance the flows, but a dual thermometer with pipe clips makes it pretty fast. You can use other techniques.

If you want to balance your system, this is a good guide for a DIYer:

Balancing central heating radiators - DIYWiki

 

[Riley]

I’m not sure just balancing is the issue here

 

[Welder]

Without any images we are scuppared and with the OP's abruptness at our crystal ball not working we may never know...

Sorry Tim but that 'thing' you posted the link to re balancing is a pile of junk. About as professional as my ex wife was faithful

I apologise for being old, but rads are designed to drop 10 degrees across them. That can be measured pretty darned accurately with your hands. If you can 'feel' the difference in flow & return its about right. Perhaps once you get old you become less sensitive

The rule of thumb for balancing (starting point if more work reqd) is one full turn open on the lockshield for 'big' rads & one half turn open on the small rads.

I take it everyone is aware that once the rads are done then you're looking for 11 deg drop across the boiler so you use the pump speed to achieve that ...

 

[Ric2013]

Sorry Tim but that 'thing' you posted the link to re balancing is a pile of junk.

Can you explain why that link is wrong?

The explanation omits the need to remove TRVs/fully open each control valve, but I can't see what else is wrong. Trying to get the system losing the same amount of temperature across each emitter, 10 or 11°C on a standard boiler, 20°C or more on a condensing boiler (provided that this does not result in radiators giving out insufficient heat to the rooms) seems to be about right.

What am I missing?

 

[hotdogharry]

Without any images we are scuppared and with the OP's abruptness at our crystal ball not working we may never know...

Not sure what a pic will show you its the same as pic already posted but on both ends of rad

 

[hotdogharry]

thanks to all repliers but all I wanted to know was whether I could 'balance' rads using the TRV'S and should I leave one end open and adjust the other or adjust both.
Since asking I have tried turning rads off and the colder rad did get hot so guess I just need to play around adjusting them til i get a sort of balance

 

[Welder]

thanks to all repliers but all I wanted to know was whether I could 'balance' rads using the TRV'S and should I leave one end open and adjust the other or adjust both.
Since asking I have tried turning rads off and the colder rad did get hot so guess I just need to play around adjusting them til i get a sort of balance

The fact is, you are going to have the TRVs fighting one another. You will never know which is controlling and worse, you'll not be able to physically balance them becasue both ends may be fully open and 'rob' other rads or both ends might be fully closed. The reality is that you will never ever be able to know what's actually happening and system performance will be - well - sh1te!

To be honest, it is truly a dogs dinner. In your position I would get one end of all rads swapped for a proper lockshield so it can be balanced and then you can get on with life... Sorry.