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Balancing a manifolded CH system

View the thread, titled "Balancing a manifolded CH system" which is posted in DIY Plumbing Advice on UK Plumbers Forums.

We have a manifolded microbore CH system. We’ve had a new boiler and hot water cylinder installed a couple of years ago and I’ve finished replacing all of the house radiators bar one. The system was fully power flushed when the boiler was installed. What I’m looking for is advice on balancing a manifolded system as the radiators aren’t connected in a daisy chain like a lot of threads assume so there isn’t a “closest/furthest from boiler” in that sense. When I open all lockshields/trvs all Rads get hot so I know there are no blockages.

do I just check the temp drops on all rads then just adjust lockshields on those with low drop? and every cycle must be from a stone coldsystem?
 
The good thing about manifold systems is they are relatively easy to balance. When balancing you are affectively matching the resistance of the index circuit throughout to keep a nice steady and uniform flow rate and temperature. As this is a manifold system hopefully most of the individual sub circuits are of similar pressure drop, in some cases balancing may not be needed at all.
With the burner running and at designed flow temperature set all TRV's to maximum and adjust the lockshields so you have roughly a delta T of 20°c, try and get them all to closely match without any room getting too hot. This may take some time to do each individual room yes.
If after that you find one room is slightly too cold or hot then you can adjust the lockshield again to either increase or decrease the flow rate and mean radiator temperature.
 
The good thing about manifold systems is they are relatively easy to balance. When balancing you are affectively matching the resistance of the index circuit throughout to keep a nice steady and uniform flow rate and temperature. As this is a manifold system hopefully most of the individual sub circuits are of similar pressure drop, in some cases balancing may not be needed at all.
With the burner running and at designed flow temperature set all TRV's to maximum and adjust the lockshields so you have roughly a delta T of 20°c, try and get them all to closely match without any room getting too hot. This may take some time to do each individual room yes.
If after that you find one room is slightly too cold or hot then you can adjust the lockshield again to either increase or decrease the flow rate and mean radiator temperature.
Hi

following this thread as my 10mm new build house needs balancing, I have 2 towel rails I think are taking the most heat away from the system but how do you calculate the Delta T?

In a morning my house from 14° with heating full for 2 hours it only reaches 18°, I have a 18kw potterton titanium unvented system, thinking of changing my old ups2 pump to a ups3 might help
 

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