Cold Radiators

[lucolivia]

Hi
I hope you can help! We had a Vaillant EcoTec plus 630 installed just over two years ago. We've recently extended the house and added 5 new radiators, some small and some larger and the total is now 15 radiators. There are two that refuse to warm up and most of the others are warmer at the top than the bottom. Our plumber has apparently balanced the system but he's running out of ideas!
Can you help please?
Thanks 😉

 

[Derek Hardman]

Incorrect pipe sizing/extending pipework from other radiators rather than the main feed?

 

[kay-jay]

could be a number of things.

did the system work properly prior to the extension? if so then its probably an airlock or the way the new rads have been piped off the original circuit.

try shutting off all the rads that are working, this will make the circuit shorter and help push the heat to the problem rads.
try this first then report back

 

[happyflyer]

Need a drawing of the system and the diameters of the pipe work, was the plumber a push fit plastic man or a copper pipe man?

 

[lame plumber]

is he a qualified plumber or a jobbing builder?

 

[Richie_77]

do you have a micro bore system

 

[on31ll]

Need a drawing of the system and the diameters of the pipe work, was the plumber a push fit plastic man or a copper pipe man?

Same job can be done in either plastic or copper. And if your reffering to the skills of the plumber by the fact of if he uses plastic or copper then i think thats very silly ! I use copper all the time but sometimes there is a time for plastic ! Doesnt mean im any less of a plumber !

 

[happyflyer]

I wasn't getting at skills at all,l I was asking for other reasons, if the plumber had used plastic there is far more chance in the UK that the pipe sizes will be <= to
15 mm, if that was the case then the pressure drop would be much higher and index circuit may have shifted somewhat, therefore less chance of the correct amount of water being available for the new rads and even some of the old ones. I am new on this forum but certainly not new to plumbing, there appears to be a lot of none trade joining to ask questions about their problems. I asked for a drawing with pipe sizes, if I had that I could tell him what was wrong in 10 mins, I am still waiting. Until we get that drawing, we are all guessing, on the other hand IMO any plumber who walks away from a job he has done says he's balanced it and rads are not getting warm, well you make up your own mind, bet you wouldn't do that, I will make my mind up about the integrity of plumber when I have the drawings, that should take no more than 11 mins.

Hope this clear it up on31ll

 

[hammers4spanner]

Doubt you will get any drawings of serious note , i would think they have probably tee'd off from 15mm part circuit and not taken it back to where the 22mm is .That would be mny first thought however it could be anything imho .

 

[happyflyer]

Doubt you will get any drawings of serious note , i would think they have probably tee'd off from 15mm part circuit and not taken it back to where the 22mm is .That would be mny first thought however it could be anything imho .

hammers4spanner

You are probably right, but if people want help, half a story is worse than none at all and maybe this chap can't do a drawing of the pipework in which case he's goosed.
Adding 5 rads onto a 10 rad system you may need to go back as close to the boiler as possible.

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

Hi
I hope you can help! We had a Vaillant EcoTec plus 630 installed just over two years ago. We've recently extended the house and added 5 new radiators, some small and some larger and the total is now 15 radiators. There are two that refuse to warm up and most of the others are warmer at the top than the bottom. Our plumber has apparently balanced the system but he's running out of ideas!
Can you help please?
Thanks 😉

Take kay-jay's advice and report back please..😉

 

[SafeGasInstall]

why not call the person who fitted it back to sort it out ?

why the person who fitted it did not make sure they all are working before go home ?

why did you pay for work not done 100 % ?

 

[lucolivia]

Incorrect pipe sizing/extending pipework from other radiators rather than the main feed?

Apologies for the delay...Computer problems!
Thank you Derek.... I am writing down all your kind comments and will speak to the plumber on Thursday.. Apparently he's been told by Vaillant that the boiler isn't powerful enough! ;((

 

[lucolivia]

Yes, it did work Kay Jay...Thank you

 

[lucolivia]

Thanks happyflyer I will ask the plumber for a drawing and report back...

 

[lucolivia]

qualified plumber 😉

 

[lucolivia]

Sorry Richie I'm not sure I understand .... ;(

 

[lucolivia]

Thank you!

 

[lucolivia]

Thank you again Happyflyer! I'll be in touch when I've asked some questions... 🙂

 

[lucolivia]

Thank you for your help...😉

 

[lucolivia]

Thank you Galaxy plumbing! I will 😉

 

[lucolivia]

I am safegasinstall...No he left leaving the rads cold...No there's some money outstanding but not very much..;((

 

[lucolivia]

Thank you!

 

[happyflyer]

Apologies for the delay...Computer problems!
Thank you Derek.... I am writing down all your kind comments and will speak to the plumber on Thursday.. Apparently he's been told by Vaillant that the boiler isn't powerful enough! ;((

I don't believe a word of it, how has he and them worked that one out, unless all the 15 rads are 3kws each, I doubt it

 

[SafeGasInstall]

This saound like
- unbalanced system or
- air lock or
- not correct pipe size

but I am sure by re balancing the system it should work !

 

[happyflyer]

This saound like
- unbalanced system or
- air lock or
- not correct pipe size

but I am sure by re balancing the system it should work !

I think you are right, plumber from hell, maybe??? :bandana: bandeedo

 

[lucolivia]

Doing that this eve Kay Jay... thanks again

 

[SimonG]

Once you've shut down all the old rads that will indicate your problem. But I would put my money on the fact your extension has been piped from too small of a pipe to meet the heat demands.

 

[happyflyer]

Once you've shut down all the old rads that will indicate your problem. But I would put my money on the fact your extension has been piped from too small of a pipe to meet the heat demands.

Me thinks so too, this is going to be a long night :chillpill:

 

[lucolivia]

Hi again
Thank you everyone...I have an update. I turned off all the radiators apart from the troublesome ones..One radiator is warm, not hot whereas the other isn't but the pipes going to it are warm! Sadly not the radiator itself..

 

[SimonG]

Pipeworks too small. Needs repiping back to larger diameter pipework.

 

[lucolivia]

Money outstanding! 😉

 

[SimonG]

You need to give the guy a chance to sort it himself. But def sounds like it's piped incorrectly. If he refuses then you have grounds to inform him that you will get somebody else in to sort the issue and use the outstanding funds to pay for the works. Also that if the works cost more than the what's left he'll have to pay.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Are thevalves fully open ? Also is te top of the getting worm Orr the bottom ?

 

[lucolivia]

Hi
Just the pipes that come up out of the wall and go into the radiator are warm...The radiator itself is cold ;((