TRV Continuously Shutting Radiator Off

[Associate]

Without ripping floors up it sounds like there's piping issues, maybe radiators fitted in series, God know's why? OR you have some serious circulation issues (less likely or improbable)!

Are you sure they worked fine before hand? If so then I'd be wondering what the installer has done since to bring about such a change in the system?

Yes, all the radiators worked perfectly well before. The new installation included 2 Primaries - separating the Heating and Hot water control. To do this, they ran about 24 meters of 22mm copper pipe from the ground floor kitchen boiler, through the ground floor hallway, then up to the 2nd (top floor) Airing cupboard, where the Cylinder is. (This is what they told me they would do anyway!).

They didn't touch the bedroom radiator we are having problems with now. They only took off the TRV and replaced it with a Lockshield on the hallway radiator.

We are only having these issues with these 2 radiators. I don't know if this is relevant, but the ground floor hallway radiator and the first floor bedroom radiator, as well as being on different floors, are located on opposite sides of each other. So the hallway radiator isn't directly below this bedroom radiator.

I can't say the installers were the most competent or professional, but I'm also wondering what they could have done to cause this, because we definitely did not have these issues before.....

 

[doitmyself]

However, when the Heating is turned On, the hallway radiator and the bedroom radiator (TRV fitted) come On only when other radiators in the house are turned On. All these radiators (5) have got TRVs on them. The Hallway and Bedroom radiator never come On on their own, without us turning On other radiators in the house.

When the heating is turned on, all radiators will heat up. When a room reaches the temperature set on the TRV, the TRV will control the flow through the rad to maintain the required temperature. When the hall reaches the temperature set on the wall thermostat, the boiler will go off.

Is someone (your mother?), going round the house turning the TRVs up and down when they are using/not using a room in an effort to save fuel?

All radiators have been balanced.

Very badly by the sound of it.

If you want to have a go yourself, here's how you do it:

[TABLE="class: forumline, width: 100%"]
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[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]1. Remove all TRV heads and set all wheel valves to fully open.
2. Set all lockshield valves to 1/3 of a turn open from closed (fully clockwise).
3. Allow the system to heat up.
4. Feel all return pipes (cooler one) to see how warm they are.
5. Select one which is midway between hot and cold and use it as a 'standard'.
6. Any rad with a hotter return than the 'standard' should have the LS valve closed a tiny fraction.
7. Any rad with a cooler return should be open a tiny fraction.
8. Repeat 4 to 7 until you are satisfied with the result.

Do no expect perfection. The adjustment each time is very small and you need to leave time (say 10 mins) between step 7 and step 4 for the system to settle down.

When finished replace all TRV heads and set to required temperature. Set all wheel valves to required position.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: row2, width: 150, align: left"][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Chalked]

Could be a one pipe system that has been adapted incorrectly?
how old is the original heating pipework?

 

[Associate]

Could be a one pipe system that has been adapted incorrectly?
how old is the original heating pipework?

[To answer "doitmyself," no one is going around the house adjusting the TRV's on the other radiators. It definitely isn't a Room Thermostat issue either, whereby we are confused about how the Room Thermostat works. I will bear in mind the advise on balancing. Thanks. ]


The original heating pipework is 30 years old, same as the house.

 

[tamz]

It's been piped wrong. Get the installers back but on Eco you'd have more luck picking 123456 for Saturdays lottery.

 

[Associate]

It's been piped wrong. Get the installers back but on Eco you'd have more luck picking 123456 for Saturdays lottery.

Would you say it's been piped wrong by these new installers, and nothing to do with the original 30 year old installation (all radiators worked fine before new work)?


If so, for my own reference, any "ideas" (I know it's going to be vague without you inspecting in person, but even your and other members' "educated guess" would help me) what they might've done wrong?


Thank you.

 

[doitmyself]

To answer "doitmyself," no one is going around the house adjusting the TRV's on the other radiators.

Then what do you mean by: "If all the other radiators in the house are off, and we only want the Bedroom radiator or the Hallway radiator to be On?

The only way you can achieve that is to turn off the unwanted rads at the TRV.

 

[Associate]

Then what do you mean by: "If all the other radiators in the house are off, and we only want the Bedroom radiator or the Hallway radiator to be On?

The only way you can achieve that is to turn off the unwanted rads at the TRV.

To clarify, when we wake up first thing in the morning and the Heating/Boiler is off and all radiators TRVs are off, and when the Heating is turned On we only want this particular Bedroom radiator or Hallway radiator to be On. So from beginning of day and from the moment the Heating is first turned On, no one is going around touching the other radiator TRVs.

 

[Associate]

It's been piped wrong. Get the installers back but on Eco you'd have more luck picking 123456 for Saturdays lottery.

Unfortunately, there is a strong chance this may be the case.

If I want to hire a Gas Engineer privately to rectify this, any ideas how much this will cost as an estimate, as I am based in East London (minimum to maximum)?

Would a Gas Engineer who is correcting this problem need to buy any additional parts for this?

Thank you.

 

[tamz]

This is the type of thing that need a visit to properly diagnose.
Put a post up in this bit
[DLMURL="http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/im-looking-plumber-gas-engineer/"]I'm looking for a Plumber or Gas Engineer[/DLMURL]

There are a few good lads on here in your neck of the woods who could get you fixed out.
More than a tenner and less than 5k :smile: No one can give you a costing, even vaugely until they see what is involved but you won't be ripped off.
Of course they may need to buy parts but probably limited to pipe and fittings.

 

[Associate]

Thank you for all your help guys!

I will take everything on board.

I just wanted to ask for my own reference- if we didn't
get anyone to rectify this fault and left things as they are,
apart from the inconvenience, could this cause any long term
problems or damage to the system if we leave things as they are?

 

[doitmyself]

To clarify, when we wake up first thing in the morning and the Heating/Boiler is off and all radiators TRVs are off, and when the Heating is turned On we only want this particular Bedroom radiator or Hallway radiator to be On.

The radiators will have cooled down overnight, but that doesn't mean they are off. If the TRV has not been touched, i.e turned down to the lowest setting, the room will warm up, when the heating is turned on, until it reaches the temperature set on the TRV.