Rads not heating up..

Eurorunner

I'm 6 months+ since having had a new build signed over. When I tested heating system before signing, i was happy all heated up.
Got heating in 4/5 weeks ago. I *thought* all were heating up fine but whilst the first two rads upstairs heat up immediately, the rest (with the exception of the last one) have taken an hour to heat up. The last one is still stone cold.

Of the ones that were slow to heat up, the pipes leading into those rads - on the left as i look at it - this pipe is only luke warm. on the right as i look at it - this pipe is red hot.
With all the other fully functioning rads in the house, both pipes are red hot??

I've bled all the rads in the house but this hasnt made any difference.


Any suggestions??

tapest

Eurorunner wrote:

Of the ones that were slow to heat up, the pipes leading into those rads - on the left as i look at it - this pipe is only luke warm. on the right as i look at it - this pipe is red hot.
With all the other fully functioning rads in the house, both pipes are red hot??

Any suggestions??

Hi
you may need to "balance" the rads. Each rad has 2 valves, one a knob (open fully) and the other is called a "lockshield". If you unscrew the top of the lockshield, you'll find a screwdriver slot. You use this to adjust the flow to each rad to try to get them to heat at the same time. It's just like a tap really. Nearest rad to boiler slight opening , furthest away fully open. Just to start and test , open these fully open on cold rads to check they're not stuck, etc, then balance away
t

JamesM

tapest wrote:

Hi
you may need to "balance" the rads. Each rad has 2 valves, one a knob (open fully) and the other is called a "lockshield". If you unscrew the top of the lockshield, you'll find a screwdriver slot. You use this to adjust the flow to each rad to try to get them to heat at the same time. It's just like a tap really. Nearest rad to boiler slight opening , furthest away fully open. Just to start and test , open these fully open on cold rads to check they're not stuck, etc, then balance away
t

And maybe make sure that the waterpump is not on the lowest speed.
Jim.

tapest

JamesM wrote:

And maybe make sure that the waterpump is not on the lowest speed.
Jim.

oops ! Yep that too
thanks JamesM (keeping me on my toes ?? lololol)
t

Eurorunner

you may need to "balance" the rads. Each rad has 2 valves, one a knob (open fully) and the other is called a "lockshield". If you unscrew the top of the lockshield, you'll find a screwdriver slot.

I have the same valves on each side - theres no difference between them - and the lockshields are the same. I take it its the 'inward' flow I should be leaving completely open (ie. turned anticlockwise) and adjust the other one. Is there a standard for this ie. is it the left valve or right hand valve (as i look at the rad)??

And maybe make sure that the waterpump is not on the lowest speed.
Jim.

Can I assume this is the water pump?? (found beneath cylinder in upstairs hot press). The only switch on it is manual or automatic (and its set to automatic).

sparkyjo

is your house zones like do you have a stat or two around the house as it could be that your little actuator is closed on one and and just leaking throw if thats the case make sure your stat isn't to low and if thats not it move the actuator manually it should be in the hotpress or near the boiler

Eurorunner

Eurorunner wrote:

Can I assume this is the water pump?? (found beneath cylinder in upstairs hot press). The only switch on it is manual or automatic (and its set to automatic).

I dont know what it IS (flow sensor perhaps ) but a water pump it aint.

JamesM

Eurorunner wrote:

Can I assume this is the water pump?? (found beneath cylinder in upstairs hot press). The only switch on it is manual or automatic (and its set to automatic).

Your photo seems to be of a motorised valve, although not one I am familiar with, probably controlling the flow to the hot water cylinder.
The water circulating pump should be close to the boiler.
As Sparkyjo says, one of the motorised valves could be half closed. If there is another one downstairs, maybe near the boiler, put it to manual and see if it makes a difference.
I presume that the boiler is downstairs, not a gas boiler in an upstairs bedroom or something like that
Jim.

Eurorunner

JamesM wrote:

I presume that the boiler is downstairs, not a gas boiler in an upstairs bedroom or something like that
Jim.

Its an oil fired external stand-alone boiler (firebird heatpac). You think the boiler houses the water pump too? I really cant imagine there being any other place where it could be downstairs...

mukki

try balancing the rads first

i have the pump at home on the lowest speed and it heats 11 rads, i set it that way because its noisy if it comes on during the night

i closed the one tap fully and opened it about 1/4 of a turn on each rad, then went around an hour later and added another 1/4 turn to the colder ones

JamesM

Eurorunner wrote:

Its an oil fired external stand-alone boiler (firebird heatpac). You think the boiler houses the water pump too? I really cant imagine there being any other place where it could be downstairs...

There should be 2 pipes coming out of the boiler - one high and one low. The pump should be on the lower pipe within a few feet of the boiler, but is often on the top (flow) pipe. There will be an electric cable going into the side of the pump. The waterpump looks something like this. http://cgi.ebay.ie/BNIB-GRUNDFOS-UPS-15-60-CENTRAL-HEATING-WATER-PUMP_W0QQitemZ300053893052QQihZ020QQcategoryZ3191QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD4VQQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

As the others have said, do try balancing the system.
Jim.