Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Radiator Not Working

Options
  • 09-11-2007 7:51pm
    #1
    Ballyman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,822 ✭✭✭


    Hi

    One of the radiators in the dining room is only lukewarm when all the others are piping hot. It was like this last year and I never did anything about it but it seems to be much much worse now. I mean it's just over room temperature now.

    I bled it and this wasn't the problem. Someone mentioned to me that it may need to be balanced. How do I do this and will I make a bags of the others if I do? Also, if it was balanced incorrectly then shouldn't the others be at different temps as well?

    Also, is there anything else it could be and if so, how do I fix it?

    Thanks.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    10-10-20
    Registered Users Posts: 7,165 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    Do you have an thermostatic adjuster as well as a normal on-off valve or just a normal valve on one side?
    I'd look at reducing the hotest rad down by a couple of turns (mark and note the adjustments to each) and do the same to another and check if this makes a difference.


  • Options
    #3
    anthony4335
    Registered Users Posts: 1,028 ✭✭✭anthony4335


    I have the same issue, to balance the system you start at the nearest rad to the boiler, and you setup the return valve (the valve where the water exits the rad, usually it does not have a knob that will turn the valve) to be 20'c below the input ,and work your way down the system untill you get to the last rad, which will probly be the luke warm one. To test this with out doing anything major just turn off all the other rads in the house and see if it gets warm. If not it could be a dead rad, or the pump might not be strong enough to draw the water away from the end of the system, take a look at this site.
    http://www.diyfixit.co.uk/nflash/centralheating/CHBalancing/Balancing.htm


  • Options
    #4
    Ballyman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,822 ✭✭✭Ballyman


    I turned off the other rwads before to see if it would make any difference but the difference was minimal. It's actually the second closest rad to the boiler as well.

    What do you mean by a dead rad? Do I need to get a plumber or is this a DIY job?


  • Options
    #5
    Ballyman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,822 ✭✭✭Ballyman


    anthony4335 wrote: »
    I have the same issue, to balance the system you start at the nearest rad to the boiler, and you setup the return valve (the valve where the water exits the rad, usually it does not have a knob that will turn the valve) to be 20'c below the input ,and work your way down the system untill you get to the last rad, which will probly be the luke warm one. To test this with out doing anything major just turn off all the other rads in the house and see if it gets warm. If not it could be a dead rad, or the pump might not be strong enough to draw the water away from the end of the system, take a look at this site.
    http://www.diyfixit.co.uk/nflash/centralheating/CHBalancing/Balancing.htm
    Hi

    I turned off all the rads except the faulty one and it heated up properly. I turned back on the other rads again and it stayed hot.

    The following day when the timer came on again it heated up to piping hot again so I presumed all was fixed. Two days later and I'm back to square one again. Do I have a balancing issue? Why did it heat up for three days but go back to normal again after that? When I say normal, I mean it's lukewarm again. Not as cold as it was previously but much much cooler than the rest.

    Thanks


  • Options
    #6
    leex
    Registered Users Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭leex


    Could be air or dirt in the system.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    Sludge is settling in this rad because water is moving through it slower than through your other rads. Turning off the other rads stirred up the sludge temporarily and it has now settled again. You need to balance the system, i.e. speed up flow through this rad/ reduce flow through at least one of your other rads. Personally I would flush entire system, remove rads for a thorough flush, then refill system using a good corrosion inhibitor.


  • Options
    #8
    Ballyman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,822 ✭✭✭Ballyman


    2 stroke wrote: »
    Sludge is settling in this rad because water is moving through it slower than through your other rads. Turning off the other rads stirred up the sludge temporarily and it has now settled again. You need to balance the system, i.e. speed up flow through this rad/ reduce flow through at least one of your other rads. Personally I would flush entire system, remove rads for a thorough flush, then refill system using a good corrosion inhibitor.

    This sounds like a costly solution!

    Is there anything I could temporarily I wonder? Could I keep turning off the others until I have the sludge pushed to another rad? I have two turned off fulltime as the rooms aren't used and anyway they get enough heat from the landing. It would be perfect if the sludge decided to reside in either of these rads!!


  • Options
    #9
    wazzoraybelle
    Registered Users Posts: 659 ✭✭✭wazzoraybelle


    I think you can hire something to flush the central heating system. I wouldn't think you would need to remove the rads. Saw one in my local HSS hire


  • Options
    #10
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    Is there anything I could temporarily I wonder?
    Yes. balance your rads. Removing the rads is a little extreme, compared to just flushing the system, but If you saw the ammount of sh1t that can reside in a rad you'ld want to flush them too.


  • Options
    #11
    dublinplumber
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭dublinplumber


    Turn off all your rads and leave the problem rad on,for at least an hour, then turn the others back on , if it doesnt stay working (the next day ) or after it has been off for some time, then you need a plumber as trying to explain other techniques is too hard ,and i would be out of a job anyway!


  • Advertisement
Advertisement