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Radiator going on and off

  • 03-11-2010 12:41pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,549 ✭✭✭


    I have an oil fired central heating system with 5 radiators downstairs and 6 upstairs, all the downstairs ones are fine and have never had an issue with them.

    The upstairs seem to be a right pain, the main bedroom radiator either does not come on at all or does so then goes off fairly quickly... When I turn all radiators upstairs off and then turn on the main bedroom I get plenty of heat... then gradually turn on the others and they all stay on.

    Once the heating goes off and cools, then comes back on, the bedroom again will either not come on or will come on but go off and cool?

    I have checked for airlocks and all sorts but have no idea of what this could be... I had a plumber out last year and he balanced the system and all seemed well then but since I have the heating back on this year it is back to it's old sh*t... Ideas anyone?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,118 ✭✭✭Sparkpea


    is there trvs (thermostatic radiator valves) installed?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    Id say they need another balancing adjustment, what happens is water flows through the ones nearer the pump/boiler too easily and does not go to further ones. Balancing closes the balance valve a little on the nearer ones to force more water farther out.

    Were all rads being used when previously balanced? If they were balanced and then another one not normally used was now turned on it can affect the others. The hot water cylinder coil is another that could be turned down a little.

    Or someone has opened up one or 2 of the valves that were the ones used for balancing. Closing other rads and its then coming on is a sure sign it just needs balancing.

    The pump may have a higher setting available too, which might help.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,549 ✭✭✭Noffles


    There are no thermostatic valves on the radiators, just the twist on and off ones. The last post there seems to make sense, I may have the balance valves open too much on the rads nearest the pump.
    So, to make adjustments do I simply close the ones downstairs a little to push more water through? By the ones downstairs I mean the ones that warm up 1st?

    Thanks for the tips.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    Noffles wrote: »
    There are no thermostatic valves on the radiators, just the twist on and off ones. The last post there seems to make sense, I may have the balance valves open too much on the rads nearest the pump.
    So, to make adjustments do I simply close the ones downstairs a little to push more water through? By the ones downstairs I mean the ones that warm up 1st?

    Thanks for the tips.

    Yes thats what you could try, usually i would close the one for balancing completely, then open just 1 turn or a turn and a half maybe, especially the ones nearest the pump. My downstairs ones have hand valves on both sides so its easy to forget which side was used for balancing, usually the balancing side would have a cap you have to remove and use a screw driver or wrench etc. And at the hot water cylinder make sure the hand valve for the hot water coil,(usually a red hand valve on a pipe into cylinder heating coil) is only open no more than 1 and half turns also. You will find this coil easily enough as when heating is put on the pipes into bottom and top of coil in cylinder will quickly become hot. They will be 2 pipes one above the other into side of cylinder and one side should have a hand valve.

    Try closing all the downstairs ones to 1 and hald turns first along with the cylinder coil


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,549 ✭✭✭Noffles


    Ok... I changed all the rads downstairs to around 1 1/2 to 2 full turns open and not really much to the ones upstairs and the rad in the main room was still cold this morning... should I be changing the ones upstairs in any way?

    To point out, it I turn off 2 rads upstairs the main rad then comes on and stays on if I open the others up again so there's not a pressure issue from the pump... and it did work all of last year.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 229 ✭✭ShamFeen


    Try closing in some of the balancing valves upstairs. Is the cold rad the furthest from the boiler? Also make sure your pump is set at it's highest setting (usually 3)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭ART6


    Also make sure that the balancing valve on the problem rad is fully open. Then, if it heats up OK close the valve in a little to avoid starving the other rads.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,549 ✭✭✭Noffles


    Well things have improved, the rad came on this afternoon and heated up fine, after much fiddling on the balance valves.

    Didn't know that I would have to balance what is the last valve in the system though so I'll look at that later if I put the heating on... so bloody mild today!

    Thanks for all the tips!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,549 ✭✭✭Noffles


    Spoke too soon, just have the heating on and the same rad is cold....???


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    Close every other rad in house balance down to 1 turn open, and fully open the problem one, also make sure the hot water cylinder coil is only open about a turn and half, and put the pump to its highest setting,
    And keep a note of which side is the balancing side if both sides have hand valves.

    See if that works


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,005 ✭✭✭mad m


    Its called the lockshield valve....If you do a search it will tell you how to balance a heating system, But basically you turn off both valves on all rads, put heating on for a while, then goto first rad that heats up first in your house and crack open the lockshield valve a quarter turn and you wait till it heats up, making sure that the other valve on the other side is open also fully...

    You wait at the radiator till its fully heated top and bottom, you have to adjust the locksheild valves differently on the other rads to suit...The last radiator you might have to have the locksheild valve open fully...


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