Should I turn valve on?

[kstandsteve]

Hello there.

I am looking at some ch problems I have been having (hot rads upstairs, med hot rads downstairs, one rad downstairs not working etc etc!)

Decided to draw up the pipe diagram so i can understand what does what.

The small water tank in the loft - there is a 15mm pipe @ btm which comes thru ceiling before upping to a 22mm then to pump in airing cupboard. There is another 22mm pipe which tees into it before the pump (From Boiler?).

Anyway there is a valve in the 15mm section which was turned off ie no water can enter system from header tank??

I am no expert but figured this should be ON not OFF. Am I right and if so would this have been causing my heating probs?

My boiler is a Glow Worm Space Saver 50-60. Has anyone got a manual for this?

Cheers

Steve.

 

[gas_man_gaz]

sounds like a gate valve on the cold feed, if it is then yes it should be turned on. and yes it would cause problems

 

[kstandsteve]

Cheers for quick reply.

Ok valve now turned on.

Been in house 2 years and I have never touched it so been like that for some time.

What kind of problems would that cause?

Steve.

 

[gas_man_gaz]

would be surprised if it's been like that 2yr could anyone of turned it off? kids playing in the airing cupboard maybe?
it would give ya the same symptoms of a blocked cold feed, noisy pump, poor circulation (especially to the downstairs rads) stuff like that

 

[kstandsteve]

Cheers again,

As you prob know these valves take some turning and have asked the wife and kids and they havent touched it.

Pump is very quiet, never been noisy.

Poor circulation could be reason for the different temps. Its like a sauna upstairs! Was thinking of fitting TRV's to cool it down. This might solve that one.

Also get alot of air in the system and forever bleeding one rad upstairs.

Will see what differences I spot now.

 

[MANDATE]

If it's too hot upstairs the lockshield valves are probablely open far too much. Having them almost closed will restrict the flow and lower the temperture.

 

[kstandsteve]

Yeah I have read on here about balancing the system.

Somehow think there is more to it.

Rads upstairs are very hot (cant hold hand on them for long) downstairs are ok medium heat.

Boiler dial is set to '3'

 

[MANDATE]

Yeah I have read on here about balancing the system.
Somehow think there is more to it.

Depends what you want to do ?Balance the whole sysytem or just lower the temperture in one room. They're both achieved by tweaking the lockshield valves.

 

[D_Hailsham]

Also get a lot of air in the system and forever bleeding one rad upstairs.

If the valve on the feed from the small tank was turned off when you bled the radiator, no water would be able to enter the system. All you would get would be more air entering via the vent pipe. You do have a vent pipe? It's the one which hangs over the small tank - like an inverted J. The other end should connect to the flow pipe from the boiler just before the feed pipe from the small tank.

 

[kstandsteve]

I see, as I said its been like that some time so prob alot of air in there.

Yes I have a vent as you say connected just as you say.

 

[TicklyT]

It's far from unknown for a gate valve not to seal completely, so there may have been just about enough water passing the valve to keep the system going even when it was closed.