Vertical rad bottom pipe is toast, rest is cold

[infodude]

Greetings,

I have just installed a Vertirad from B&Q. Looks fine, was cheap, but when I installed as shown in the pics on the website - both taps at the bottom, the bottom pipe becomes toast hot, the panels above warm for a few inches, then further up it's cold. Seems pretty obvious what's happening.

I naively thought there would be blocks along the top and bottom pipes to make the water zag its way through the rad. If there are none, then it can only really work if the water comes in the bottom and goes out the top. In this installation it would be fine to do that, but is that really the way to go?

Any help really appreciated. Oh yes, it's been well vented (venting was the only time it was all hot, when it initially filled with hot water). I have made a search through the forums here, some have certain panels hot but I have none.

Ta,
Phil

 

[kevplumb]

post a pic

 

[picasso]

some of these tall rads are sensitive to direction of flow, check the instructions to make sure you have the flow/return the right way round.

 

[adlplumbing]

turn off all the other radiators and see if that rad get hot
and daft question have u turned it on

 

[DP]

Have you adjusted the lockshield valve for temperature drop?

 

[rego]

i agree with picasso with a lot of these fancy rads the flow must be on the correct side for it to work (usually flow in on left hand side but not always)

 

[DP]

Rego you are painting this problem with quite a big brush.

If you have a 'ladder' radiator, with left and right limbs identical, what dictates which limb must be connected flow pipe and remaining to return.

I can understand the requirement if one connection was at a high point and other at low point which would call for specific plumbing.

 

[picasso]

dp the vertirad isint a ladder type, I am not sure exactly how its put together but some of these tall rads need to be installed with regard to flow and return, click on technical info on link

http://www.discountedheating.co.uk/shop/acatalog/Vogel_and_Noot_Athen_Vertical_Radiator.html

 

[DP]

Thanks for posting Picasso.

Did a search for said radiator (have fitted these for some clients previously). Often some vertical bars fail to heat up initially.

Cut and pasted from instructions on this rad

**A The heating water delivery flow should be connected to the 1/2“
socket No. I - please note that (Abb. 1) shows the rear of the
heater, e.g. the delivery side is shown on the left hand side in the
front view. The return flow should be connected to socket No. II.**

 

[infodude]

Just got back from w/e away - thanks for all the posts folks . I like the suggestions relating to flow direction. Not sure how I test the direction but I'm sure I can dig around here a little for ideas.

I'm still trying to get the actual instruction leaflet from B&Q so I guess that should actually say whether the flow direction is important, and if so which way.

I made sure that both valves are open (thermostatic one side, top removed, tap type thing the other side which I guess is for balancing). However, if it was the valves I'd not expect the entire bottom pipe to be scorching whist the vertical vanes were tepid/cold.

Damn, I love this forum!
Thanks,
Phil.

 

[infodude]

some of these tall rads are sensitive to direction of flow, check the instructions to make sure you have the flow/return the right way round.

It's a mad world. Maybe one day I'll learn how that works. When I get over that I might even try to learn why

-Phil

 

[AlanE]

It's a mad world. Maybe one day I'll learn how that works. When I get over that I might even try to learn why

You will find that the bottom horizontal section is blocked, or highly restricted, between 2nd & 3rd verticals (or others dedending on rad size/manufacturer.

The flow must be via these 2 verticals to reach the top. Flow in opposite direction normally means the centre verticals never get above luke warm.

 

[infodude]

That makes sense, but in my case all the vertical panels are cold

-Phil

 

[jaikaiman]

Just a thought, but have you tried bleeding the radiator?

 

[AlanE]

That makes sense, but in my case all the vertical panels are cold

In that case either there is a fault in the pipework or you HAVE an airlock.

Close both valves and drain water from rad. Open ONE valve and bleed until gurgling stops. Close that valve open other and repeat.

Simply opening bleed valves with both rad valves open will NOT always clear air trapped in a pipe, the rad will just fill from one end leaving the airlock in other pipe.

Or you can close down all the other rads and see if there is enough umph (technical term!!) in the system to clear the air.