Zone Valve on upstairs Rads

[salem2000]

Hi All

I would like to put a 2-port zone valve on the upstairs branch of my heating system, controlled by a room stat in the bedroom. The reason for this is, the upstairs gets hotter a lot quicker than the down stairs, we’ve tried turning the TRV’s down but then it’s too cold unless we leave the bedroom doors open. This is due to a gallery area by the stairs. All rads have TRV’s except the upstairs bathroom and the downstairs utility room, which have been left as bypass, both rads are first in line on their relative branches.

From the boiler (Halstead ace high Combi) the pipes are teed to upstairs and downstairs branches on both flow and return. What I’m proposing is to fit a zone valve on the upstairs branch and a room stat in the master bedroom. The power for the valve would be on the same supply as the boiler, so if the boiler is switched off at the mains both supplies are isolated. Can anyone see any probs with this idea or offer any advice on how to proceed. Thanks.

Salem.

 

[kevplumb]

assuming all the upstairs rads are on the run you want to zone
no probs

 

[salem2000]

assuming all the upstairs rads are on the run you want to zone
no probs

Thanks kevplumb,

It's a converted bungalow, so the upstairs is an extension of the existing system. Pipes run by myself, so know how system is run.

By the way, would you recommend a normally OPEN or Closed valve.

Salem

 

[kevplumb]

go for it

 

[salem2000]

That was quick.

I thought a normally closed valve, what say you

Salem.

 

[kevplumb]

right go for it then if the zone fails you know where to look be careful you dont close the expansion pipe path tho

 

[salem2000]

right go for it then if the zone fails you know where to look be careful you dont close the expansion pipe path tho

The way it will be fitted, is so if the valve locks shut at any point, the downstairs zone will continue to operate normally regardless. Which is why there are 2 bypass Rads on the system, 1 upstairs (1st rad) and 1 downstairs (1st rad).

Salem.

 

[kevplumb]

sounds good to me

 

[salem2000]

Thanks for your advice.

Salem

 

[croydoncorgi]

The most important part of a previous message was

be careful you dont close the expansion pipe path tho

In a badly plumbed 'open top' system, you may find that the upstairs rads share a pipe with the open vent. This is wrong, wrong, wrong, but unfortunately does happen. If you put in your zone valve on that pipe there will no longer be an open vent, which is worse, worse, worse.

 

[salem2000]

The system dosen't have a open vent pipe its a Halstead Ace High Combi. The upstairs was added to the system after a loft conversion, the pipework to upstairs is Flow and Return to those rads only. The whole system was planned by a Corgi installer with the upstairs in mind, but this was fitted at a later date.

Salem.