Central Heating

Llewellyn · Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:59 pm Post Subject: Central Heating

Could anyone please tell me:
What volume of water dose a Central Heating System need to operate, and what minimum diameter bore is required.
Thanks

Gasguru · Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:40 pm Post Subject:

Your getting me worried now.

Asking such basic heating questions and having a production batch of valves run off.

Next your be making a guest appearance on Dragons Den. As they say give it up now.

The volume depends on the type and size of heating system.

The pipe bore is determined by the volume of water flowing in a specific time. If the pipe is too large sludge can build up, too small and it becomes noisy and the pipe can wear out. (copper pipework).

Tell us why you need to know.

Llewellyn · Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:24 pm Post Subject:

Hi thanks for the reply.

We are looking to see if there is any way that a small alteration to the valve can be made to ensur we have the very best design to prevent the problems you have mentioned,

It may be we will have a few different options made to put on test to determin the best option, believe me as the valve stand now it is fine but we want to explore every angle.

Regret I am not a qualified plumber and all the help possible is apreciated.

Gasguru · Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:55 pm Post Subject:

You freely admit you are not involved with the heating industry but you have convinced yourself this product is going to be of some use and will perform reliably over several years.

As someone who pulls apart heating systems every day I can assure you your design will not be fault free. Unless you have tested it in several hundred houses over at least 10 years I would suggest it has not had anything like sufficient testing.

Have you followed a heating engineer around for a week to have a look at typical installations?

Radiators valves jammed up againt the skirting, valves jammed in the corner of the room, 10 layers of paint covering the valve, pipework jammed solid in the floor by tiles/grout, pipe work plastered solid in the wall etc, radiators hanging off the wall brackets supported by the valve/pipework.

Items I have removed from heating systems include: matchsticks, hairclips, lead shot, the usual sludge and magnetite, scale, casting sand, fibreglass, plaster, brickdust, PTFE, bits of O ring. Will it cope with this lot? What about the complex nature of the system water and chemicals.

This industry is full of ideas like yours which cause no end of problems for customers. Merchants are full of poorly performing plumbing parts. When I was last in B&Q I didn't find a single quality lockshield radiator valve for sale. Most of the TRV's were rubbish imports. The only decent TRV I saw was at a vastly inflated price.

By all means produce this device - there are plenty of ignorant diy-ers who will fit it. Just creates more work for us replacing them in a few years.

plumber (new blood) · Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 11:03 pm Post Subject:

sounds like a good idea for the D.I.Y er if he/she installed there own system then maintened it, quality product for the D.I.Y market, but not really that usefull for the pro`s, trying to give the customer the best price i can is allways inportant, a product like this would be of no use to me, i dont not a special valve to help me take a rad of or drain it.

and the other point is how long will it last?? as long as the rads? will it restrict the flow of water round the system? like have locksheilds turned down.

good for the D.I.Y market so i`am sure we`ll see you product in poeples homes..

Agile · Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 11:15 pm Post Subject:

One unusual item I once found in a diverter valve was half a 1.6A fuse.

Quite how it had got into the diverter valve is anyones guess. All I can say is that it was there and jamming the diverter.

It was only after exhausting all other options that I had to open the diverter and check every individual component.

Tony

Llewellyn · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:05 am Post Subject:

Thanks for your coments. I am greatful. I do wish you could see this valve, you all obviously know your stuff and there is no substitute for years of on the job experience.

This valve does not replace the existing radiator valve but is connected to it. As tou would expect the valve is in 2 halves. When you disconnect the valve 1 half instantaniously seals the water supply to the rda and the other has a telesopic movement which is unique. When removing the radiator the seal of the original rad valve is never brocken. Oh, how I wish I could describe the damn thing to you in more detail, but honest it is a great valve and there is nothing like it on the market. I just wish you could see it, I'm sure you would be impressed and would be able to give some good pointers. Llew

Agile · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:53 am Post Subject:

Since the rad valves can be turned off to isolate the rad then I dont see what added advantage your gadget can achieve.

Plumbers are a conservative bunch and take over 10 years to get accustomed to condensing boilers for example even when they are imposed on them by legislation.

Tony

Llewellyn · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:09 pm Post Subject:

The benefit of the valve is that when you close the valve to the radiator and my valve isolates the water in the inlet and out let pipe so enabling you to lift the radiator off the wall

scatmanjohn · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:19 pm Post Subject:

Llewellyn wrote:

The benefit of the valve is that when you close the valve to the radiator and my valve isolates the water in the inlet and out let pipe so enabling you to lift the radiator off the wall

Nobody wants to lift a radiator full of water.

I wouldn't do it.

Would anyone else?

rob884 · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:06 pm Post Subject:

scatmanjohn wrote:

Llewellyn wrote:

The benefit of the valve is that when you close the valve to the radiator and my valve isolates the water in the inlet and out let pipe so enabling you to lift the radiator off the wall

Nobody wants to lift a radiator full of water.

I wouldn't do it.

Would anyone else?

yes, buts what wrong with using your thumb.

you seem to be under the impression llewellyn that removing a radiator is one of the dreaded jobs in plumbing and you've solved it when really theres nothing to it. unfortunatly what you've created is a novelty product and noveltys inevitabely ware off (and prob leak

)

Llewellyn · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:15 pm Post Subject:

We have a darin fitment that works with the valve in case the rad is too heavy with water. The valve was invented to make it easier for the DIY decorator so that they can take the rad off for decorating. I would point out that it will be advisable to have a qualified plumber to fit the valves in the first place & this could be added busines for plumbers. I would point out that if the valve is fitted in the vertical poss the rad can be drained by just opening the rad valve and the drainer we have would be used when fitted in the horizontal

Agile · Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 12:56 am Post Subject:

Llewellyn wrote:

We have a darin fitment that works with the valve in case the rad is too heavy with water. The valve was invented to make it easier for the DIY decorator so that they can take the rad off for decorating. I would point out that it will be advisable to have a qualified plumber to fit the valves in the first place & this could be added busines for plumbers. I would point out that if the valve is fitted in the vertical poss the rad can be drained by just opening the rad valve and the drainer we have would be used when fitted in the horizontal

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