balancing radiators

[shakie1973]

Hi guys,

I have recently had a new combi(baxi duotech and rads fitted. I was waiting on planning for a conservatory, so have only had that rad put on a couple of days ago. When i turned the valves and let it heat up it is wayyyyyyy cooler than the rest. I have started turning them all down, and leaving the new one fully open, but although its pretty hot at the top, its still cool at the bottom, and still not as hot as the others. I dont really know how low i should, or can turn the others.........total novice!
Also, do i leave the right hand valve fully open on all the rads??

Advice please guys

 

[electronicsuk]

It may be worth turning off the lockshields on all but the conservatory rad and running for a few minutes to check you don't have an airlock.

 

[kevplumb]

1 get thi installer back

2 see the FAQ at the top

 

[shakie1973]

I will try that now.......but like i say im a total novice. If there is an air lock, how will i know, and what will i do. Also just to harp back on about my 1st point, how far down can you turm the lockshields? i recon they were almost fully open, an di recon now i have maybe turned them down by one quater? with the new 1 fully open. It is definatly a lot hotter now, but still cooler at the bottom?

cheers!

 

[electronicsuk]

If there is an air lock, how will i know, and what will i do.

If you do as suggested above and force all the flow through one rad, and it gets as warm as it should, you will at least know the pipework is good. If you're able to balance the system correctly after having done this, it was probably an airlock. Putting all the flow through the affected section of pipework is often enough to force out any air that shouldn't be there.

Also just to harp back on about my 1st point, how far down can you turm the lockshields? i recon they were almost fully open, an di recon now i have maybe turned them down by one quater? with the new 1 fully open. It is definatly a lot hotter now, but still cooler at the bottom?

You can go a lot further down than that if needs be. If you find that some of the valves only need to be 1/4 open then that's fine, you'll know if you've gone too far and completely closed it off as the rad will fail to heat up.

 

[shakie1973]

Thanks guys, i will try that now. Sorry to be a total idiot, but do i close both valves on all the other rads, apart from the new 1, or just the left hand valve

 

[shakie1973]

Ok guys,

I closed all rads apart from the new 1, and the heat came right up, and was red hot. i bled it just incase then I opened up the others, then gradually it appears to have dropped back off. I have put all the others about 1 turn off full, and they all seem pretty equal, but the new 1 is still down on temp, in comparison.

Advice please guys!

 

[electronicsuk]

Instead of one turn off full, try one turn off closed on all the rads excluding the conservatory and work your way up from there. If you need to open them further, then so be it. Generally speaking, the rads further from the boiler will need to have the valves more open.

 

[shakie1973]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your help. After tweaking the valves for what seemed like bluddy ages i think all 10 rads are now balanced...........including the new one. I was a bit confused because most of the rads which were almost fully open are now between 1 turn to 1 quater turn off closed.........but they are all coming up and going down together. The thing i wanted 2 ask is that now the valves are best part closed, does that mean my system is less efficient than it was when they were more open??

thnks again.....and all the best!

 

[griggs]

No - the idea of balancing the system is to ensure that the heat is distributed evenly around all the rads - which, from your post, is now the case.