Balancing Radiators

[MTBHuw]

I've been flushing out, re-painting and putting on new TRVs and lockshields onto our radiators in our new home and need to start balancing the radiators. I've read a lot of info about how it's done but still have a few questions if someone can help, please.

Ours is quite a large and long system (11 radiators) running through a long house (boiler and pump at one end), but rather than the rads coming off one loop, the system I think splits early on to feed the front of the house, and the back of the house, and also possibly the kitchen and utility as there isn't a definite sequence to the radiators heating up.

So for example, the kitchen, sitting room and landing heats up at the same time, then the rads after those off each separate "branch" heat up in sequence, if that makes sense?!

All the guides I've read talk about starting at the first, then moving on to the next until I get to the end. How do I tackle this one?! I was thinking I should close off each "branch" in turn and deal with each separately?

Also, another thing that I'm unsure of is whether I need to balance one radiator at a time, turning off the system and letting it cool down, before moving on to the next radiator? Or can I close off all the lockshields in each radiator and then leave the system on while I do it?

Sorry for the lengthy post! Thanks for any help.

P.S. I'm using a thermometer to do it.

 

[diynoob]

Hi,

Don't try to do each branch separately, you have to balance the system as a whole.

You do the radiators in the order in which they heat up regardless of which branch they are on as per step 5 in the guide.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/plumbing:faq:faq2

 

[MTBHuw]

Thanks, I understand that but what do I do when 3 of the radiators (i.e. the first rad off each of the "branches") heat up at the same time? Which do I do first?

 

[D_Hailsham]

Thanks, I understand that but what do I do when 3 of the radiators (i.e. the first rad off each of the "branches") heat up at the same time? Which do I do first?

It doesn't really matter. You will find that, when you have done the third one, the other two will have drifted.

It doesn't matter how many times you go round the system, you will never get it perfect, but it will be better than not doing it at all.

A quick balance can be achieved by setting all LS valves to a quarter turn open and then tweaking them very slightly to get approximately similar return temperatures.

 

[diynoob]

As above, it doesn't really matter. Do them in the approximate order in which they heat up. When balancing get the temp drop approximately the same across each rad, it won't be perfect but it doesn't matter.

As long as the house is heating up evenly (perhaps favouring the lounge or whatever room you use the most) then it's fine.

With the branches that you describe you might find that at the branch points you need to have the lock shield open only very slightly, 1/4 turn.