Balancing rads lock sheild

[tomsim]

When balancing rads. Mainly the upstairs to throw more heat downstairs. How far down should you throttle the locksheilds. Is a quarter of a turn open enough? Thanks

 

[DiyNutJob]

Should be based on heat. Throttle until room temperature is barely acceptable. It's a slow process.

 

[Dereekoo]

Thats a bit tight, suggest 1.5 turns and see what the produces. Do this to all lockshields and then open 1/2 a turn at a time on the rads with no heat. If that sorts the balancing out turn all rads a 1/4 turn at a time till things go off key and the turn all back 1/4 -1/2 a turn

 

[BlueLoo]

Buy TRVs for all* the rads and remove the problem altogether whilst increasing your comfort and control considerably and, reducing energy usage whilst not hobbling the system.

Win. Win.

*ABV depending.

 

[tomsim]

All the rads do have trvs

 

[BlueLoo]

All the rads do have trvs

No need to balance then.
Trvs do that for you.
Open everything up full (lock sheild) and let the system do it's job.

If you want to restrict the rads upstairs, that's a different problem.

https://www.heatgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/valve-authority.png

Just go in 1/4 turns until you find something you like.

I'd install intelligent trvs (Wiser, etc) and have the system behave as you want.

If you don't have enough umph to heat up stairs and downstairs at the same time, perhaps look at getting the system checked. It may need cleaning and servicing or your boiler is not big enough?

But certainly, the trvs should be doing the balancing act dynamically for you. As each room gets to temp, the trv will close, pushing the heat capacity of the system where it needs it until all rooms are at temp.

 

[oldbuffer]

1. Different lock shield valves have different numbers of turns from fully open to fully closed, so you can't provide a rule based on valve opening.
2. As DiyNutJob states, the only way to do it is to balance by heat. However, it is better to do it by adjusting the lock shield to create a specific temperature drop across each radiator. This temperature drop used to be 11 degrees Centigrade for older systems, but is meant to be 20 degrees for modern systems sized for 20 degrees and powered by a condensing boiler. Requires 2 clip on thermometers or an infra red one. Time consuming to do it properly.
3. Relying on TRVs doesn't balance the system, but over total heat up time achieves the same effect. Unless you are very lucky and the system is pretty well balanced on the lock shields anyway the rate of heat up will vary from room to room.

 

[denso13]

Is a quarter of a turn open enough

Yes, try that first and adjust as necessary. Generally open a bit more as you get further from the boiler.

 

[denso13]

All the rads do have trvs

Where is the room stat, it shouldn't be in a room with a Trv.

 

[Ltnman]

Watch a selection of YouTube videos on balancing. I followed the advice and got mine heating up simultaneously.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My system must be well designed, 9x rads, 8x recent TRV's, but I have never found a need to balance it.

 

[BlueLoo]

My system must be well designed, 9x rads, 8x recent TRV's, but I have never found a need to balance it.

That's the TRVs for you.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

That's the TRVs for you.

No, the TRV's were only fitted 2 years ago, it ran without for 40+ years without.

 

[BlueLoo]

No, the TRV's were only fitted 2 years ago, it ran without for 40+ years without.

Your lockshield valves are fully open then?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Your lockshield valves are fully open then?

More or less, and all rads, all heat up evenly at the same time.