Balancing Valve - do not adjust

[Gareth6848]

Hello,

I’m hoping someone can help me put right a big booboo I’ve made with my hot-water system. Whilst trying to isolate the hot-water I turned a red stop-cock next to the tank labelled “Balancing Valve – do not adjust”. Or rather the label wasn’t attached but I later found it knocking around on the floor. Now, I thought I'd counted the turns and put it back into it’s original position but now we’re having a problem with cold baths every morning. This isn’t the end of the world for me, but seems to have really upset the wife for some reason.

I keep gradually altering the position of the valve morning after morning but always the first bath runs hot for 30 seconds, then cold. By the time I have my bath 30 minutes later the hot-water is quite often up to temperature. Now, I’m sure the position of this valve must constrict the flow of water in priority parts of the system so that lower priority areas (ie my bath) gain more flow. However, I can’t seem to set the valve to the correct level in order to do this. Does anyone have any idea how I can do this? And have I understood the problem correctly? Do I need seem kind of pressure measure equipment? I’ve had a google but can only find references to automatic balancing which seems to be more of the thing today. It did actually appear to work correctly at one stage but after about 4 days it suddenly came out cold again. Much to the “disappointment” of the wife.

As far as the heating goes, it still works well I believe. Any pointers would be gratefully received. Thanks.

 

[dilalio]

Firstly: why were you trying to isolate the hot water?

 

[Gareth6848]

I'm tiling a wall and needed to move a sink out the way to access. Thanks.

 

[45yearsagasman]

You may be referring to a gate valve in the return from the bottom of the cylinder coil. If so, open it up 2-3 full turns and see how that goes. They were fitted so as to restrict the flow through the coil so as to balance flow rates when heating and hot water are both on.

 

[Gareth6848]

Thanks 45years. It probably is a gate valve as it comes out of a pipe from the bottom of the tank. I've tried lots of adjustments around the 2-3 turns mark but there still is a problem and lots of other turns, from fully closed to fully open. It it possible it's a coincidence the problem started the same time I messed with the valve and that the problem is something else?

 

[petit_pablo]

Open it full whack and see what happens. There's a chance the spindle has sheared off internally.

 

[Gareth6848]

I've tried undoing it fully petit_pablo and the bathroom water runs pretty much luke warm/cold. I don't think its sheared completely as fiddling with it definitely has some effect - normally varying degrees of tepidness. Which coincidentally is how I'd describe the wife's mood when she runs the bath.

 

[dilalio]

Do you have an immersion heater? Put that on and see if you get nice hot water, if so then proceed to replace the gate valve.

 

[simond]

I would set the HW to come on 1 hour before the heating in the morning and see what happens.

 

[dilalio]

Let the missus get a guaranteed hot bath in the morning first... Then try the staggered CH/HW times the next morning

 

[Gareth6848]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try them out and get back if I have any success.

 

[Gareth6848]

Sorry to bring back this thread, I was hoping it to tell you everything is working but we're still getting cold baths in the mornings.

I've switched the timer off the central heating and put the hot water on from 4:30 to 6:00. The gate valve is 2 full turns open. However when the bath is run at 6:00 it runs hot at first but cold /tepid after 30 seconds. Trying 10 minutes later the water is fully scorching hot even though the boiler hasn't been on since. Could the gate valve thing be a red herring? Have I messed up a different valve in the system? I think I'll have to call the professionals in but I'm a bit embarrassed about admitting what I've done...

 

[Agile]

We get all sorts of fools and our only interest is sorting out the problem.

Most amusing I went to was for wife but I saw boots on legs in the front room as hubby had obviously been told to stay there.

First he drilled small holes in the floor to fit carpet strip.

Next he put one into a water pipe. The ensuing water leak rose until the leaking gas could be seen bubbling up from the other holes he had drilled.

Tony