Can someone please help explain this heating behaviour?

[Madrab]

I'm still not convinced it's the head, you wouldn't get half the radiators heating up if it was the valve actuator, you'd get either or. The issue here is that on HW the upstairs rads get hot and they shouldn't, if the valve was goosed then you'd either get hot water only/ch only or both depending on what position the valve was stuck at, you wouldn't get just half the rads heating up.

 

[Gasplumber]

Well it ain’t piped up wrong so he should just get a complete motorised valve and then fit it. He could fit the head easily and give it a go. If it’s still an issue then he’s gotta change the full thing.
Easy

 

[Madrab]

The actuator is not connected to any valves. It connects to an electrical box which is what controls things.

Hold on, was the actuator head never actually fitted onto the valve to the right of it in pic2, or have you taken the head off the valve in that pic? I'm confused now.

Has the system always been like this? I.e. If the programmer is only on HW, the upstairs rads get hot as well as the hot water, the downstairs radiators stay cold. When you switch the CH on, on the programmer it's only then that the downstairs rads heat up?

 

[Gasplumber]

Hold on, was the actuator head never actually fitted onto the valve to the right of it in pic2, or have you taken the head off the valve in that pic? I'm confused now.

Has the system always been like this? I.e. If the programmer is only on HW, the upstairs rads get hot as well as the hot water, the downstairs radiators stay cold. When you switch the CH on, on the programmer it's only then that the downstairs rads heat up?

Imagine lol

 

[Madrab]

Imagine lol

Yup - What was in the original post was, the upstairs rads get hot as well as the HW, suggesting the downstairs ones don't, until the CH is on on the programmer ....
Just needed to get that clarified

 

[Gasplumber]

To be fair I have seen one knocked off before. Since it’s not screwed on.
Easiest job I’ve done I think

 

[Madrab]

Must admit, wouldn't be the first time I've found top floor rads DIY tapped into the primaries to the cylinder fitted with TRV's ....

 

[platforminc]

It's always been like this (the question on the head)
Now. I have reduced the TRV on all the upstairs rads and the downstairs ones seem to be firing very hot, never seen it that hot before.

So it looks like a balancing issue. I am to tackle that this week.

On the other issue which is the actuator? What happens now is that after I turned off the HW and set it to off from the programmer, the radiators in the house (not just upstairs) all get hot and as the thermostat is not kicking in, you can imagine in the current warm weather the radiators in the house getting very hot with no thermostatic control.

I know I have had loads of instructions, in light of the new info. Is there anything I can do as a quick fix, I aim to do the balancing during the week.

Hold on, was the actuator head never actually fitted onto the valve to the right of it in pic2, or have you taken the head off the valve in that pic? I'm confused now.

Has the system always been like this? I.e. If the programmer is only on HW, the upstairs rads get hot as well as the hot water, the downstairs radiators stay cold. When you switch the CH on, on the programmer it's only then that the downstairs rads heat up?

 

[Madrab]

Ok so to get this right -

The Blue Actuator has always been loose like that - it's never actually been fitted to the T valve on copper pipework to the right - as far as you know??

Well that's the issue, so the head's been faulty so the last person has taken it off and set it to manual and set the 3 port valve to mid position so both rads and HW would run all the time there was any call for heat.

So yep, probably a new actuator head needed and your CH balanced.

 

[platforminc]

Thanks for the reply. The blue device has always been loose. What is it supposed to look like ?

I have read about 2 port diverters. Is that what I need ? The little device which diverte between Hw or CH?

If I were to fix this, i will prefer a solution that i can fix myself with little or no need to touch pipework.

Thanks.

Ok so to get this right -

The Blue Actuator has always been loose like that - it's never actually been fitted to the T valve on copper pipework to the right - as far as you know??

Well that's the issue, so the head's been faulty so the last person has taken it off and set it to manual and set the 3 port valve to mid position so both rads and HW would run all the time there was any call for heat.

So yep, probably a new actuator head needed and your CH balanced.

 

[denso13]

What is it supposed to look like ?

The actuator should be attached to the valve.

I have read about 2 port diverters. Is that what I need ?

No, you have a 3 port.