How to balance a heating system?

[bster]

Can anyone give me some advice on balancing a heating system, everything I read gives a diferent procedure! I have got a digital differential thermometer and understand 10 degree diff for standard boilers and 20 for condensing but what is the best\easiest way to go about it.

cheers for any advice.

 

[oilman]

Probably any of the methods you have read will work. I take a pragmatic approach.

1) Open all the control valves

2) Close all lockshield valves

3) Open upstairs lockshield valves 1/4 turn

4) Open downstairs lockshield valves 1/2 turn

This gives you a starting point. You can then check the boiler differential and set the pump speed, then work round the rads making small adjustments if necessary. Don't lose sleep trying to get things spot on, some installations will need extremes of adjustment just to get some rads warm.

 

[bster]

ok. Do you bother balancing sealed systems (i know you should)?

cheers

 

[oilman]

Of course you do. Whether it's sealed or not is irrelevant. People tell me their system doesn't work properly and it needs power flushing. Mostly it just needs bleeding and balancing.

 

[ingram]

This gives you a starting point. You can then check the boiler differential and set the pump speed, then work round the rads making small adjustments if necessary. quote]

A timely subject as I am just about to do this job after doing some work on my system and oilman's method looks good. I have done the balancing procedure before but not set the boiler differential.

I have pumped c/h, gravity fed h/w with cylinder-stat controlled shut off valve, running off an oil fired Worcester Danesmore.

Would you please advise on:-

1) Best water temperature to run the boiler at.

2) What the boiler temperature differential should be.

Sorry to hijack the thread but answers may be useful to original questioner.

Ing.