My lockshields do nothing at all.

[JamesAsus]

In an effort to balance my system i have been adjusting lockshields on all my rads.

None of my rads have TRV's on them and the system is 30 years old (boiler is a combi and is 3 years old).

Adjusting the lockshields on the rads has literally done nothing in terms of speed to heat the radiators up, even at a TINY fraction open where you can hear water flow noises there is still no difference, basically all my radiators heat up at the exact same time apart from a new one ive had installed.

Opposite my lockshield valves is the standard manual on/off valve with the cap that turns with the valve.

Is it possible i dont even have lockshields and i just have manual on/off valves on each side of the radiators? One which turns using the plastic cap and one i need pliers to adjust?

 

[BlueLoo]

Lock shield valves have mad authority. Even opening the valve 1/4 turn gives about >50% flow.

Why are you wanting to limit your rad outputs?

 

[JamesAsus]

Lock shield valves have mad authority. Even opening the valve 1/4 turn gives about >50% flow.

Why are you wanting to limit your rad outputs?

But opening mine literally 1/16th of a turn seems to give it full flow.......

 

[JohnD]

But opening mine literally 1/16th of a turn seems to give it full flow.......

Literally?

What speed is your pump running?

Edit, oh, you have a combi.

 

[JamesAsus]

Literally?

What speed is your pump running?

Edit, oh, you have a combi.

Yes literally.

 

[JohnD]

In the old days before TRVs I sometimes turned down the manual valves at both ends for a reduced flow.

Pliers will damage the spindle. Take the knob off the other end, it will probably fit.

 

[gas112]

Is it possible i dont even have lockshields and i just have manual on/off valves on each side of the radiators? One which turns using the plastic cap and one i need pliers to adjust?

They are usually the same valve just with different caps

 

[Mike13]

It is usually a 1/4" AF or the newer hard metric ones are 6mmAF, so a 1/4" AF spanner will make less mess of the end than pliers will.

 

[BlueLoo]

Imho, "Balancing" was really for old, badly designed plumbing systems with crap pumps and asthmatic boilers.

Most modern systems are well able to heat up rooms quickly regardless.

Just shove Trvs on the rads and let them do the rest.

Unless you have a 10000btu rad in a broom cupboard, it will shake itself out.

 

[ianmcd]

Imho, "Balancing" was really for old, badly designed plumbing systems with crap pumps and asthmatic boilers.

Most modern systems are well able to heat up rooms quickly regardless.

Just shove Trvs on the rads and let them do the rest.

Unless you have a 10000btu rad in a broom cupboard, it will shake itself out.

Sorry my friend but you are very much mistaken on this one

 

[BlueLoo]

Sorry my friend but you are very much mistaken on this one

Thanks.