Radiator knackered?

[Redhotferrari]

Hi Guys,

Just after some clarification of a problem.

Combi system, up to correct pressures, one radiator in house does not get hot and the rest are toasty warm!

Thinking the valves might be faulty, closed flow and return, drained and removed offending rad, opened each valve individually and get a nice powerfull flow of water through both untill pressure drops to zero, so would assume that the valves being faulty and a blockage in pipework is not to blame.

Flushed rad through with mains pressure outside, got some crap out but nothing out of the ordinary, water flowed from one end to the other well whichever position i held the radiator.

Refitted rad and still the same problem.

Closed all other radiators in the house down and at best the offending rad got luke warm!

Hope you agree that the radiator has died as cant think of anything else to try!

Many thanks

 

[glasgowgas]

look at FAQs at top of page, and look for "balancing ch system"

 

[Redhotferrari]

How can balancing the system be relevent here? ALL other rads closed and hardly any heat from the one radiator!

 

[glasgowgas]

fair enough.... im out

 

[gblades]

You seem to have ruled everything out.

When only that radiator is on are the inlet and outlet pipes hot?
If they are then it sounds like there is still a blockage inside the rad but the water can still flow through it (i.e not circulating round the rad but just straight through).

 

[Redhotferrari]

TY blades,

When the rest of the rads are turned on, the flow and return to the problem rad are cold.

The only way I can get ANY heat into that one is by turning all the others off.

Cheers

 

[honda]

nowhere have you mentioned that you bled the radiator......did you?

 

[gblades]

So there must be a blockage somewhere. Either in the pipework or the radiator.

Any way you can connect both of the pipes together (i.e bypass the radiator) and then see if they get hot?
If they get hot then it would have to be the radiator.

 

[gblades]

nowhere have you mentioned that you bled the radiator......did you?

If the rad wasnt bled then the pipes would still get hot.

 

[Redhotferrari]

Yes I bleed the rad!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really difficult to connect the flow and return without the rad on sue to the valve connections, this was my first thought.

Bearing in mind that when the valves are disconnected I get a nice constant and fast flow from the valves intil the bar pressure reaches zero, I just imagine a blockage in the pipework.

 

[D_Hailsham]

Firstly, has the rad worked properly in the past or has it always been like this?

opened each valve individually and get a nice powerfull flow of water through both untill pressure drops to zero, so would assume that the valves being faulty and a blockage in pipework is not to blame.

I would agree. That rules out the valves and pipe blockage to/from radiator

Closed all other radiators in the house down and at best the offending rad got luke warm!

How hot was the flow pipe compared to the flow of other rads?
Was there a noticeable difference between flow and return temps of the rad when it got luke warm?

Hope you agree that the radiator has died as cant think of anything else to try!

Not sure how a rad can die. It may spring a leak or sludge up, but that is normally shown by the rad cold at the bottom and hot at the top.

When the rest of the rads are turned on, the flow and return to the problem rad are cold. The only way I can get ANY heat into that one is by turning all the others off.

So the other rads have taken all the heat. Is the problem rad furthest from the boiler?

 

[Redhotferrari]

Hi,

The flow was not as hot to the offending rad as the others.

Could not be certain as strange layout but would say its not the furthest rad from boiler, its a three storey house, this one is on the middle floor, ll other rads get hot!

Starting to drive me bloody mad!

 

[D_Hailsham]

You have not answered this question

Has the rad worked properly in the past or has it always been like this?

 

[Redhotferrari]

Update for you!

Hailsham could not answer your question as not my radiator or house!

After finally getting the ok to make some damage, investigated some more and eventually found a completely blocked tee on the return.

So all nice and toasty hot, just part of a ceiling to replace tomorrow!