radiator problem

[dd123]

Hi,

I am having a problem with radiators in my flat that i moved into recently. Since the cold weather kicked in i have been using them quite a bit. At 1st if i wanted to get any heat from them i had to have the thermostatic valve turned to 3 1/2 - no heat would come from them otherwise. this was fine cos it kept the rooms to a good temp.

yesterday i had the heating turned up to 5 (full) as some elderly relatives were coming round. Now my radiators wont heat up unless i turn them to 4 1/2 or 5. the radiator in my hall does not have a thermostatic valve and is roasting all the time. Ive tried bleeding the radiators but water comes out straight away! Im stuck!

Any advice would be greatly apprciated...

ps meant to say. i have a potterton combi 80 boiler.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Instead of worrying about whether the rads are on or not. Get a thermometer and check how warm the room is.
When the valves shut off its for a reason and that is that they are doing their job.

If you cover or crowd the sensors with curtains and furniture etc then they will not be able to do their job properly. Remote sensors are available for such instances or simply move the obstacles out of the way!

You wouldnt believe how many times I have been called back even after explaining this in detail to find that the customers still didnt understand how TRV's work.

Remember the end product is a warm room not a radiator that is 'on'

 

[Polly1]

The valves on your very hot radiator are probably fully open & allowing water to flow back to the boiler too easily. The others are getting less share of the hot water than they're due.

Also, if your main CH thermostat is in the same area as the radiator with no thermostatic valve, the whole system may shut down prematurely because the hallway is nice & warm, leaving the other rooms colder than you'd like them.

Turn down one of the valves on the radiator with no thermostat, you may need a spanner if you can't do it by hand. Restricting the flow to this radiator should increase the flow to the others. But I wouldn't turn it completely off.

 

[dd123]

thanks for your replies folks.

Slugbabydotcom, i understand what you are saying, but the radiators didnt come on as set yesterday morning in my freezing cold flat until the TRV's were turned to 4 1/2.

there arent any obstacles blocking them either. polly. i'll have a go with recommendation.

thanks again

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

but the radiators didnt come on as set

Have you checked your programmer settings

 

[dd123]

that, i think, would involve me taking the front panel off of my boiler - something im not comfortable with doing. the only controls that i have visible are the timer dial, a HW on/off switch and a switch for setting the CH to off/constant or timed.

a very simplistic set up!

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

the only controls that i have visible are the timer dial, a HW on/off switch and a switch for setting the CH to off/constant or timed.

Programmer = timer --- No need to take the cover off

 

[dd123]

ah, got you.

the timer settings change depending on what shift i am working and seem to work most times. the radiators are coming on now at between 3 and 3 1/2. even 2 earlier in my bedroom.

although saying all that, my boiler has locked out twice today. i have no idea why. the pressure is sitting at about 1 1/2. the only other time it locked out was just after i had had the radiators off to get my walls plastered and hadnt bled the radiators properly. and the potterton manual is terrible. offers no advice why there might be a problem.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Problem seems to be with your boiler then.
I know you are not keen on taking the cover off so it could be time to get someone in to investigate.

 

[dd123]

i thought that. to be honest, i could take the front off, but wouldnt have a clue what i was looking at/for!

will make some enquiries...

thanks