Really Dumb Question re. Radiator Balancing

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My first post, so please be gentle with me.
I need to balance my brothers rads. He has a combi downstairs, and the flow and return pipes go into the ceiling above boiler (22mm then 15mm pipes).
These pipes then either drop down through ceiling for downstairs rads, or come through the floorboards for the upstairs rads. There are 11 rads in total.
Now, I've read the FAQs re. balancing, and armed with my clip on thermometers, I realise I need to start with the nearest rad to the boiler and work towards the furthest rad. As all the pipework is hidden in the floorspace with only the tails dropping down or up to the rads, how do I know which order the rads are in (ie. nearest to furthest)?
Is there any easy way to find out the radiator sequence, Poss using the thermometers?
Many thanks in advance.
 
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normally they will be the furthest from the boiler. you ould just run round and make a note which ones get hot first.

If the system is not very big (not many rads) then it might not even need a balance as all rads will get enough.

however if req close nearest to boiler and progresively open frthest away
 
not important which rad you do first, they are parallel if installed correctly that is.
 
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? just parallel, as in: not in a loop.
Most MI’s have a diagram in them. if you don’t have the manual, imagine a trailing lead with 4 “sockets” the current does not go in the first, then out and into the second etc.
 
Its really dead simple, first open all lower valves to each radiator fully, then open the thermostat full on each and every one.

Go and feel each rad, the ones that are hot, shut the adjuster (bottom valve) off and reopen about 10% only.

Now check all the other rads again, with a bit of luck, some more will be getting hot, shut the bottom valve of each of these and reopen about 20%.

If anymore rads need adjusting, just do the same and add about 10% each time.....

Proceed further until all radiators are hot, let it run for say 30 minutes and check them all again.

If one of the first ones that were first hot are cooling off , open their valves a single turn further. Check and repeat if necessary....

Wait 30 minutes, check all again.....etc etc.

Work out the percentage open of the valve by counting the turns from full open to fully closed. Be careful, some valves allow the plug to come out fully when fully open....

Make sure that you have bled all air out of the system before starting!!

With balancing, you do not need to know which rad has the shortest distance from the boiler.....just follow the above procedure carefully.
Each rad needs to present aproximately the same resistance to the water flow, no matter how far from the boiler!!![/u][/b]
 
For a first post Andy that's a very useful one - have copied it into my own little file :)
 
I hope I got the principal over in a way thats easily understood, if anyone did not fully understand, just let me know roughly what was not understandable and maybe I can post a digram or something....

Thanks for the message and have a great day.
 

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