Turning off valves

[Anthony Mayfield]

Hi,

I have a vokera linea 24 and it doesn't appear to be pushing the hot water around my radiators. I've just moved into the house and it could be it didn't work before or it could be related to my taking off the radiators in the rooms for redecorating (I've set the pressure).

I've been looking online and I'd like to take a look at the pump to see if it is clogged with sludge. It recommends that I turned off the two valves on the left hand side, however as you can see from the images the valve on the left appears to need a special key I can't find online (A have a large flat head screwdriver but it doesn't appear to be wide enough). The other valve I've been told to close doesn't appear to have a valve at all!

Can someone please help, I've been looking online for hours now and haven't gotten anywhere.

Many thanks,

Anthony.

 

[Doggit]

It almost looks as though the valves aren't completely open, but what was the condition of the rads when you took them off. Was there a lot of black sludge pouring out of them when you lifted them off the valves. It's unlikely to be sludge in the pump, so I'd leave that one for now. Make sure the valves are fully on, and then close off each rad, and start by opening the rad nearest the boiler, and then work from there. But I think the boiler needs a service/overhaul. Did you add inhibitor to system when you refilled it?

 

[Anthony Mayfield]

Thanks for the reply. The manual says to move the valve a 1/4 turn but I can't find any tool that could turn a valve like the one on the left, do you know what I should be looking for?

In an update I think I've found what the issue is, I pulled off the diverter valve motor and voila I now have a warm radiator! Only the one closet to the boiler though, none of the others came on I'm going to try tomorrow fiddling with the rad valves and what not. I guess the motor itself has failed but I'll test tomorrow by undoing the electric wires and switching between the two pins myself just in case it's not the PCB board.

I didn't put inhibitor into the system so I'll look into that tomorrow, I also agree with your comment about the overhaul, I am thinking about just getting a new boiler but obviously with the £2k cost it's a big consideration. There wasn't a lot of black sludge coming out of the rads when I changed them just a small amount really, but the water was quite black but not too viscous until the last few drops.

 

[Doggit]

It's possible that you should have flushed the rads out when they were off the wall, and this'll need doing when you get a new boiler, but I suspect you're okay for now. Do you know how to balance the system. Yo have a lockshield on one end with a cap on it, and the on/off valve on the other end, or are there thermostats instead. The on/off valve gets opened fully, but the lockshield valve gets opened just a half turn to start with, and then you adjust up of down as you want the rad to warm up faster or slower.

 

[Anthony Mayfield]

Thanks Doggit, I'll check those tomorrow, I just turned them on the whole way so I guess it means all the flow is going through that one radiator.

 

[ianmcd]

do not turn those valves or you will have to replace them they will leak

 

[Hot&Cold]

As what he ^ said.

Them valves from your photo look suspect,you need to confirm they are 100% open and not leaking water,there are other reasons for poor ch circulation its a process of elimination.

Dont forget its bankholiday weekend so if you up a part,you wont get a replacement quick.

 

[Doggit]

I just turned them on the whole way so I guess it means all the flow is going through that one radiator.

It's an easy mistake to make for a beginner; the trick is getting enough heat into all of the radiators at the same time. You may find a coin held with a pair of molegrips will open up the valves on the boiler.

 

[Anthony Mayfield]

Thanks Doggit, it looks like I won't have to turn the flow off now but that's a great tip for the future.

Thanks to the others as well for the advice on getting another part ready

 

[Madrab]

Looks like the return valve's (right) head has been sheared off, it should have the same square head on it as the flow (the left one), an adjustable spanner or correctly sized open ended spanner will fit it. As the guys say though, 75% of the time they will leak if they haven't been used in a long time.

Time to get someone in and sort it out, is what I'd recommend.