Vertical bathroom radiator cold whilst pipes become hot after some time.

[Zak K]

First time poster. Grateful for any and all advice.

Just had the radiator changed in the bathroom and found it's ice cold. The pipes get hot after a while but radiator still cold. I've tried the following with no luck:

- Bled the radiator (No luck)
- Turned off all other radiators in the house to force hot water through (No luck)

Read alot about TRVs but the not sure what to do with the valves fitted. They are from screwfix. Not sure if they're TRVs or not (See photos)

Could it be a closed valve? Not sure what to do or how to get the radiator working.

Would appreciate all and any advice.

 

[RigidRaider]

Hell's teeth! What a mess! Did your plumber leave those pipes sticking out and not fit some covers to hide the broken tiles? And what's that mark on the bottom left of the rad? Did he scratch the chrome with his spanner? I'd be ashamed to have left it all in that mess and not cleaned it up.

Neither of those valves can take a TRV. Possibly the plumber was following the doctrine that at least one radiator should always be fully open so that the pump is never working against closed valves. Have you tried opening or undoing both spindles? One of them is supposed to regulate the flow so your plumber may have closed it almost fully in an attempt to balance the flow between the rads.

If you haven't got the valve caps with the splined holes to fit onto the spindles, you can turn the spindles by gripping them firmly from the side with a pair of broad pliers but take care not to tear the splines off, that brass is soft.

 

[Hot&Cold]

- Bled the radiator (No luck)

so all the air is out and water issued from the bleed valve ?

Could it be a closed valve?

Assume both the valves on that fancy rad are fully open,Depending on type of heating system consider the pipes feeding that rad could be off the hw circuit and the cylinder stat may be satisfied so as a test temporarily increase the cylinder stat temperature and see if the rad heats.

Check the radiator installation paperwork for any obvious install errors.Very important.

a few basics,more available

 

[HERTS P&D]

Is the flow and return fitted the correct way round?

Andy

 

[Zak K]

Thank you for the replies... Trust me it's been eventful with the plumber!

Not sure if the flow and return are fitted the right way but the pipe on the left heats up (flow) and the pipe on the right stays cold (return). Would that have an affect?

Also would like to try increasing the cylinder stat temperature but don't know how to do that. Could you explain for a mere lament like myself.

Thanks in advance

 

[Newboy]

Increasing the cylinder temperature won't affect the radiator temperature (unless the bathroom rad is on the cylinder circuit).

To increase the cylinder temperature turn the cylinder stat up! (clockwise)

 

[Newboy]

Have you followed the earlier advice?

1) When you bled the radiator did air and/or water come out of the bleed valve? (post #3)
2) Have you checked that both rad valves are open? (post #2)

Do you have the manufacturer's fitting instructions or the make/model of rad to hand?

 

[RigidRaider]

We did have a new raditor fitted in my office a few years ago, which absolutely refused to heat up. Eventually they took down the false ceiling downstairs and found that both the flow and the return were plumbed at different places to the same pipe!

 

[cross thread]

on some vertical rads they have a inlet /outlet connection that must be followed ,it will say in installation notes or some have a label attached

 

[Zak K]

Again thanks for the advice.

- Checked and inlet/outlet are in the correct positions with correct flow and return
- Have bled the rad and water comes out
- Both valves have been turned fully anticlockwise and still only left pipe gets hot
- Rad is generic so no make/model

In terms of the cylinder stat....where would it be located?

Could there be a blockage?

 

[algas]

I think the rad will have to come off to check for a blockage, I had one like this and upon flushing out with garden hose a snail popped out, well cooked so just wolfed it down smothered in garlic butter, eh haw eh haw eh haw!

 

[Zak K]

Napkin at the ready! Not sure I'm cut out to take off the rad and check for blockage. Is it quite tricky?

 

[RigidRaider]

Not tricky at all.

Close the two valves. Open the bleed screw. Place a bowl under one of the big chromed nuts that attach the valve to the radiator tail and loosen the nut, waiting patiently while most of the water dribbles out. Jiggling the valve around might help. Once the flow stops, unscrew both nuts fully, pull the valves away and lift the radiator off its brackets while catching the last water with a towel. The only complication I can foresee is that the pipes emerging from the wall are very short so there may not be much wiggle room to allow you to disengage the raditor tails from the valves - you might need to break up the filler that the plumber has stuffed in around the pipes so as to allow them to move outwards a little.

 

[Madrab]

Get the installer back in, if the previous rad worked out and warmed up properly and they supplied and fitted the new rad then it's their responsibility to ensure it works correctly.