Worcester Greenstar CDi Compact - Return Temp (i14) much higher than pipe surface & rads

[MilindPuri]

Hi, I have moved into a 2 bed flat built in the 90s and trying to figure out why I heating problems even though the central heating and boiler "works" something is not quite right. There is a separate issue of a communal extractor system always pulling air out of the bathroom which I will ask the neighbours about separately, here I ask about a particular heating situation discovered after balancing the radiators.

System & Balancing:

• Worcester Greenstar 28 CDi Compact ErP in a 2-bed flat, installed in the kitchen.
• Pump: Mode 4 (Max Constant Pressure).
• Balancing: The lounge radiator is undersized for the large room, so I have opened the lockshield an extra full turn to maximize flow. All other radiators have TRVs/lockshields dialled back specifically to prevent them from stealing flow.

The Issue: The lounge and kitchen area (open plan) is taking an excessively long time to rise from an overnight 14°C to 19.5°C, with significant cold spots in the far end of the room from the single (undersized) radiator. Gas usage is high (55-70kWh/day including showers and hot water usage) because the boiler appears to be throttling or cycling prematurely. Reflective foil has been installed behind all the external wall radiators in the flat and the lounge radiator has 2 x 5 fan units running on the top to move the air through faster so as to get the heat to reach the cold spots.

Despite prioritizing the lounge, the radiator surface struggles to get past 50°C. However, the boiler's service menu i14 (Return Sensor) reports 60°C.

Temperature Facts:

• Boiler i14 (Return): 60°C.
• Manual pipe reading: 45°C on the Return pipe at the filter. (Measured using a digital kitchen thermometer held firmly against the copper pipe).
• Lounge Radiator: 50°C (measured with a radiator fan sensor and the same digital kitchen thermometer)
• Outside Temp: 2°C–5°C.

Question: How can the internal i14 sensor see 60°C when the physical return pipe entering the boiler is only 45°C and the radiators are at 50°C?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Johntheo5]

Possibly because the internal bypass is opening which it may do if the pump speed is very high and a possible restriction in the main heat exchanger, have a look at i16 which will give the pump speed (modulation) in %., with boiler running.
Is this the pump setting you are using?

Edit. Also what is the flow temperature?
Also, note the boiler modulation. i17,