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Balancing radiator conundrum (Read 8398 times)
londonman
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Balancing radiator conundrum
Mar 18th, 2016, 1:56pm
 
I was trying to balance up my radiators.  I'd got to the point where you have all the valves (lockshields and TRVs) open and then turn on the CH and note down the order in which the rads heat up.  Thing is the rads furthest from the boiler never heated up!

Do I need a different pump?
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thescruff
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #1 - Mar 18th, 2016, 9:30pm
 
Turn all the other rads off and if the furthest one gets hot no you don't.

Last one leave the LS valve fully open then work your way back to the boiler turning each rad off 1/2 turn more than the rad before.
example 2nd last 1/2 turn, 3rd last 1 turn, 4th last 1.5 turns 5th last 2 turns, etc then you can tweek then so they all get roughly the same.

Also check the TRV isn't stuck on the one that doesn't work
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londonman
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #2 - Mar 19th, 2016, 9:33am
 
OK..thanks for that.  Will give it a go.
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londonman
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #3 - Apr 7th, 2016, 3:22pm
 
I'm afraid that I have to report back a complete, abject failure.  

I've gone the other way which is to leave the rad furthest from the boiler fully open, sh*t down all others and then gradually crack them open a tiny amount until I can hear water flowing.
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thescruff
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #4 - Apr 8th, 2016, 9:26am
 
But did the one that didn't work get hot or is there another problem like a blocked pipe or stuck valve
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londonman
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #5 - Apr 8th, 2016, 12:38pm
 
It sort of got a bit warm.  The valve isn't stuck but the pipe (plastic) is probably partially blocked by some black crud. That's the trouble with that early Hep20 plastic pipe.  

I'll have to live with it !
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #6 - Apr 8th, 2016, 5:40pm
 
londonman wrote on Apr 8th, 2016, 12:38pm:
It sort of got a bit warm.  The valve isn't stuck but the pipe (plastic) is probably partially blocked by some black crud. That's the trouble with that early Hep20 plastic pipe.


I wonder if anyone has tried taking Hepworth to court over their crap pipes?
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londonman
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #7 - Apr 9th, 2016, 10:14am
 
I don't know.  What I do know is that I never got a reply to my polite email to them asking for their comment on this blocked up pipe.

...

This pipe connected to a copper pipe as part of the same run and yet the copper pipe remained clear.

Ergo Hepworth pipe is crap.
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #8 - Apr 9th, 2016, 10:59am
 
You should try and change it as it will cause corrosion in the rads etc.

Have you tried a mains flush on the dodgy pipe ??
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londonman
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #9 - Apr 9th, 2016, 6:30pm
 
I removed as much of the old pipe as I could but there is some left in inaccessible places and pretty much blocked. I tried power-flushing but unless there is some sort of flow to begin with, PF doesn't work.

I've also put a Magnatite in circuit - wish I'd known about them (if they were available 20+ years ago, that is) when I put the system in.
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #10 - Apr 10th, 2016, 9:54am
 
That looks awful! Is it just Hepworth pipe or is this a problem with other such plastic plumbing? Because I've started using JG stuff more often than I would prefer, being of the oldskool variety, but it does save a shed-load of time. I particularly like using it in attics as I find them to be a major fire hazard and often difficult to navigate..
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thescruff
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #11 - Apr 10th, 2016, 10:18am
 
Headrush, The 1st plastic pipe was for domestic water, but was used by plumbers to lash up heating systems and save bucket loads of cash. however it was discovered that it was permeable (let in air) so Barrier pipe was introduced.

Londonman.

Use a couple of hose pipes, connect one to drain and one to the pipe then blast it with mains pressure, clears most blockages.

Warning. disconnect the pipe from the radiators as depending on mains pressure you can damage the radiators and boiler
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #12 - Apr 10th, 2016, 12:17pm
 
My Hepworth pipes looked exactly the same as Londonman's, ie blocked up with solid black material. My pipe specifically said along its length suitable for central heating, so you can't blame plumbers for using it and I think Hepworth have a lot to answer for.

I tried blasting my system clean with mains and got a full bucket of solid black magnetite out of the system, some pipes wouldn't clear though ( even with 5 bar air pressure from my spraying compressor) and I replaced those and fitted two Magnacleans, but within 12 months half the rads had stopped working again.
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londonman
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #13 - Apr 10th, 2016, 9:57pm
 
thescruff wrote on Apr 10th, 2016, 10:18am:
Headrush, The 1st plastic pipe was for domestic water, but was used by plumbers to lash up heating systems and save bucket loads of cash. however it was discovered that it was permeable (let in air) so Barrier pipe was introduced.

Londonman.

Use a couple of hose pipes, connect one to drain and one to the pipe then blast it with mains pressure, clears most blockages.

Warning. disconnect the pipe from the radiators as depending on mains pressure you can damage the radiators and boiler



You haven't seen our mains pressure !!   Or lack of.
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Re: Balancing radiator conundrum
Reply #14 - Apr 10th, 2016, 11:46pm
 
I have if it's in London  Grin
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