Heating/plumbing question.

[wrightclan]

Does anyone know about balancing radiators? My question is, if you have TRV's, is there any point in balancing the system? i.e. withTRV's fitted, should all lockshield valves be fully open; or should it still be balanced just the same? This is all assuming, of course, that your 17 year old son doesn't turn the TRV up full, the second he feels the slightest chill. :roll:

Any advice would be appreciated.

Brad

 

[OLD]

There are always some radiators that heat up quick i always reduce the flow to them so the temp through the house comes up evenly.

 

[CHJ]

Does anyone know about balancing radiators? My question is, if you have TRV's, is there any point in balancing the system? i.e. withTRV's fitted, should all lockshield valves be fully open; or should it still be balanced just the same? This is all assuming, of course, that your 17 year old son doesn't turn the TRV up full, the second he feels the slightest chill. :roll:

Any advice would be appreciated.

Brad

I do not know what the professional take is, I personally like to get a balance with TRV's fully open, then if someone in the household is a fresh air freak or a door has to be left open for prolonged periods the Fully Open TRV will not starve the other rads.

One of my neighbors complained that most of the house radiators were cold during the day but the kitchen one was always hot despite having bled them all. Needless to say she had the kitchen windows and door open most of the time, I just throttled the lockshield down until flow was diverted elsewhere.

 

[RogerS]

You need to start with the furthest rad IIRC from the boiler. Turn on the CH thermostat so it doesn't keep cuttin in/out. Turn off all other rads with the TRVs. At the furthest rad, turn the TRV on full, turn the lockshield down to allow a small amount of flow, adjust until temp diff between flow and return is nominally 20 deg C.

Move on to next rad and open up the TRV, repeat with lock shield. You may get to the point where you can't get the 20 deg difference. Then you need to increase your pump speed IIRC. But you may also find that you will need to go back to the earlier rads to fine tweak ...as you move on through the house.

If you have all your rads with a TRV then you should have a short bleed path between the flow and return to allow some trickle of flow when all the TRVs have turned off..otherwise you can knacker the pump.

You will also find that you'll get many other alternative ways to balance the rads :lol:

Places like mapling have cheap temp modules that you can clip onto the flow and return if you want to be really accurate...make sure you get the ones with the higher temp range..

 

[andrewm]

You need to start with the furthest rad IIRC from the boiler. Turn on the CH thermostat so it doesn't keep cuttin in/out. Turn off all other rads with the TRVs. At the furthest rad, turn the TRV on full, turn the lockshield down to allow a small amount of flow, adjust until temp diff between flow and return is nominally 20 deg C.

...

Places like mapling have cheap temp modules that you can clip onto the flow and return if you want to be really accurate...make sure you get the ones with the higher temp range..

What I found when trying this is that the temperature differential goes all over the place as the boiler cycles. As the inlet temperature rises the differential does too. The differential thermometer had apeak reading feature that was useful but when used in differential mode did not record the peak differential.

In the end I did it manually (approximately two turns on the lockshield and then adjust as appropriate). Seems OK but there is still part of me that would like to get it exact.

Andrew

 

[RogerS]

Andrew..did you try maxing the bolier tjermostat out at the same time to try and minimise cycling?

 

[wrightclan]

Thanks all for your advice.

Places like mapling have cheap temp modules that you can clip onto the flow and return if you want to be really accurate...make sure you get the ones with the higher temp range..

Roger are the temp modules you are referring to the simple analogue units, or something digital? I can't seem to find anything in the catalogue. I've looked under "temperature," and under "thermometer" and can't find anything suitable. I have the clip on thermometers that are analogue (dial), but I think something digital (faster response) would be more useful.

Brad

 

[RogerS]

How about this one? IIRC the temp range is OK.. I can't remember if 50 deg went high enough.

 

[wrightclan]

Thanks Roger,

I don't think 50 deg. is high enough, but you've pointed me in the right direction.

Brad

 

[RogerS]

Brad

I've got four of them somewhere or other I'll try and rummage around and see what the ranges are. I know that two are OK..

 

[andrewm]

Andrew..did you try maxing the bolier tjermostat out at the same time to try and minimise cycling?

Yes, boiler thermostat is permanently maxed.