Balancing Radiators
 

Hello All,

I have a radiator problem, one of the replies to a previous post was to
balance my radiators. I looked at the FAQ pages and I'm still lost.

The FAQ talks of lock shield valves, can someone please explain in the
lowest terms. There are two valves on a radiator, are both LSVs or how
can I identify which is the LSV. To get the radiators to balance do I
close off one of the valves more the the other valve on the same
radiator or equal amounts?

For years my central heating has worked perfectly well, nothing has
been changed but recently some of the downstairs rads will not get
warm. Also when the pump is not switched on one of the upstairs rads
is cold although the others are hot.

Someone suggested there could be sludge in the cold rads, I took these
off, there was a small amount of dark liquid but no heavy sludge. I
washed them out with a hose, replaced them but I still have the same
problem of a cold radiator. As the system was when it worked, all the
valves on the radiators were fully open, most of the valves are now
difficult to turn, is there anyway I can free these off?

Any help at all would be most welcome.

Regards....Mike

On 8 Apr 2005 01:58:08 -0700, "Crewood" wrote:

Hello All,

I have a radiator problem, one of the replies to a previous post was to
balance my radiators. I looked at the FAQ pages and I'm still lost.

The FAQ talks of lock shield valves, can someone please explain in the
lowest terms. There are two valves on a radiator, are both LSVs or how
can I identify which is the LSV. To get the radiators to balance do I
close off one of the valves more the the other valve on the same
radiator or equal amounts?

For years my central heating has worked perfectly well, nothing has
been changed but recently some of the downstairs rads will not get
warm. Also when the pump is not switched on one of the upstairs rads
is cold although the others are hot.

Someone suggested there could be sludge in the cold rads, I took these
off, there was a small amount of dark liquid but no heavy sludge. I
washed them out with a hose, replaced them but I still have the same
problem of a cold radiator. As the system was when it worked, all the
valves on the radiators were fully open, most of the valves are now
difficult to turn, is there anyway I can free these off?

Any help at all would be most welcome.

Regards....Mike


The LSV is the valve with the small plastic cover which is usually
placed there to restrict access so it can't be turned.

Just remove the small plastic cover and you will get access to the
valve.

I've noticed on my system that all the LSV are wide open and all my
rads are hot.

Steve

Hello Steve,

Both the valves on all my radiators have removable white plastic caps,
one with the direction arrows. I'm worried that over a period of time
these caps may have been switched so I'm not sure which is the correct
valve.

Regards....Mike

In article .com,
Crewood wrote:
The FAQ talks of lock shield valves, can someone please explain in the
lowest terms. There are two valves on a radiator, are both LSVs or how
can I identify which is the LSV. To get the radiators to balance do I
close off one of the valves more the the other valve on the same
radiator or equal amounts?

The valves themselves are identical. One should have a cover so it can't
be fiddled with, so this is designated the LSD. Normally on the flow, so
check which pipe heats up first from cold.

The other becomes the service valve with an adjustable knob - usually
left full on, unless it's shut off completely.

--
*'Progress' and 'Change' are not synonyms.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Crewood" wrote in news:1112958748.049511.260110
@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Hello Steve,

Both the valves on all my radiators have removable white plastic caps,
one with the direction arrows. I'm worried that over a period of time
these caps may have been switched so I'm not sure which is the correct
valve.

Regards....Mike


Quick and dirty method.

First designate a lockshield valve on all rads; traditionally the
downstream (cooler) side.

Get an infrared thermometer, hopefully on sale somewhere; (not absolutely
essential but one of the best toy... tools you can get.

All valves fully open?

Find the hottest rad, and close down the lockshield all the way, and open
just a sniff. These valves are only effective as controls for about the
first 1½ to 2 turns, so half a turn as a first try is plenty.

After letting this settle, do the same for the next hottest, until you
get a rough balance. Try for about a 20 deg F /11deg C across the rad.

If desperate, shut the hottest rads right off, to make sure the presently
cooler rads heat up - if they don't there's a problem.

I found in my hovel I got a rough balance very quickly, in fact good
enough for jazz; but you also get a "feel" for your system, aaaand with
your new I/R thermometer you can tweak it accurately if you feel the
need.

HTH

mike

Hello all,

Thanks for th replies and the help, it seems to have worked. The cold
rads downstairs have warmed up for the first time in months.

Only thing I can't understand is why they started running cold in the
first place after working so well for years.

Thanks again....MIke

In article .com,
Crewood wrote:
Thanks for th replies and the help, it seems to have worked. The cold
rads downstairs have warmed up for the first time in months.

Only thing I can't understand is why they started running cold in the
first place after working so well for years.

The pump may have lost some efficiency? Or slight blocking of the rads or
pipes? A very small change in flow can make a big difference here.

--
*On the seventh day He brewed beer *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.