Hi,

One radiator is only heating for the lower few inches, the top half
remaining cool or cold. When trying to bleed it, nothing comes out -
i.e. I hear no air being forced out and nor does any water come out.
The pipes before the valves are hot and hot after the valves - is it
likely a valve is stuck or sludged and the heat is by conduction?

Suggestions as to where the problem may be? TIA

Geoff wrote:
Hi,

One radiator is only heating for the lower few inches, the top half
remaining cool or cold. When trying to bleed it, nothing comes out -
i.e. I hear no air being forced out and nor does any water come out.
The pipes before the valves are hot and hot after the valves - is it
likely a valve is stuck or sludged and the heat is by conduction?

Suggestions as to where the problem may be? TIA
Sounds like both pipes or valves are blocked if you cant bleed water or
air out of it.

"Geoff" wrote in message
...
Hi,

One radiator is only heating for the lower few inches, the top half
remaining cool or cold. When trying to bleed it, nothing comes out -
i.e. I hear no air being forced out and nor does any water come out.
The pipes before the valves are hot and hot after the valves - is it
likely a valve is stuck or sludged and the heat is by conduction?

Suggestions as to where the problem may be? TIA

What type of system do you have i.e. sealed (combi boiler) or gravity fed
i.e. hot water storage cylinder somewhere? If the former then pressure up
your boiler via the filling loop (braided hose underneath usually) then
bleed radiator concerned, the pressure will force out the air. If the
latter have you tried removing the bleed screw completely, do not loose it
and have it close by!! Then using a suitable prodder clean out the vent hole
in the radiator, if it has been 1/2 empty for a while the vent hole may be
crudded up. This happened to me once and that sorted it.

HTH

John

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Geoff wrote:

Hi,

One radiator is only heating for the lower few inches, the top half
remaining cool or cold. When trying to bleed it, nothing comes out -
i.e. I hear no air being forced out and nor does any water come out.
The pipes before the valves are hot and hot after the valves - is it
likely a valve is stuck or sludged and the heat is by conduction?

Suggestions as to where the problem may be? TIA

If you have a vented system, check that there's some water in the F&E
tank[1] in the attic. It's fairly common for the ball valve to seize up due
to infrequent use, and for the water to evaporate. This would certainly fit
your symptoms.

[1] The small tank which keeps the primary circuit topped up, not the large
cold header tank for the domestic hot water system.

--
Cheers,
Roger
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On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 14:42:22 -0000, "John"
wrote:


"Geoff" wrote in message
.. .
Hi,

One radiator is only heating for the lower few inches, the top half
remaining cool or cold. When trying to bleed it, nothing comes out -
i.e. I hear no air being forced out and nor does any water come out.
The pipes before the valves are hot and hot after the valves - is it
likely a valve is stuck or sludged and the heat is by conduction?

Suggestions as to where the problem may be? TIA

What type of system do you have i.e. sealed (combi boiler) or gravity fed
i.e. hot water storage cylinder somewhere? If the former then pressure up
your boiler via the filling loop (braided hose underneath usually) then
bleed radiator concerned, the pressure will force out the air. If the
latter have you tried removing the bleed screw completely, do not loose it
and have it close by!! Then using a suitable prodder clean out the vent hole
in the radiator, if it has been 1/2 empty for a while the vent hole may be
crudded up. This happened to me once and that sorted it.

Gravity fed. Will try your suggestion. Thanks.

On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 15:20:17 -0000, "Roger Mills"
wrote:

If you have a vented system, check that there's some water in the F&E
tank[1] in the attic. It's fairly common for the ball valve to seize up due
to infrequent use, and for the water to evaporate. This would certainly fit
your symptoms.


Thanks but the tank is fine.

Regards.

On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 15:32:05 +0000, Geoff
wrote:

{snip}

Looks like a blockage in the radiator. Loosened the bolts at the top
and managed to bleed it. Thanks all.

In message , Geoff
writes
Hi,

One radiator is only heating for the lower few inches, the top half
remaining cool or cold. When trying to bleed it, nothing comes out -
i.e. I hear no air being forced out and nor does any water come out.
The pipes before the valves are hot and hot after the valves - is it
likely a valve is stuck or sludged and the heat is by conduction?

Suggestions as to where the problem may be? TIA

well, this eejit here has spent some time today trying to get the
radiator in the spare room working

.... having forgotten that he turned the rad valve off last year

how embarrassing


so, sounds like you have either done the same as me, or you have a stuck
valve

Do you have a TRV on it, with a stuck pin ?

--
geoff

"Geoff" wrote in message
...
Hi,

One radiator is only heating for the lower few inches, the top half
remaining cool or cold. When trying to bleed it, nothing comes out -
i.e. I hear no air being forced out and nor does any water come out.
The pipes before the valves are hot and hot after the valves - is it
likely a valve is stuck or sludged and the heat is by conduction?

Suggestions as to where the problem may be? TIA

Older systems frequently had the pump in the return pipe to the boiler,
and with this layout you may find that if you try to bleed a system with
the pump running, the radiator may be close to, or even below
atmospheric pressure so very little happens. Worth trying bleeding with
the pump off - not much lost if it makes no difference.


--
Kevin Poole
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