behind rad boiler

[niro]

hi guys ive got a behind radiator boiler system, it works fine etc.. but the thing is what all of the radiators get warm except 2 which are upstairs, there is also a little water tank in one box room where you have to fill up when you bleed the rads, why arent these 2 radiators getting warm ive tired everything what can the problem be can anyone help please

 

[petit_pablo]

Fook me an old servowarm with urn on the wall to fill.
Try turning all the other rads off and see if they get warm. If so you need to balance the system as explained in the FAQ section. If not you most likely have a blockage

 

[niro]

dude is it that old lol, you know your info, yeah ive tired everthing,ive switched off all of the rads in the house and then ive turned on the two that aint working but they tend to get a little just a little warm from the bottom but thats it what the best thing to do. i think the flow pipe to the rad is hot but the return is every cold, water fills up in the rads coz ive changed the valve on the rad as i thought it but be that but it aint.i just dont know mate its driving me mad i tell ya. the water tank in the box room connects to the flow return pipe right and thats always cold but the flow to the rad is really hot, ive been bleeding them aswell untill there is no air but no luck

 

[petit_pablo]

Its probably about as old as me.

When you changed the valve what was the colour of the water like?

 

[niro]

it was really black and dirty but i drained all of the system today and quite a lot of the dirty water came out, and i had to keep filling that little bottle up in the box room,what do you think i should do? change the coppers pipes or take the rads off and jet clean them? the thing is that i dont really want to change i as yet as we are gona do some building work near in the future then we wil change it but not yet. the drain off valve doesnt work so i had to open up a rad at the lowest point and drain it off like that.

 

[petit_pablo]

You could try running a hose through the rads and through the pipes too. Not sure how you would stop water flying out of the urn though

There is a good FAQ by chrisR on how to mains flush

 

[niro]

ive put a stop clock in the urn pipe lol so that should so it trick right, just connect a hose up to the rad or rad pipe and turn it on do u think that should do it? but water fills up in the the cold rads? i dont understand

 

[petit_pablo]

Stopcock will help

The rad will fill due to the fact that water can get in via the flow. If the return is blocked then the heat cant circulate

 

[niro]

so the best thing to do is try and clean out those pipes by connecting a hose to it right hmmmmmmmmmm will give that a go and see what happens and its best to clean out the rads aswell right thanks matey you have been a star will give that a go tomar and see what happens i hope it does the trick, lets pray it goes. im gona jet was those pipes i think tomar lol , thanks again matey

 

[petit_pablo]

O and put down lots of old sheets / towels. That black muck stains a treat.

 

[doitall]

Cough.

If you stick a hose on anything, make sure the water is running out of another hose, because if you pressurize the system, you could be looking for a new one.

Far better and safer to take the rads outside and jet them.

 

[JohnD]

old? Black and dirty water?

it will have lots of old sediment in it.

Taking off the old rads (they will dribble black sediment when you take then off until you turn then upside down to carry them into the garden) and squirting then through with a hose will do a lot to wash it out. While you have them off, turn each rad valve on and let it squirt into a bucket. As long as every valve will squirt, you know you have at least some flow (if not you have a blockage which is much worse)

Put the rads back and refill the system, adding a litre of sediment-loosening cleaner such as Sentinel X400 which will cost you £15 at the DIY shed or plumber's merchant. Run the system as normal for 4 weeks, you will find the water goes inky black quickly, this is with old sediment that the chemical has loosened and is now washing round in the water

Then drain and rinse it well, and add a litre of Corrosion Inhibitor such as Sentinel X100 on final fill;,. This will prevent future corrosion.

That lot will take you a couple of afternoons work and cost you about £30, and will do a lot of good and get you out of trouble for now.

If you can do basic DIY plumbing there are some other things you could do that will improve the system without a lot of work or making big changes:

You could add a Feed and Expansion Tank in the loft (if you have one) that will prevent you having to manually top up your strange wall tank

You could replace the old rad valves with new lockshields at one end, and thermostatic valves at the other (I am assuming your old rad valves are extremely old and are liable to jam or leak). It will be cheaper, but just as much work, to use manual valves rather than TRVs

You could add a magnclean on a 22mm Vertical pipe on the return to the boiler. This will trap circulating black particles before they can form future blockages (you can never get it all out) and it will continue working permanently. I guarantee you will be amazed and delighted to see how much sediment it traps. The device will cost you about £100 and might take you an hour to fit if you are a DIYer like me.

Old systems can work for a surprisingly long time with a bit of care, so this could save you a lot of money and put off the time when you need on a professional upgrade

 

[niro]

hello guys, i done what you said to do and it has kind of worked at least one rad is getting hot from the top and a bit warm at the bottem (RAD 2) and the otherone is just warm from the top and coldish from the bottom(RAD 1) .i cleaned out the rads and also cleaned out the flow return pipe with a hose the one that is getting hot ( RAD 2) but didnt do the same thing to the otherone,should i do it again to the other one or use thse products you guys have recommend

 

[doitall]

Just as well do the lot, in for a penny as they say.

 

[sorethumb]

hello guys, i done what you said to do and it has kind of worked at least one rad is getting hot from the top and a bit warm at the bottem (RAD 2) and the otherone is just warm from the top and coldish from the bottom(RAD 1) .i cleaned out the rads and also cleaned out the flow return pipe with a hose the one that is getting hot ( RAD 2) but didnt do the same thing to the otherone,should i do it again to the other one or use thse products you guys have recommend

NO Plumber - Me

But sounds like the Rad is blocked I would take it off and revese flush it in the garden .