radiator cold at bottom tried everything

[inspectorgadget123]

the radiator in my lounge will not heatup the return pipe is cold and only the top is warmish, have turned off both rads on the branch makes no difference
also took it off and hosed it out.

could either of the valves been duff ? this rad is feed from a ceiling drop

the system is only a couple of years old

 

[tincup]

Hi


Might be a partial blockage in the pipework.

When you had the rad off did you check the rad valves pass water?

HTH

 

[inspectorgadget123]

Hi


Might be a partial blockage in the pipework.

When you had the rad off did you check the rad valves pass water?

HTH

briefly should i open both fully and drain the lot down ?

 

[JohnD]

turn off all the other rads in the house and see if this one warms up.

Have you used a cleaning chemical yet?

He meant open each valve and see if water squirts out freely into a bucket.

We are not ready for a drain down yet.

What came out when you used the hose?

When the system was fitted, was a corrosion inhibitor added?

 

[inspectorgadget123]

turn off all the other rads in the house and see if this one warms up.

Have you used a cleaning chemical yet?

He meant open each valve and see if water squirts out freely into a bucket.

We are not ready for a drain down yet.

What came out when you used the hose?

When the system was fitted, was a corrosion inhibitor added?

tried that

no chemical cleaning whole system is only 2 years old.

clear water came out

sentinel x100 was used

 

[Agile]

Did you do the bucket test?

See FAQ.

Did it work OK before?

Have you moved or changed any other rads which may have upset the balancing.

Tony

 

[JohnD]

turn off all the other rads in the house and see if this one warms up.....

...He meant open each valve and see if water squirts out freely into a bucket....

...tried that ...

And what happened?

 

[inspectorgadget123]

well took the rad off and blasted it through opened both the trv and lockshield fully into a bucket put it back on refilled system and removed air locks low and behold the rad is hot now

no sludge came out the water was clear i just dont get it !

 

[JohnD]

FFS how many times to I have to ask?

turn off all the other rads in the house and see if this one warms up.....

...tried that ...

And what happened?

 

[inspectorgadget123]

FFS how many times to I have to ask?

turn off all the other rads in the house and see if this one warms up.....

...tried that ...

And what happened?

its working now did you not read correctly ?

my issue was that i do not understand what the hell was causing it

 

[dormermike]

FFS how many times to I have to ask?

turn off all the other rads in the house and see if this one warms up.....

...tried that ...

And what happened?

its working now did you not read correctly ?

my issue was that i do not understand what the hell was causing it

Im seeing a similar thing OP. I think its an air lock in the outlet piping, causing restricted flow. I had one rad show NO air at bleed point, rad was hot at top cool at bottom, outlet. Opening drain outlet and lots of air expelled. Guess air doesnt always rise to top of rad.

Edit.. just a general point but i find this theory easier to believe than there being a pile of sludge at bottom of rad. Sludge being magnetite would conduct heat fairly well? I guess sludge sells more power flushes though.

 

[inspectorgadget123]

FFS how many times to I have to ask?

turn off all the other rads in the house and see if this one warms up.....

...tried that ...

And what happened?

its working now did you not read correctly ?

my issue was that i do not understand what the hell was causing it

Im seeing a similar thing OP. I think its an air lock in the outlet piping, causing restricted flow. I had one rad show NO air at bleed point, rad was hot at top cool at bottom, outlet. Opening drain outlet and lots of air expelled. Guess air doesnt always rise to top of rad.

Edit.. just a general point but i find this theory easier to believe than there being a pile of sludge at bottom of rad. Sludge being magnetite would conduct heat fairly well? I guess sludge sells more power flushes though.

i had a feeling it was an air lock somewhere as the downpipes had a dripping hiss sound, which i guess cannot be made unless their is a gap i.e air somewhere in the pipe.

 

[oilhead]

To save all the removal and replacing, I always try bleeding with first the flow valve closed and thre return open, followed by return closed and the return open. bleeding with both valves open doesn't always clear airlocks as water always finds the easy way.