Uncontrolled rads

[PaulAH]

We have six smallish radiators in a conservatory on a spur of their own. Plumbed in parallel, they have no means of individual control so the first is hot and the last barely warm as flow is almost zero at the far end.

Some kind of valve is needed on each rad but lockshields would involve ripping out much of the pipework. The flow and return are so close to the rads that you can't bend the feed stubs sufficiently to allow for the bulkier lockshields.

Any suggestions? Much appreciated.

 

[kevplumb]

want to explain a bit more
i try but doris stokes im not

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

If Doris was so good, how come she never comes and talks through any of the new mediums etc, it's always someone we have never heard of

 

[PaulAH]

OK Doris, you can put away your ouija board.

There are six small rads plumbed as normal into the flow and return (this is a loop on its own, not serving any other rads). Each rad is fed by a short stub of vertical pipe (3-5 ins) taken by T-joint off the main run.

There are no lockshields or TRVs - just an elbow joint straight into each rad. So the rads furthest from the boiler hardly get warm because those nearest to the boiler are short circuiting the hot water. They all need regulating, perhaps with lockshields.

The problem is that the stubs are so short, they cannot be bent into a dog-leg to take the extra width of a lockshield (about half an inch). It's a physical problem. The only solution I can see is to rip out the flow pipe and start again, with the T pieces set half an inch to the left (or right). Even this would be simpler than trying to carve up the existing pipework to move the T's by a gnat's.

Can you see a more elegant solution - perhaps a different kind of valve, in a different place? Or by reconfiguring the six rads so the flow through them is more even without having to take out long runs of pipework.

Do you hear me, Mother?