Why is downstairs radiator not working?

[Deleted member 267285]

Still no joy. Is there anything else?

Try what Terry has suggested. If upstairs works, and the piping behind that radiator looks ok, as in flow and return then it’ll be something else.

 

[terryplumb]

Thanks

I've gad the central heating on. So i will switch it off. Do i need to wait for it water to cool though?

Doesn't matter ,except the water coming out after a while will be very hot.

 

[veedee]

Fit the actuator head onto the Trv and turn it off. Leave lockshield fully open . Have a large container handy and open the air bleed valve ,let water run into container for 5 minutes ,have a second person topping up pressure. See if this shifts any air trapped in the return pipework.

Didn't have a second person.

But i opened up the air bleed valve, let the water run for over 5 mins

There was some minor spurting. Shut it off.. Topped up water

Bled a short time more

Then started system

And still nothing

 

[veedee]

Doesn't matter ,except the water coming out after a while will be very hot.

The water was never hot.

In fact the only time water has ever come out hot was when i opened the drain off at the botton of the rad

Why is this pipe never releasing hot water?

 

[terryplumb]

Did the pressure of water coming from the bleed valve drop to a trickle ? You really need to keep the pressure up whilst doing this ,even if you close the bleed valve ,go re pressure ,go back to bleed etc etc.
And this time do it for ten minutes fully.

 

[Deleted member 267285]

What about connecting a hose onto the drain off, leaving this open, and topping up pressure? Might work @terryplumb?

 

[terryplumb]

What about connecting a hose onto the drain off, leaving this open, and topping up pressure? Might work @terryplumb?

The drain cock is on the TRV / flow Chris . Trying to establish if return is full of air , (and if the lockshield is allowing water to pass ,which it seems to do)

 

[veedee]

Did the pressure of water coming from the bleed valve drop to a trickle ? You really need to keep the pressure up whilst doing this ,even if you close the bleed valve ,go re pressure ,go back to bleed etc etc.
And this time do it for ten minutes fully.

The pressure dropped to a trickle

Okay, i will give this a shot

But isn't it worrying that i have a bucket full of water from the bleed valve and none of it was warm?

 

[terryplumb]

The pressure dropped to a trickle

Okay, i will give this a shot

But isn't it worrying that i have a bucket full of water from the bleed valve and none of it was warm?

The radiator is full of cold water ,so until all of it is expelled ,together with any cold water in the return pipe ,only then will any hot come through. Hence the need for pressure top up whilst doing this trial ,and long enough time to clear any air present.

 

[veedee]

The radiator is full of cold water ,so until all of it is expelled ,together with any cold water in the return pipe ,only then will any hot come through. Hence the need for pressure top up whilst doing this trial ,and long enough time to clear any air present.

I gave it a good go.

I kept the pressure topping from the boiler

While expelled the water from the return pipe. Did this for a good ten minutes or so. Still nothing

I will gave to try again tomorrow.. For longer perhaps

In the back of my mind i do feel that the plumber cocked up and perhaps mixed the flow and return

Thanks for your help, you've been amazing!

 

[terryplumb]

Ok ,if you didn't get a lot of spluttering and air coming through ,that pretty much rules out air lock.
Don't bother trying again ,but do this instead.... Open the TRV and close the lockshield ,and perform the same testing ,bleeding / topping pressure for ten minutes. This will confirm water is flowing into the rad thru the TRV , and clear any air from the flow. After doing this ,open both rad valves but turn OFF all other rads by their TRV ,switch on central heating and leave running for 15 mins.

 

[veedee]

Ok ,if you didn't get a lot of spluttering and air coming through ,that pretty much rules out air lock.
Don't bother trying again ,but do this instead.... Open the TRV and close the lockshield ,and perform the same testing ,bleeding / topping pressure for ten minutes. This will confirm water is flowing into the rad thru the TRV , and clear any air from the flow. After doing this ,open both rad valves but turn OFF all other rads by their TRV ,switch on central heating and leave running for 15 mins.

My towel rad doesn't have a TRV.

What should i do with this rad?

 

[terryplumb]

Close one of its valves ,and make a note of how many turns / revolutions it takes to close. That way you can return it back to its original position later.

 

[veedee]

Ok ,if you didn't get a lot of spluttering and air coming through ,that pretty much rules out air lock.
Don't bother trying again ,but do this instead.... Open the TRV and close the lockshield ,and perform the same testing ,bleeding / topping pressure for ten minutes. This will confirm water is flowing into the rad thru the TRV , and clear any air from the flow. After doing this ,open both rad valves but turn OFF all other rads by their TRV ,switch on central heating and leave running for 15 mins.

System has been bled/topped. Switched off other trv's

I've switched on the boiler and opened up both valves on the problem rad

It hasn't been 15 mins yet, but i can already see that there is no heat coming to the rad unfortunately

 

[terryplumb]

You did fully close the lockshield on the problem rad and only open its TRV when doing test ,didn't you ?
Did you get a constant ,strong,stream of water from the bleed valve ?
If yes to both questions it's likely the rad is not plumbed in correctly.