1 Radiator not working.......

[Les Murkitt]

Hi everyone, I posted a thread several years ago about this point & was informed that the way to resolve this problem was to turn all other rads off & the pump should push the hot water through this rad. Anyway it will not.
Any other ideas would be helpful. This rad will bleed cold water, the inlet valve gets warm but just will not pass through. I have uncoupled the inlet valve & return valve water comes out. Just cannot work out why it will not work.

 

[oz-plumber]

Do you have a thermostatic head on the control valve?
If so remove it and see if the pin is in or out.
May be worth pulling the pin up with some pliers and see if the radiator heats up

 

[Les Murkitt]

Do you have a thermostatic head on the control valve?
If so remove it and see if the pin is in or out.
May be worth pulling the pin up with some pliers and see if the radiator heats up

Hello Oz,
Thanks for your reply but no it is not a Thermostatic justa simple valve.

 

[oz-plumber]

If you can take the handle off, it may still have a pin there.
Some valves are made for thermostatic heads, but have a manual control valve installed.

If you can - post a pic of the valve

 

[Les Murkitt]

If you can take the handle off, it may still have a pin there.
Some valves are made for thermostatic heads, but have a manual control valve installed.

If you can - post a pic of the valve

 

[Les Murkitt]

Thanks again, check out the 2 pictures..

 

[steadyon]

1. When you uncoupled the valves, which nuts did you undo, the ones connecting the valves to the pipework (A) or the ones connecting the valves to the radiator(B)?
2. If A, then its possible one or other valve is blocked.
3. If B, then the radiator is blocked, provided the amount of water coming out is greater then the volume within the radiator. If only a limited amount of water came out, could still be one or other or both valve(s) blocked.

A further possibility is that both pipes to this radiator are connected to the flow or to the reverse of the "backbone" heating pipes. This might give some heat to the pipes, but no circulation.

 

[Les Murkitt]

1. When you uncoupled the valves, which nuts did you undo, the ones connecting the valves to the pipework (A) or the ones connecting the valves to the radiator(B)?
2. If A, then its possible one or other valve is blocked.
3. If B, then the radiator is blocked, provided the amount of water coming out is greater then the volume within the radiator. If only a limited amount of water came out, could still be one or other or both valve(s) blocked.

A further possibility is that both pipes to this radiator are connected to the flow or to the reverse of the "backbone" heating pipes. This might give some heat to the pipes, but no circulation.

Thank you I will try A & B later today. This radiator was working fine until I had a burst up in the roof sometime ago. I am wondering if I may have sat on a pipe & bent it causing an airlock. Does that sound a possability?

 

[Harvest Fields]

Close both valves all the way and open them
Back up again. Remember to count how many turns you have done

 

[Les Murkitt]

Close both valves all the way and open them
Back up again. Remember to count how many turns you have done

This may sound daft but this is when the system is pumping? Thanks..

 

[Harvest Fields]

Yes mate but do them one at a time.

 

[Les Murkitt]

Close both valves all the way and open them
Back up again. Remember to count how many turns you have done

Hi again, they are about equal 4 turns..

 

[Harvest Fields]

Close them both, then open them all the way then adjust them back to where they was mate.

 

[Les Murkitt]

Close them both, then open them all the way then adjust them back to where they was mate.

Hi, nothing but thanks. I think I need to remove the radiator & see if we have any flow to it at all ...can't work it out

 

[Les Murkitt]

Close them both, then open them all the way then adjust them back to where they was mate.

Hi again, I have no flow to the radiator only a trickle coming out,

 

[Harvest Fields]

Sounds like a blockage in the pipework then.

 

[Les Murkitt]

Sounds like a blockage in the pipework then.

Best way to clear this? If I fix a hose to the flow inlet should this do the trick.

 

[steadyon]

1. In your post #15, was this with the radiator and both valves removed? In other words, with the ends of both flow and return pipes completely open was there little or no flow?
2. You need to establish which pipe (flow or return, or both) is blocked.
3. It would be better to flush through from the other end of the offending pipe(s), for example, from the next radiator preceding / following this one, flushing into the open pipe end. If you flush from the open pipe end you run the risk of moving any blockage to another location.

 

[Les Murkitt]

1. In your post #15, was this with the radiator and both valves removed? In other words, with the ends of both flow and return pipes completely open was there little or no flow?
2. You need to establish which pipe (flow or return, or both) is blocked.
3. It would be better to flush through from the other end of the offending pipe(s), for example, from the next radiator preceding / following this one, flushing into the open pipe end. If you flush from the open pipe end you run the risk of moving any blockage to another location.

The return runs very well. Yesterday I removed the radiator & on refitting the rad it began to heat but the bottom was cold I think it had heated from the return until it settled down & went cold. So are you suggesting to flush it through from the return side of this radiator. This rad is one on it's own in the kitchen in other words it's flow & return come in from the airing cupboard behind the hot water cylinder but I can only see one 15mm pipe. See my picture attached.

 

[Harvest Fields]

what is that blue zone valve for?

 

[steadyon]

Lets assume then that:
1. You've tested it with open flow and return pipes.
2. The return pipe has adequate water going through it.
3. Therefore, the blockage, if any, must be in the flow pipe.
4. If you flush with mains pressure water from the open end of the flow pipe after removing the pipe from the offending radiator there is a risk that you will flush the blockage to some other place in the system.
5. If you find the other end of the flow pipe, which will either be at the zone valve for the heating, or at another, working, radiator, then:
5a. Disconnect it at that other end;
5b Flush through to the open pipe end located by the offending radiator. Doing so will tend to flush any blockage out of the open end, and no doubt into a bucket, rather than back into the system.

 

[Les Murkitt]

what is that blue zone valve for?

It controls the heating.

 

[Les Murkitt]

Lets assume then that:
1. You've tested it with open flow and return pipes.
2. The return pipe has adequate water going through it.
3. Therefore, the blockage, if any, must be in the flow pipe.
4. If you flush with mains pressure water from the open end of the flow pipe after removing the pipe from the offending radiator there is a risk that you will flush the blockage to some other place in the system.
5. If you find the other end of the flow pipe, which will either be at the zone valve for the heating, or at another, working, radiator, then:
5a. Disconnect it at that other end;
5b Flush through to the open pipe end located by the offending radiator. Doing so will tend to flush any blockage out of the open end, and no doubt into a bucket, rather than back into the system.

Thank you. I get what you mean but that is rather difficult to do I have no idea where the other end is once these pipes enter the wall into the airing cupboard it's so tight that without removing the cylinder you can see nothing. Thanks anyway

 

[Harvest Fields]

It controls the heating.

All of it?