extended radiator never gets hot, please help Help and information on all topics relating to your central heating, air conditioning and ventilation issues.

[mdfnenemer]

Hi all, As our house has a modest two bedrooms ,Twelve months ago we decided to convert the attached garage (dumping ground) into another bedroom. We carried out all the works ourselves exept for the electrics and plastering. This included fitting a radiator, at the time I took plenty of advice and it was decided that as we never used the kitchen radiator, we would simply extend the pipework (4ft on flow and 4ft on return) and move the kitchen rad into the newly converted garage. (*note* the kitchen rad worked very well before the move.). After we turned on the heating system we of course had a little air so the system was bled. Within the hour all rads were back to normal exept of course the newly moved rad. It has only ever had a lttle warth come from it and this of course is the problem I need help with... this is my young son's room. Please help.. Many thanks, Mark

[The Heating Doctor]

You have not said the size of the radiator i.e. height x width x single/double. Nor have you said size of pipework i.e. 8mm, 10mm, 15mm or if done in copper or plastic pipework. What type of boiler, what setting your pump is on. If you supply this info we may be able to help.

[mdfnenemer]

Hi again, sry for the lack of info.....the Rad is 300mm x 1000mm double panel.. Fitted new twelve months ago with new inlet valve and new outlet valve. I used copper fittings to make connections to the existing 8mm microbore I added 4ft to the flow and 4ft was added to the return from the original kitchen radiator which was removed at the same time. So in effect I extended one radiatior by 4ft from it's original postion. The system was flushed at the same time. My heating is a vented indirect system, the boiler is a Baxi WM 30/3RS and is about twenty years old and is serviced yearly. The pump is set to setting 1. Just some extra info.......The 8mm pipe coming out of the floor leading into the problem Rad just below the inlet valve is very hot I would say as hot as all the other pipes leading into the other Rads in the house. If I put my hand at the very bottom of the same Radiator next to the inlet valve the Rad is cool, barely any warmth at all. hope this is all you need to know, Many thanks. mark

[The Heating Doctor]

As a first step I would turn your pump up to number two, if that still does not clear the problem set pump to number 3, if you still have problems post again please.

[mdfnenemer]

hi again,
firstly thanks for your time, secondly I have tried both settings on the pump and let it run for around two hours but neither have made any difference.. mark

[The Heating Doctor]

What type of radiator valves do you have, is the inlet valve a TRV, if it is a TRV do the flow & return connect to the same valve?

[mdfnenemer]

Yes there is a TRV but only on the flow side, the return comes from the other end of the Rad.

[The Heating Doctor]

If you reused your old TRV the valve may have jammed in the closed position, take the head off the valve and try moving the pin in the top of the body, don't pull to hard as you may remove the pin. Also try opening up the lockshield valve to its full open position.

[mdfnenemer]

Many thanks heating Doctor for your advice. After checking both the TRV and the lockshield valve it turns out that the lockshield valve was almost closed off completely with just less that a quarter turn left to turn it off altogether. As both valves were fitted new I never concidered that it would only be partially open. thanks again.