A pal's heating is really poor and various usual fixes haven't worked.
I am now wondering if a problem has been overlooked. Would it be possible for:
Do you mean electrically?
Get an infra red thermometer. That will show you which is flow and return.
You can also use that to check temperatures throughout the system. If, say, a rad is blocked, you'll get less temperature difference between flow and return.
You mean electrically in series? Seems unlikely, and quite possible it would not work at all.
What kind of valve?
Obvious options would be a valve that is stuck and not opening (although that would normally prevent the boiler even firing)
Or a stuck or "sluggish" pump.
I had to look at a friends setup last week, where the system was running, but the rads were only getting warm. After a bit of questioning it sounded like the boiler was short cycling, which suggested low or no flow though it.
So I looked at the pump, and it was running, but was making quite a bit of noise and vibration. So I turned the system off, popped the cap of the front, and tried to turn the impeller with a screw driver - It was quite stiff and rough feeling. Applying a bit of pressure with the screwdriver allows the impeller to push back into the body of the pump a bit. It could then be rotated more easily, and that shifted whatever crud was in there. Put it back together, and ran it again (knocking the speed up to max for a bit), and it ran much more smoothly and quietly. System worked fine after that.
so tell us what the temps are at the various locations. boiler in & out, radiators, hw coil, and how long it takes for the boiler to cut out after firing. And how big & what type the system is & whether it has a filter fitted.
NT
I am not going near it! /I know the pump and valve require his wife to begrudgingly empty a wardrobe and a panel has to be removed. It has had many "Free call-out / Heating Insurance people out to it. All have done their favourite money making jobs (Powerflush, new pump,etc.
I agree a thermometer would help
Dave Plowman (News) expressed precisely :
Across the rad, if it is blocked, there will be a LARGER temperature difference. If no flow at all, both pipes might well be cold.
Harry Bloomfield wrote in news:pra2cd$p1i$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:
My latest hypothesis is that one radiator is in series and the flow has to go through it. Since fitting TRVs it has become apparent.
My neighbour has put their heating on for the first time this evening and their pump can be heard through the wall, however on their side you can only just hear it. Not sure where it is, but I suspect its got some crud in it and needs sorting and possibly having some more resilient mountings so it does not use my party wall as a sounding board when it gets rough! Brian
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.