part heated rad

[Poynton Plumber]

hi,
i've justed replaced a 7000 btu rad with same output vulcan designer
rad (https://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/skins/popups/scene7.jsp?skuId=9677705).

it takes ages to heat and then only a few of the columns are hot.

it also seems to have taken some of the heat off the other rads

i have a trv on the rad.

any thoughts/suggestions??

Steve

 

[Deleted member 2053]

Some of the B & Q rads I have fitted will only work in one direction. Check that you have fitted it exactly as it says in the instructions.

 

[Poynton Plumber]

thanks for the quick response

there were no specific instructions as to how and where the the valves were to be fitted.

i have the flow on the bottom right and the return on the bottom left.

when the hot water first gets to the rad, it's the third column that gets hot first, and then radiates out from there eventually.

steve

 

[Deleted member 2053]

Some of them are quite decidedly top in bottom out. I would suggest you have speaks with the manufacturers before you start looking for other causes.

 

[CharterGAS]

is the trv on the right side or is it reverse flow?

 

[Deleted member 2053]

continuation... the other 'feature' of some of these is that they have internal pipework which takes the flow from the bottom entry point and directs it to the top of the rad. Hence if connected the other way around it behaves very strangely.

 

[Poynton Plumber]

is the trv on the right side or is it reverse flow?

the trv is actually on the left hand side which is the flow.

it's bi-directional and it's set correctly (checked and rechecked)

 

[Poynton Plumber]

continuation... the other 'feature' of some of these is that they have internal pipework which takes the flow from the bottom entry point and directs it to the top of the rad. Hence if connected the other way around it behaves very strangely.

As i said before, there were no specific instructions as to direction or "way up".

i have emailed B&Q, which is where my client got it from, for any other info, but not heard back as yet.

i am back to the job tomorrow to drain and put the protector in, would you suggest changing the flow to the top, just to try?

Steve

 

[PipeStrangler]

Like grahamep said some of these designer rads do have a baffle arrangement inside them. They are bottom fed - but need the F&R to be the correct way around.

I think some also need a blank on the baffle knocking out if you want to fit them horizontally.

Did one like this on Green Lane (near Boars Head) last month. Customer supplied rad, it was from B&Q, and there were instructions with it which confirmed the connection requirements.

Rgds, Jon (Poynton Plumbers).

 

[Sean]

I have had the same problem with one of these. No instructions at all, swapped over F&R and low and behold, all working fine now. Maybe the manufacturer should specify ths more clearly.

Cheers
Sean

 

[Poynton Plumber]

many thanks for all the advice and responses.
the rad is working fine now.
the customer was a bit concerned that the bottom of the rad wasn't getting hot, just warm, whilst the top was too hot to keep your hand there.
the rad is 6 foot tall so by the time the heat starts to radiate down to the bottom, the room/trv has come up to temp, and so switches off.
thats my theory anyway, and the customer has a nice warm living room and is happy.

regards,
steve