problem with 1 radiator upstairs

[crow11]

hi all new to the forums, dont usually do plumbing just electrics, but after some advice on my mums central heating system, i know the basics of central heating systems but was at my mums at the weekend which is 50 mile away, she says her bedroom radiator isn't getting hot at the bottom so i switched it on and yes its not getting hot at the bottom the system was only put in about 4 years ago and she as 1 of these care plans with b/g who do any repairs on the boiler which she as had them out about 6 times with boiler related problems its a ideal evo he30 (lol i know) 1 thing i noticed was the trv is on the return side and it doesn't say if it is 2 way or not, so i drained the system and removed the trv valve to make sure it wasn't stuck which it wasn't so took rad off and got hose pipe through it no restrictions water flows through freely, when i drained the system it was crystal clear and so was the rad when i ran the hose pipe through it so i dont think its a sludge issue, she doesnt know if it as always been like this since fitted of if it as just started, is there anything elese what could cause the rad not to get hot at the bottom, when you put the heating on the flow side gets really hot as does the top of the rad but the return pipe on the other side is just luke warm if that, my only other thinking is that it as always been like this and they have connected the pipe work wrong on this rad somehow, i put some heating cleaner in before i left and going back down this weekend to have another look cheers

 

[stoker122]

Is the balancing valve screwed down?

 

[crow11]

thanks for the reply, the balancing valve is open full for full flow and on the trv side i unscrewed the end off so that is on full flow just to make sure, when i go down at weekend i am going to shut all rads off apart form downstairs hallway which as no trv on it cause the thermostat is there and leave the bedroom fully open and see if that does anything

 

[stoker122]

It's sounds like restricted flow through the valves or pipework, I would consider taking a new TRV with me.

 

[crow11]

cheers matey will take a spare 1 and a normal 1 for the other side just in case,just wondering if they could of connected both sides of the rad to the flow side, just that at the moment the flow is on the normal valve side and the rest of the rads they have put trv's on the flow side jus a thought lol

 

[stoker122]

I very much doubt you would get any circulation if that was the case.

 

[dasgas]

hi crow11 what size pipework is going to the rads 8mm,10mm or 15mm,does the flow and return pipes feed the rads via a manifold if so then 1,the return pipe has been crushed or kinked 2,debris is blocking the return pipe at the manifold.

 

[SimonG]

Have you tried closing down all the other rads. If this one gets hot when you do that then the system might just need a balance.

 

[crow11]

the pipework is 10mm, not looked under boards yet so dont know how it is connected, going to switch all other rads off when i go back down at weekend to see if it becomes hot cheers