Heating System

[baguio2007]

Have a 2 yr. old semiD with oil central heating - firebird heatpac burner just outside back door.
The system has two circulatory electrical on/off switches just inside back door - one for upstairs and one for downstairs.

Downstairs runs 100% - with the valves fully opened on all rads.
Upstairs i'm having difficulties with - can only get 3 of 8 rads working properly. Thought it was a balancing issue but when i turn off a couple of the working rads upstairs, still none of the others come on?

Q1. Can i assume that downstairs is on a seperate circuit - so it doesnt matter if valves are fully opened - has nothing to do with upstairs right?

Q2. Given if above, can anyone confirm that this is not a balancing problem? Is it more likely to be lack of water in system??

Theres no airlock - have checked all rads for this.

 

[theplumber]

I take it that when you say there is no airlock you are getting water from
rad vents upstairs. therefore not lack of water.

I see many heating systems that cannot be properly balance as there is no balancing valve on the primary cylinder circuit. Usually found on the return pipe leaving cylinder.

Regards The Plumber

 

[baguio2007]

I take it that when you say there is no airlock you are getting water from rad vents upstairs. therefore not lack of water.

Thats right.

I see many heating systems that cannot be properly balance as there is no balancing valve on the primary cylinder circuit. Usually found on the return pipe leaving cylinder.

Forgive my ignorance but shows two gate valves and ...on the pipes connected to my cylinder. Should i be making any adjustment to any of these?

Was i right in my initial post as regards leaving downstairs alone as it must be a seperate circuit?


ps. rang a plumber last wednesday and he said he probably couldnt make it out this side of christmas! (thought things had slowed down?). So despite my ignorance, need to sort it out myself.

 

[theplumber]

the first of those valves is probably cold feed fromtank to the cylinder

for changing hot water tap washer.

the second one with square spindle is drain cock for draining cylinder
when the above valve has been turned off. no need for plumber that you are going to employ to touch either

Pumped heated water from boiler often prefers to go straight through the coil and back to boiler as its the biggest pipe,

These primary flow and return pipes will be down on the side of the cylider one above the other about 20ins apart. There is usually a balancing valve on the lower one where it leaves the cylinder when your plumber closes it down a bit the whole house starts to heat. as many installers leave it fully open.

If you have a programmer with separate hot water control or a thermostat strapped on the side of the cylinder connected to a motorized valve which functions perhaps to alow hot water priority and control domestic hot water temp then ignore all of the above.

Even though I certainly do not advise DIY plumbing or heating you do have the right to know a little theory.

ps why did you only ring one busy plumber take a peek at radtesting.com or do you live in Siberia.

 

[davidoco]

Find the circulating pump (it might be out in the heatpac) and turn it up to III

See if that changes things. Although with 8 rads upstairs you may already have it at III . 8 rads upstairs takes a lot of pumping especially if it's all on 1/2" pipe. As previous poster said you have to acknowledge that water will take the route of least restisence and that may be through your cylinder coil so have a think about that and locate the controls that manage that (maybe post picture of pipe going into upper side of cylinder and coming out lower side).