How do I work this radiator?

Ruski

marlot wrote: »

In this picture, it seems the pressure is low in the system.

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Sorry Marlot - the pressure is 1.5 bar in this picture - suggest you get a plumber in

However OP, do as Marlot suggested in his previous post and open the towel rad valves a couple of turns, then turn off the programmer on both the HW and Heating sides. Give it half an hour then check the towel rad.


If it's cooled down then switch on 'heat' and see if the towel or the floor warms up.

Same process for the 'water' side too.

Bit of a case of trial and error, but you need to eliminate things one at a time.

One other thing to check - the valves on the pipework (the silver and white 'boxes on the pipes) haven't had their override lever set to 'manual' have they?

Also check that the thermostat in the bathroom effects the system once you have worked out which 'side' of the controller does what.

Lots to do - take you time and note the results.

Enjoy the joys of plumbing and heating!

Russ

Le_Kirk

As already stated by others, you should leave both valves on the bathroom towel rail open, if you close either one of them there will be no flow and therefore no heat. If you want to regulate the heat in that towel rail, unless you can find the source of the heat, then I suggest getting a TRV fitted. Is it possible that the towel rail is fed from the (hot) tank that you speak of in the cupboard. If there is a controller that "is supposed to override the towel rail" you need to find what controls that controller and from where the water is fed to the towel rail. It might be a timer or thermostat. What do you mean by controller? Is it a valve and/or an electronic box similar to your main heating controller.

marlot

Ruski wrote: »

Sorry Marlot - the pressure is 1.5 bar in this picture - suggest you get a plumber in

Doh! I should have spent more than 3 seconds looking at it!

Le_Kirk

marlot wrote: »

Doh! I should have spent more than 3 seconds looking at it!

The pressure at 1.5 bar, I would suggest is OK, if the picture was taken when the system was hot. Mine is 1.00 cold, 1.5 hot. I too was initially thrown by the photo but the red moveable indicator is the one that is low; shouldn't that be set at the desired setting, then consumers know when it is time to do something about it.

scarletjim

Right, the valves have been closed all day, so when I got in this evening the radiator was cold, as expected. So I went to the control box, and switched both 'Hot Water' and 'Heating' to 'Off', then opened the valves on the radiator a couple of turns each. Within 2 mins, the radiator was hot. The underfloor heating is not heating the bathroom at the moment, yet the radiator is still receiving heat despite 'Off' being selected on the control box, so I just don't understand how it works. That means I can't proceed with your other suggestions yet - the thermostat has no impact on the radiator at all at present - with the valves open and the control boxes set to 'off' the radiator is still hot 24 hours a day (until I close the valves, which I've just done).

One question: "One other thing to check - the valves on the pipework (the silver and white 'boxes on the pipes) haven't had their override lever set to 'manual' have they?" - sorry for being dumb, but which silver and white boxes on which pipes? I can't see silver and white boxes in any of my pictures.

Le_Kirk: Yes I guess it is absolutely possible, indeed likely, that the radiator is fed from the hot tank in the cupboard (how else could it be fed?). The 'controller' that I speak of is in that cupboard too, and is shown in my pic IMAG2326. Yes it is similar to my two main heating control boxes (eg. IMAG2334), but has one side to provide a hot water boost (for an evening shower for example), and the other supposedly to heat the towel rail radiator for an hour here and there when the underfloor heating is off, for example throughout the summer.

This for your continuing help guys - I must say you're very patient with me. I will give up and get a plumber if necessary, but want to go as far as I can with your guidance first if that's ok - I'll probably learn a few things at the very least!

Ruski

IMAG 2329 shows two small 'boxes' on the 22mm pipes, these are motorised valves and receive commands from the programmer to either open or close allowing the circuit to open as needed. These have override levers on them which can be left in the 'open' position, overriding any command from the programmer: you need to check to see if these levers are in the 'manual' position.

I've also just noticed in IMAG2330 a pipe in the background with a red handled isolator valve which then goes down and thru the wall - is this the feed to one of the towel rad valves?

Is your heating (for the rest of the house) on at the moment? Is the hot water on 24hrs, or just coincidentally timed to be on when you have been looking in to this? I ask this because the whole system must be 'active' in order to send water to the towel rail in one way or another - so was the heater and/or hot water on at the time?

My gut feeling now is that you have the hot water on 24hrs and the towel rad is on that circuit, hence the lack of 'controlability'

HTH

Russ

scarletjim

Aha now I'm getting excited! (Sad I know ) - having had a look this morning, you might be on the right track!

I've worked out which of the silver / white boxes relates to each heating button, and I can see them working (or trying to work), and it seems likely that this is the cause of the problem - let me explain:

When I press the button on the control panel to change the towel rail heating from off to on, the little black lever on top of the white box moves a little bit, so I can see that is the one possibly relevant to my problem. Hence I've added 4 more pictures, all different angles of that white box (a motorised valve with an 'actuator' if Google serves me correctly). It sounds likely to me that the 'manual lever' is stuck, allowing flow to both water and towel rail all the time, but how do I know? Which bit is the manual lever? There are 3 black bits sticking out:

1. The bit on top which moves when I change it on the control panel from 'off' to 'on'.
2. The bit on the side labelled A / B.
3. Another little bit sticking out on the left hand side.

The problem is, none of the 3 will move significantly when pushed, pulled or wiggled. Do you know which is the manual lever? Do you know which position it should be in? Do you know why it won't move?

Le_Kirk

Put Drayton Zone Valve Actuator ZA5 in Google and find a manual. This explains what the knobs and levers do. The bit on the side shows open (B) or closed (A). The others are explained in the leaflet. It is possible that the valve is trying to close but is stuck. It is a normally closed valve, i.e. it needs power to open and is spring return closed. It is possible the manual lever has got stuck in the open position but normally it reverts the next time power is applied.

scarletjim

Le_Kirk wrote: »

Put Drayton Zone Valve Actuator ZA5 in Google and find a manual. This explains what the knobs and levers do.

I tried that this morning, but couldn't find anything that explains what the knobs and levers do. All the links, either from suppliers or Drayton's own website, lead to a 2-page 'manual' which contains nothing about how it works or what the bits and pieces are, it just has dimensions and some vague bullet-pointed features. Do you know which bit I need to try to move, and which direction to move it? Do I just have to force the A/B lever to A? Will it damage it if I forced it with a screwdriver etc?

Ruski

Don't force anything or use a screwdriver!

From memory the lever on the top of the unit is the manual lever. When the system is 'off' you should feel resistance when moving the lever from left to right, if it moves freely then it is stuck in the open position.

The 'A' 'B' on the actuator (white bit) is an indicator to tell you if the valve is open or closed.

'Play' with the controls and make sure that these indicators are doing what they should be - you should hear the valve opening (bit like a clockwork toy sound as it opens and closes) and the indicator should move position.

Also try to work out the flow of water through the system: does it come in though the pipe to the left hand side of your pictures or up through the floor?

You might also be able to see 'A' and 'B' on the brassware - this indicates the 'in and out' of the valve - and is useful to know for diagnosis.

The same also applies for the Honeywell valve (the silver one), but it doesn't have an indicator on it, only a thin metal manual lever- again listen/feel the body and pipework to diagnose where the water is going.

Report back apprentice!

Russ