No water flow meter installed (Under Floor Heating)

Spir4

Hello,

When trying to find out how to set up my UFH the best way I often see people explaining how to regulate the water flow to different sections using the Water Flow meters, but my UFH doesn't have those installed. Is this a bad thing?

Here's what I'm talking about:

And this is my setup:


Thanks!

Spir4

Can anyone help me with this?

RedFraggle

It's less efficient as it's all on or all off. Looks like you could have it retrofitted though. 

Spir4

Could there be a reason why they wouldn't have fitted it, besides cost cuttings?

Mutton_Geoff

Yours is a lockshield manifold as opposed a flowmeter manifold in your other picture. Do you have the instructions for the set up of these? Presumably each of your zones has it's own stat going back to the controller?

I imagine flow meters are available to fit to your lockshields if you can find the make of the manifold and check they are a standard size. £2 each and an easy DIY job to fit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpCoGRjWFfs

Spir4

Mutton_Geoff said:

Yours is a lockshield manifold as opposed a flowmeter manifold in your other picture. Do you have the instructions for the set up of these? Presumably each of your zones has it's own stat going back to the controller?

I imagine flow meters are available to fit to your lockshields if you can find the make of the manifold and check they are a standard size. £2 each and an easy DIY job to fit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpCoGRjWFfs

No I haven't got any instructions. After a bit of googling, I assume to adjust the flow you have to remove those hexagonal nuts at the top of the manifold (where the glass tube flow meters are usually installed), and then there's a way to adjust the flow?

I assume the glass tube flow meters and the lockshield flow regulators do exactly the same, just a different way?

Mutton_Geoff

I'd undo one of the top caps and see what's underneath (after turning flow/return off and depressuring manifold). Are the Honeywell items just valves that open and close or are they adjustable? It's odd there is no apparent way to balance your system.

Spir4

Mutton_Geoff said:

I'd undo one of the top caps and see what's underneath (after turning flow/return off and depressuring manifold). Are the Honeywell items just valves that open and close or are they adjustable? It's odd there is no apparent way to balance your system.

The Honeywell actuators are just open/close ones.

Mutton_Geoff

Do the Honeywell valves have temperature probes sending a signal off somewhere to a smart thermostat/control system?

Spir4

Mutton_Geoff said:

Do the Honeywell valves have temperature probes sending a signal off somewhere to a smart thermostat/control system?

No they don't 🙁

Mutton_Geoff

For £2 each, I'd buy a set of four flow controls and see if they fit. It's important to balance the system as shorter pipe runs will be hogging the water and deprive room(s) with longer run.

I'm assuming each room has it's own stat? What controller do you have?