One radiator suddenly switched off

breaking_free

RESOLVED: It was a balancing issue. Posting this update to help anybody who has this problem in future.

Problem was that a radiator suddenly stopped working. After much twiddling of lockshield valves, turning all heating off except the affected radiator, leaving it for a couple of days, etc, the duff radiator started working again. Problem then moved to the next radiator along - that stopped working. 
What fixed it was opening the lockshield valves slightly (turning them anti-clockwise) NOT just on the cold radiator but also the one upstream that had previously stopped working. As they're in sequence they affect each other, so fiddling with just one wasn't resolving the issue.

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As the title says: I turned the heating on this morning and everything kicked into life as it should INCLUDING the now non-working radiator. After an hour or so it suddenly stopped working.

Things I've tried:
- bleeding this radiator
- turning both valves (valve on right-hand side that controls the temp and left-valve which controls flow)
- turning off all other radiators and leaving only the non-working one on for 40 minutes

None of these actions have worked. All pipe work is fully lagged and covered in the loft by 300mm of rockwool. The boiler is in the garage (again with lagged piping) and no external pipes.

The non-working radiator WAS working this morning but suddenly switched off. Radiator is mounted on an internal lounge wall so no pipework outside. The left-side (I am sure this is the 'in-flow' pipe) does not get hot either.

Any ideas? 

grumbler

breaking_free said:

- turning both valves (non-trv on right-hand side that controls the temp and left-valve which controls flow)

Are you sure it's not TRV on the right?

breaking_free

My post was unclear so I've edited it: there is no trv on either side. The left control seems to be for the flow and the right control is for the temperature (or such is my guesswork). The image above shows the left valve which I have turned anti-clockwise to ensure it is open.

jefaz07

What is on the right?

breaking_free

On the right looks the same but it turns much more - this is why I believe it controls the temp.

grumbler

breaking_free said:... the right control is for the temperature (or such is my guesswork). .

Is it that hard to post a photo instead of guessing?

breaking_free

Right-hand side

breaking_free

UPDATE: Just found the hot water tap in the kitchen isn't working...something to do with this? No water is coming out of it.

SergeantBaker

breaking_free said:

UPDATE: Just found the hot water tap in the kitchen isn't working...something to do with this? No water is coming out of it.

There’s obviously a problem but hot water and heating are separate. 

grumbler

SergeantBaker said:

breaking_free said:

UPDATE: Just found the hot water tap in the kitchen isn't working...something to do with this? No water is coming out of it.

There’s obviously a problem but hot water and heating are separate. 

...sharing the common boiler.

Is it a combi boiler, without a HW cylinder?

grumbler

breaking_free said:

Right-hand side

Any chance of the front view? I think the round nut can be unscrewed and the top part removed, exposing a spring-loaded pin controlling the flow. This pin has to move up and down freely.