Balancing radiators confusion

Nuggy96

I just had bigger new radiators put in around the house (long and different story). I'm now in the process of balancing them by turning the lockshield valves. However, I've noticed that my towel rails in the bathrooms I can't get the lockshield valve cap off (picture below) and those radiators seem to get hot first and stay hot for the longest. Even if I turn the TRV setting to 0 the radiators heat up fastest and stay hottest the longest. I've tried to pull and screw the lockshield cap off but no movement. I've also noticed that the towel rails have copper pipes going into them rather than PVC for the normal radiators. Any ideas what's going on? Thanks in advance

bris

Forget the cap, Lockshields just turn open or closed.

Fully open them then them close them a little at a time until you're happy.

BUFF

That could well have been installed as the bypass rad.

ThisIsWeird

As Bris says, don't they just turn the valve as is? If so, I think I'd go straight to the fully closed position - fully clockwise - and then open them a full turn. Use that as your starting point - open and close in half-turn steps as required.

The TRVs should be fully open when balancing.

Nuggy96

bris said:

Forget the cap, Lockshields just turn open or closed.

Fully open them then them close them a little at a time until you're happy.

Issue is the lock shield doesn’t turn (photo above) I thought it was a cap but it won’t pull over or rotate… other side of the radiator is the TRV so this must be the lock shield?

Nuggy96

ThisIsWeird said:

As Bris says, don't they just turn the valve as is? If so, I think I'd go straight to the fully closed position - fully clockwise - and then open them a full turn. Use that as your starting point - open and close in half-turn steps as required.

The TRVs should be fully open when balancing.

Issue I’ve got is that I can’t turn the valve even with mole grips. That’s why I thought it was a cap over the valve but I can’t seem to pull it off or turn it

ThisIsWeird

Nuggy96 said:

bris said:

Forget the cap, Lockshields just turn open or closed.

Fully open them then them close them a little at a time until you're happy.

Issue is the lock shield doesn’t turn (photo above) I thought it was a cap but it won’t pull over or rotate… other side of the radiator is the TRV so this must be the lock shield?

Yes, that will be the lockshield.

I know you won't want to force it, but sometimes the spindle will have seized in the gland after a few years, so will be stubborn to get moving again - try it firmly (but not excessively) in both directions.

But first check the cap top for a screw - is there one? If so, undo it to remove the cap, and then you can use a spanner/wrench on the exposed spindle. Or, does the cap top have a removable disc that can be prised off to reveal a screwhead? Looking at the pic, there could be - you'll need summat sharp like a blade, but take care not to scratch the plastic.

ashe

Isn't it generally advised not to have TRV's on bathroom radiators due to bathroom temps fluctuating rapidly?  

Nuggy96

ThisIsWeird said:

Nuggy96 said:

bris said:

Forget the cap, Lockshields just turn open or closed.

Fully open them then them close them a little at a time until you're happy.

Issue is the lock shield doesn’t turn (photo above) I thought it was a cap but it won’t pull over or rotate… other side of the radiator is the TRV so this must be the lock shield?

Yes, that will be the lockshield.

I know you won't want to force it, but sometimes the spindle will have seized in the gland after a few years, so will be stubborn to get moving again - try it firmly (but not excessively) in both directions.

But first check the cap top for a screw - is there one? If so, undo it to remove the cap, and then you can use a spanner/wrench on the exposed spindle. Or, does the cap top have a removable disc that can be prised off to reveal a screwhead? Looking at the pic, there could be - you'll need summat sharp like a blade, but take care not to scratch the plastic.

Ahh genius, yes just done it. Thanks a bunch 👍