Radiators Not Heating Upstairs

techi

Hi All,
Hopefully someone can shed some light and help me resolve this.

Downstairs heating all good.

2nd floor radiators are heating about half way.
3rd floor only 1 radiator not heating at all.

I have bled radiators but only air, no water coming from any radiators upstairs.

The pressure gauge in hot press reads "0" when I think it should be around 1.5 bar.

I have attached a photo of what I think are the relevant bits, there is a stop valve behind the pressure gauge which is not show very well in photo.

Left pipe has two stop valves - main too tank and into pressure gauge left supply side.
Middle pipe hot water top of which is an air trap/stop.
Right pipe exit side of pressure gauge with a stop valve, and upto the small expansion unit in hot press or pressure tank.

Hope I have explained it ok.

Cheers

corkgsxr

Turn the bottom of it, the grey circle.

Can't see well in the pict. If the red handle valve is on the same pipe open that first

And close it all when you have pressure at 1.5 bar.

If it keeps dropping you'll need to find why

techi

No joy adjusting grey valve, currently in what I would call open mode.

At a loss, would appear left red valve is cold supply, grey to add pressure, and obscured red valve on right supply to rads.

Opened nut beside left red valve to check supply, sure enough I got water leaking.

Where it states 1.5bar on top, this cover removed there is a spring held down by a plastic inset screw - adjusting this makes no difference and bone dry.

Any thoughts?

corkgsxr

Tap the side of it with a hammer or something, not too hard, they can stick closed

Problematic doapy things

Take a pick from a diff angle hard to see last one

shane0007

corkgsxr wrote: »

Turn the bottom of it, the grey circle.

Can't see well in the pict. If the red handle valve is on the same pipe open that first

And close it all when you have pressure at 1.5 bar.

If it keeps dropping you'll need to find why

As Corkgsxr says, turn the grey knob on the underside of the filling valve anti-clockwise. Also turn the red round handle anti-clockwise first as previously stated.

techi

Pic1

techi

Pic2

Sorry guys this machine only allows 1pic at a time

corkgsxr

Much better pict, if it don't fill when you open the grey and red valve it's after sticking.

If a light tap don't make it jump open it needs to be replaced

techi

Pic3

Jazzmaster

As the lads say the grey head is an on-off valve. Under the cover with the sticker is a pressure adjustment screw. If you screw this in clockwise it raises the set pressure and vice versa. Sometimes when they stick it can be worth tightening this screw in as that can release the mechanism. Don't overdo it though. If it gets very tight without letting water through (you'll hear the initial gush of water) just loosen it back, turn off the grey valve and have it replaced.

Billy Bunting

Jazzmaster wrote: »

As the lads say the grey head is an on-off valve. Under the cover with the sticker is a pressure adjustment screw. If you screw this in clockwise it raises the set pressure and vice versa. Sometimes when they stick it can be worth tightening this screw in as that can release the mechanism. Don't overdo it though. If it gets very tight without letting water through (you'll hear the initial gush of water) just loosen it back, turn off the grey valve and have it replaced.

Naaa!!!! get a plumber, some of these guys might be better off talking about bikes than plumbing, i ask you, what are his credentials.

Jazzmaster

Billy Bunting wrote: »

Naaa!!!! get a plumber, some of these guys might be better off talking about bikes than plumbing, i ask you, what are his credentials.

Slightly off-topic there Billy......

Billy Bunting

Jazzmaster wrote: »

Slightly off-topic there Billy......

No your taking it off topic, you issued the same advice earlier.

Jazzmaster

Billy Bunting wrote: »

No your taking it off topic, you issued the same advice earlier.

Nothing to add to this thread then?

techi

Think it's had it's day, have tapped until it shouted back saying "ahh here leave it out"

Tightened that plastic screw on top to no avail

As for get the plumber out that was my first port of call, three times and I said sure ill have a go.

I'd have no bother replacing it seem its a one way flow pressure valve thingy sure the shop will know what I want. )

shane0007

techi wrote: »

I'd have no bother replacing it seem its a one way flow pressure valve thingy sure the shop will know what I want. )

You will still need to drain the upstairs heating circuit to replace it, unless you are in a bungalow of course. Mains can be isolated by red gate valve (if it is not letting by) but you may have some water on right, though little as pressure is zero.

If it were me, I would not get a new auto fill valve but change to a filling loop with built in pressure gauge. Safer and much cheaper. I would also give the system a once over as if you have zero pressure, where did the water in the system go, possible leak. Also while the pressure is a zero, check the pressure of the expansion vessel to make sure it is not split or deflated. Then refill.

techi

Shane I assume when you say drain its from the valve on the bottom right in this pic?, and as for a loop would I be right in thinking its the same as what I have only without the directional flow valve.

shane0007

That valve looks like it is for draining down the cylinder. If the cylinder is upstairs, there will not be a drain valve upstairs. It will be downstairs so it will have to be drained from there, but just enough to empty the upstairs and cylinder coil volume.

The filling loop is a flexible hose with a built-in double check valve and two isolating valves. Some can take a gauge straight into them and are easier for a DIY'er as the gauge just screws into it with some PTFE round the thread. Once fitted, it should be disconnected from the heating side and the safety cap screwed on.

shane0007

Like this
https://www.google.ie/search?q=filling+loop&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=UNyeULSJBpOwhAfWuIDQCA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=768&bih=928#biv=i|43;d|e3B9wMFG3uAYFM:

techi

Will be a few days before I get near it in work at 6am so sleep required

Thanks very much to all for help so far, I will attempt and let you know how I got on.

techi

Well guys I went to local hardware today couldn't get a filling loop with gauge out of stock, so I got another auto fill valve.

Connected it up and it's now working upstairs I have bled all upstairs rads, however 1 small point I can hear some gurgling from the tank in hotpress.

Do I need to bleed more to allow air escape? Or have I done something wrong

corkgsxr

techi wrote: »

Well guys I went to local hardware today couldn't get a filling loop with gauge out of stock, so I got another auto fill valve.

Connected it up and it's now working upstairs I have bled all upstairs rads, however 1 small point I can hear some gurgling from the tank in hotpress.

Do I need to bleed more to allow air escape? Or have I done something wrong

Any bleed point on top of the coil?

shane0007

The heating flow pipe should have an automatic air vent fitted, but is probably screwed closed. It will be a small brass cylinder with a screw cap on the top of it. Unscrew the cap and see if air comes out and if you, re-pressurise.

shane0007

corkgsxr wrote: »

Any bleed point on top of the coil?

Snap again!