Radiator valves wrong way round?

[Cursitor Doom]

Hi all,

I'm putting in yet another radiator, but in this instance have been
unable to ascertain which pipes emerging from a wall are which. Given the
physical surroundings it's not possible to trace them back.
The rad I'm connecting up will have a plain valve at one side and a
thermostatic one on the other. I'm resigned to connecting it up both ways
in turn and seeing which works better. Is there a more scientific method,
though, and if not, how much difference in temp should I expect between
right way and wrong way?

cheers,
cd.

[Fredxxx]

Most TRVs allow for fitting on either of the flow or return.

[Graham.]

Infra-read thermometer, failing that feel the pipes with your fingers
after turning on the rad, the flow pipe will get warm before the
return.
I think you can put a TRV on the return side without serious effects

--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%

[newshound]

Agreed. If the body has an arrow on it, though, you need to send the
flow that way.

[The Medway Handyman]

On 08/05/2015 20:39, Cursitor Doom wrote:

Most TRVs are multi directional.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

[Cursitor Doom]

On Fri, 08 May 2015 22:02:03 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

> Most TRVs are multi directional.

Unfortunately, this particular one isn't.

[harryagain]

"Cursitor Doom" <cu...@notformail.com> wrote in message
news:mij97u$d3b$3...@dont-email.me...

> On Fri, 08 May 2015 22:02:03 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:
>
>> Most TRVs are multi directional.
>
> Unfortunately, this particular one isn't.

Assuming the whole system is drained down.

Turn off the circulating pump isolating valves.
Disconnect another radiator (as close as possible to mystery pipes.)
Close valves on all other radiators
Connect a garden hose to one of your mystery pipes.
Turn on water and see which pipe it comes out of on disconnected radiator.
It will be the same (flow or return) as the one the hose pipe is connected
to.

[Mike Clarke]

Make a temporary connection between the two exposed ends. Run the boiler
for a few minutes and see which pipe gets warm first.

--
Mike Clarke

[Brian-Gaff]

This may be a silly idea, but if the pipes are metal ones can one not just
measure the resistance from the nearest known pipe, ie the one which the
directions known in, to the end of the cut pipes in turn. I'd have thought
it a fair bet the lowest resistance was the closer to the known one.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active

"Cursitor Doom" <cu...@notformail.com> wrote in message

news:mij3df$d3b$1...@dont-email.me...

[DerbyBorn]

?
>>
>> cheers,
>> cd.
>>
> Most TRVs are multi directional.
>

I have some TRVs on the return - they are supposed to be reversable - but
they start fluttering as they close and cause resonation. I intend to
rotate them 90 degrees rather than swap ends.

[Tricky Dicky]

When we moved into our present bungalow we had to move a couple of radiators, so I took the opportunity to replace a couple of odd radiators which looked like they were quite old. Every valve/TRV was replaced exactly as before only to find after re-commissioning the system all but one radiator was the wrong way. However, the system worked OK despite that. It turned out the boiler flow and return were mixed up when it was replaced some 3 months before the house was put up for sale. Since then I have corrected the fault by sorting out the monkey puzzle of pipe work.

Richard

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

wummin' just turn all the TRV's up anyway so they are a waste of time .....

[Cursitor Doom]

On Sun, 10 May 2015 11:46:19 +0100, Jim GM4DHJ ... wrote:

> wummin' just turn all the TRV's up anyway so they are a waste of time
> .....

Yeah, thin-blooded creatures they are. :)

Some of the replies have given me an idea I'd like to put before the
Panel here. Suppose I connect a hosepipe to one of the two pipes using a
Jubilee clip and stuff the other end of the hose down the loo. Turn the
heating on. I then turn on the test pipe's isolator valve and wait one
minute at least with the water flowing down the loo. If after this time
has elapsed, the hose has become warm, I know that's the supply side. If
not, it's the return side. Does that make sense? Anything I've overlooked
here?

[DerbyBorn]

"Jim GM4DHJ ..." <jim.g...@ntlworld.com> wrote in
news:YFG3x.647164$dT.5...@fx35.am4:

> wummin' just turn all the TRV's up anyway so they are a waste of time
> .....
>
>
>

They usually come with limit stops that are a bit too fiddly for the
wummin' Can't get mine past 3.5

[Cursitor Doom]

I have a rad in the utility room I've had to disable because of the
terrible racket the TRV made by resonation. I never knew the reason. So
it could just be that that rad is connected up the wrong way around, then?

[Andy Burns]

Cursitor Doom wrote:

> Some of the replies have given me an idea I'd like to put before the
> Panel here. Suppose I connect a hosepipe to one of the two pipes using a
> Jubilee clip and stuff the other end of the hose down the loo

Connect a hose between the flow and return, turn on heating, feel both
ends with hands, the one that gets warm first is flow ...

[curious]

Would reducing the flow to the rad on the lock shield side ease this. I have a similar problem with two Mistral TRVs and was wondering.