If you are installing a heat pump or another renewable energy low water temperature heat source into a new system using your existing radiators then you must check the heat required for the room matches the KW output of your radiator at a lower water temperature.

The general rule is that if the radiator outputs in an older central heating system were sized using a boiler supplying water at 82 oC and the new Heat Pump system or Renewable Energy System has a water temperature of 35 oC then your existing radiator surface area may well not be sufficient to warm the room.

HOW TO FIND THE OUTPUT REQUIRED FOR YOUR ROOM

After using the “Easy heat guide for your room” shown at the bottom of each radiator page on the AEL website you now know the heat required for your room so you can now check that the FARAL Aluminium radiators you have chosen will provide enough heat output.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE CORRECT RADIATOR SIZE

Once you know the output required for your room and the model of the radiator you prefer there is a simple calculation to check if the radiator you have chosen will provide sufficient heat output for your room by checking the “Delta T”, please see below:

HOW TO CALCULATE THE DELTA T OF A RADIATOR

The FARAL Aluminium radiator brochure provides a standard heat output figure based on a flow temperature out of the gas boiler of 80 oC which gives an overall delta t of 50 oC.

Using an 80 oC water flow in temperature, and a 60 oC water flow out temperature the average temperature in the centre of the radiator is 70 oC.

If we take away the average room temperature of 20 oC from the 70 oC average temperature across the radiator we are left with a Delta T of 50.

REDUCED WATER TEMPERATURE WHEN USING A HEAT PUMP

The water flow temperature from your Heat Pump to the central heating system is a far lower water temperature than if it was supplied from a gas boiler so you will need to calculate a new output figure by multiplying the output figure shown in the catalogue LINK by a figure shown on the correction chart below.

If the “Delta t” in the catalogue is 50 oC and your system “Delta t” is 50 oC then the correction factor is = 1 on the chart below which means it is perfect so just use the outputs shown in the catalogue.

If the system “Delta t” is more or is less than 50 oC then look at the actual system temperature on the left hand side of the chart and multiply the output shown in the catalogue by the factor shown on the right hand side of the chart, this will give you your new output for the radiator.

The post THE MOST EFFICIENT RADIATORS TO USE WITH A HEAT PUMP appeared first on AEL Heat Exchangers.

Over the past 20 years AEL Heating have supplied many thousands of Cast Iron Radiators to architects, designers and specifiers for many prestigious projects and also provided many homes with feature radiators that provide that traditional warmth that only good quality Cast Iron Radiators can provide.

All of the Cast Iron Radiators that AEL supply are cast, manufactured, assembled and tested to EN442 standards in Europe, none of the many radiators and valves supplied originate from China or India where poor replicas are produced and distributed by other outlets that claim that the radiators are tested and assembled in the UK.

Where can I buy AEL Cast Iron Radiators:
AEL Cast Iron Radiators can be purchased direct from AEL which means we can provide you with our best prices, we will guide you through the process of determining the heat output required for each room through to the radiator dimensions and final pipe centres for your heating engineer to easily install.

The AEL head office and warehouse facility is based in Runcorn, Cheshire from where we provide technical assistance , process orders and distribute our radiators on an overnight service.

For assistance please telephone 01928 579068 or email sales@aelheating.com.

The post WHERE CAN I BUY CAST IRON RADIATORS appeared first on AEL Heat Exchangers.

In our radiator catalogues AEL provide a heat output figure for each of our Radiators alongside our radiator dimensions, the output figures shown are based on a the water temperature entering and leaving the radiator.
If the water flow temperature in your heating system is different than the water temperature shown in the catalogue then you will need to calculate a new output figure, this is easily done , it just means multiplying the output figure in the catalogue by a figure shown on the correction chart provided at the bottom of this information sheet.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”564″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Using an 80 oC water flow in temperature, and a 60 oC water flow out temperature the average temperature in the centre of the radiator is 70 oC.
If we take away the average room temperature of 20 oC from the 70 oC average temperature across the radiator we are left with a Delta T of 50.
If the “Delta t” in the catalogue is 50 oC and your system “Delta t” is 50 oC then it = 1 on the chart below which means it is perfect so just use the outputs shown in the catalogue.
If the system “Delta t” is more or less than 50 oC then look at the actual system temperature on the left hand side of the chart and multiply the output shown in the catalogue by the factor shown on the right hand side side of the chart, this will give you your new output for the radiator.
WATER TEMPERATURE CONVERSION FACTOR
5 0.050
10 0.123
15 0.209
20 0.304
25 0.406
30 0.515
35 0.629
40 0.748
45 0.872
50 1.000
55 1.132
60 1.267
65 1.406
70 1.549
75 1.694

The post HOW TO CALCULATE THE “DELTA T” FOR A RADIATOR appeared first on AEL Heat Exchangers.

1. Make sure all the air is bled from the  radiators and then turn off the central heating and allow the radiators to cool.

2. Familiarise yourself with the valves, a lockshield valve will usually have a push-on cap or one that is secured with a screw through the top to remove it.

3. Older models will have a wheelhead valve on the other side just like the AEL MA16 style valve which is used to adjust the temperature manually or to turn the radiator on/off.

4. Some radiators will have a thermostatic valve just like the AEL TA8 style of valve  instead of a wheelhead valve.

5. Open up the valves on all the radiators in the house by turning them anti-clockwise. Wheelhead and thermostatic valves can be turned easily by hand, but the lockshield will need the protective cap removing and a spanner and screw driver  made available to adjust the flow

6. Turn the central heating back on and note down the order the radiators heat up. Those radiators nearest the boiler will normally get hot first but if you have got a lot of radiators on the system you will need an assistant to help note the heat up sequence, once the heat up sequence of radiators in the system has been listed you must turn the heating off and wait while the radiators cool down.

7. When the radiators are cool, switch the heating back on and go to the first radiator on your list. Turn the thermostatic or wheelhead valve ( flow into the radiator) fully open and then turn the lockshield valve ( flow out of the radiator) clockwise until it is closed and then open it by a quarter of a turn. Once the radiator has warmed up, take a temperature reading at the pipework on the system flow into the valve.

8. Now take a temperature reading at the flow out pipework , open the lockshield valve gradually until there’s a 11°C difference ( or in line with the dt of your system design) between the “flow in” reading you took and the “flow out” reading you took in step 7 (allow a couple of minutes after each adjustment for the temperature to change).

The temperature figures shown are a typical indication and should not be taken as the optimum figure – it’s the 11°C difference in temperature at the valves that counts or design dt that has been specified by the design engineer.

Next, check the rest of the radiators in the system following the order in the list.

The further you move away from the boiler, you’ll find the lockshield valve will have to be opened more. The last radiator may need to have the lockshield valve fully open to work at full efficiency.

Your radiators are now balanced and should work perfectly, it is important to choose the correct radiator size/ output for the room than it is to rely on balancing the system at the end of the installation.

The key part of balancing a system is measuring the temperature difference across each radiator using a thermometers that strap round the pipes at either end of the radiator are available to buy or hire, but it’s not really necessary to use these as you can also use a single digital thermometer the only down side is that it means that you cannot take simultaneous readings and you’ll have to move from one end of the radiator to the other.

A digital multimeter with temperature function can also be used

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Apart from the cost saving on expensive component parts failing there has been the  added realisation that there are energy and money savings to be had with a properly cleaned and treated central heating system, many people are increasingly becoming aware and have become interested in trying to achieve some of these benefits in their own properties.

However, when it comes to adding the treatment to the system, the process can be a little daunting. But with a corrosion and scale inhibitor, there is a choice and a few simple options.

Most inhibitors will be contained in one litre bottle which can be sufficient to treat an average central heating system which we estimate to be 8 radiators. If you have a system with more than 8 radiators, use two bottles, and don’t worry, – the product is forgiving of some overdosing but be sure to always check the manufacturers dosing recommendations.

To dose into the system, first simply determine what kind of system you have if you don’t already know. There are two kinds of heating system, they are open vented and sealed. If you have two water tanks in the loft, you likely have an open vented system and the system expansion tank is usually the smaller of these two water tanks.

To add the inhibitor, simply partially drain the system from a low point such as a downstairs radiator before adding it to the expansion tank and refilling the system with fresh water through the expansion tank. If there is only one tank in the attic, your system is sealed and can be dosed using a dosing kit via the boiler filling loop or other access point.

The two leading brands of central heating inhibitor in the UK are Sentinel and fernox.

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Always check the simple reasons first before looking for expert assistance, often the cause is simply due to radiator valves being turned off or incorrectly set.

The information here makes the fundamental assumption that the heating system does not work properly.

Generally downstairs radiators will be cooler as the rooms are insulated by any heated rooms above It is worth noting that radiators are likely to be slightly hotter at the top than the bottom, how much will vary from system to system, room to room, the design of the radiator and the airflow around it.

Firstly establish whether the problem affects one radiator or several to help narrow down the choices.

We have tried to put the faults in each section in order of how likely they are to be the cause.

One Radiator Is Cold

• Thermostatic radiator valve ( TRV ) turned off – turn to open
• Thermostatic radiator valve ( TRV ) cut off because room temperature higher than setting
• Seized thermostatic radiator valve ( TRV ) caused by scale build up – tapping the control pin may fix it
• The thermostat in the thermostatic radiator ( TRV ) valve head assembly has failed
• Flow side into the radiator is hot but the lock shield side out is cold- check the lock shield valve is not turned off
• Airlock in pipe work – often where the radiator is below the level of feeding pipes
• Blocked thermostatic valve – caused by scale and sludge in the system- flushing system may fix
• Blocked flow (lock shield) valve – caused by scale and sludge in the system- flushing system may fix
• Blocked pipe feeding the radiator – caused by scale and sludge in the system- flushing system may fix
• Blocked radiator – caused by scale and sludge in the system

One Radiator Is Too Hot

• Thermostatic valve ( TRV ) turned fully on – turn to close
• The thermostat valve (TRV) head assembly is loose on the thermostatic valve body
• Seized thermostatic valve ( TRV) – caused by scale build up – tapping the control pin may fix it
• The thermostat in the thermostatic valve (TRV) head assembly has failed

One Radiator Doesn’t Get Hot Enough

• Thermostatic valve cut off because room temperature higher than setting – turn to increase temperature
• Airflow around the thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) is blocked by hanging clothing, furniture or a radiator cover
• Partially blocked thermostatic radiator valve  (TRV) – caused by scale and sludge in the system
• Partially seized thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) – caused by scale build up – tapping the control pin may fix it.
• Partially blocked flow (lock shield) valve – caused by scale and sludge in the system- flushing system may fix
• Partially blocked pipe feeding the radiator – caused by scale and sludge in the system- flushing system may fix
• Partially blocked radiator – caused by scale and sludge in the system- flushing system may fix

One Radiator Is Cold At the Top

• Air in the radiator – bleed the radiator
• Low water level in the radiator – usually highest radiator in the house – caused by low water level in system

One Radiator Is Cold At The Bottom

• Build up of sludge in the bottom of the radiator – usually in radiators fed from above – flushing the system may fix

One Radiator Only Is Hot

• Central heating off, hot water only setting on the boiler is on
• All thermostatic valves on the other radiators turned off
• Circulation pump failed

All Radiators Are Cold

• Controller/Time switch not switching on at the correct time
• Room thermostat set too low
• Boiler not working
• Circulation pump failed
• Controller/Time switch has failed

Several Radiators are Cold

• Controller/Time switch not switching zone on at the correct time
• Zone control valve switched off at the controller
• Zone control valve failed
• Airlock in pipe work – often where radiators are below the level of feeding pipes
• Controller/Time switch has failed

Downstairs Radiators Are Cold, Upstairs Radiators Are Hot

• Controller/Time switch not switching zone on at the correct time
• Zone control valve switched off at the controller
• Zone control thermostat set too low
• Pump switched off
• Zone control valve failed
• Pump failed
• Controller/Time switch has failed

Downstairs Radiators Are Hot, Upstairs Radiators Are Cold

• Controller/Time switch not switching zone on at the correct time
• Zone control valve switched off at the controller
• Zone control thermostat set too low
• Zone control valve failed
• Low water level in the system – could be a stuck cistern valve
• Controller/Time switch has failed

Radiators Furthest From The Boiler Are Cold

• Pump speed set too low
• System needs setting up and balancing
• Pump has partially failed and running slow

All Radiators Don’t Get Hot Enough

• Room thermostat set too low
• Boiler thermostat set too low
• System pressure too low ( sealed systems only )
• Pump switched off
• Pump failed
• Boiler thermostat has failed
• Build up of sludge in the system – flushing system may fix

All Radiators Are Cold

• Pump switched off
• Pump failed

Some Radiators Are Warm When Water Heating Only Is In Use

• A design fault rather than a fault as such. The pump isn’t running but some radiators get warm – only option is to turn off radiators
• Failure of a zone control valve
• Failure of the main heating control valve

Noises From One Or Several Radiators

• Air in the radiator or adjacent pipes – usually easy to solve by bleeding the radiator
• Thermostatic valve(s) fitted wrong way round – usually happens when the system stabilises – opening one valve fixes temporarily
• Boiler thermostat set too high – try turning it down (not the room thermostat)
• Low water level caused by lack of water in the system – could be a stuck cistern valve
• Low water pressure in closed systems
• Scale and sludge in the radiators and pipes- flushing system may fix
• Failed pump bearing sometimes manifests itself as noise from the radiators

One Or More Radiators Need Bleeding Regularly

• Low water level in the system – could be a stuck cistern valve
• Bleed process incomplete or large amount of air trapped in the pipes
• Air leak in system
• Hydrogen or other gases in the system (caused by corrosion due to inhibitor not working or not present)
• Hydrogen sulphide in system (bad eggs smell) caused by bacteriological contamination – system needs decontamination
• Pump speed set to high causing cavitation which releases air in the water

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The easiest way to install new towel radiators is to replace a radiator of the same width which will permit the changeover without draining the heating system and remove the need to take up ?ooring and skirting boards. You simply turn off the heating then isolate the old radiator by shutting off the valves on either side before removing it from the wall and removing the valve tails from the old bathroom radiator. Once the old valve tails are fitted into the new towel radiator it is then connected to the existing valve on the pipework.

If the radiator pipe centres are not the same you will need to drain down the system to make alterations to the pipework which will also enable you to choose from a much wider range of replacement radiators.

Bathroom radiators provide Warm and dry towels all year round, there are a few choices on the heat source you can use to heat your bathroom radiators, you can have an electric towel radiator only , a typical central heating towel radiator or  dual fuel towel radiator that provides the options to use both the central heating system hot water and use the benefits of electric towel radiator which means the radiator is ?tted with an optional electrical element that can be switched on even when your central heating is switched off.

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