Cold heated towel rail

[Sus]

I recently had the plumber round because I had to have a new thermostatic valve on one radiator, another radiator wasn't working and the three way valve was faulty. It turned out the pump had to be replaced as well, but in getting the problem found all rads had to be turned off. I turned off the one side of the ancient towel rail the plumber looked at the other side but abandoned the idea of turning it as he thought it might break. Now the radiators are working well, but the towel rail hasn't heated up after I turned on the side I had turned off. I've tried bleeding it and each time a little bubbly water comes out before it runs easily, but it still isn't heating. I think it is connected to the hot water circuit.

 

[AMGasServices]

Have you tried to run the hot water circuit with the towel rail turned on ?

A lot of conventional systems were piped up with the bathroom radiator connected to the hot water circuit.

 

[Rob Foster]

I recently had the plumber round because I had to have a new thermostatic valve on one radiator, another radiator wasn't working and the three way valve was faulty. It turned out the pump had to be replaced as well, but in getting the problem found all rads had to be turned off. I turned off the one side of the ancient towel rail the plumber looked at the other side but abandoned the idea of turning it as he thought it might break. Now the radiators are working well, but the towel rail hasn't heated up after I turned on the side I had turned off. I've tried bleeding it and each time a little bubbly water comes out before it runs easily, but it still isn't heating. I think it is connected to the hot water circuit.

Does any heat get to the valve but not beyond ? Might be the valve was turned off and the gate or whatever has broken and got left behind but closed.
Or as Amg says domestic hot water goes thro rad on way to taps, old arrangement but cute
Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[Sus]

Thanks for your replies. I tried turning off the heating, leaving the hot water on, but that made no difference. After reading Rob's reply I managed to draw off a lot of water through the top valves and using lots of towels and that pulled hot up into the radiator past the valve I had turned off then turned on. So thank goodness that one isn't broken.

 

[Sus]

Also, have just had a bath, 10 mins max, and the towel rail is quite cool again.

 

[Scott_D]

Sounds like a stuck valve

 

[Sus]

You mean the one on the right, the one the plumber "didn't" touch?

 

[Scott_D]

You mean the one on the right, the one the plumber "didn't" touch?

Could be either
Cheap valves are notorious for sticking and leaking, I won't touch them if the look dodgy

 

[Sus]

The one on the left I have already said opens and shuts. Maybe these valves were cheap in the 1970s which is the youngest age it could be, but it has done pretty well for 40 odd years!!

 

[Scott_D]

The one on the left I have already said opens and shuts. Maybe these valves were cheap in the 1970s which is the youngest age it could be, but it has done pretty well for 40 odd years!!

The handle may be moving the but the inside could have broken off and be jammed in place.

 

[Rob Foster]

The one on the left I have already said opens and shuts. Maybe these valves were cheap in the 1970s which is the youngest age it could be, but it has done pretty well for 40 odd years!!

You need to understand that if it’s a gate valve eg that the knob on top is connected to via a shaft that then operates the gate or stopper, when stuff gets old , it’s usually the shaft that breaks.this leaves the gate closed but fools you as the head will turn making you fink it’s opening and closing , ok
Rob Foster, aka centralheatking

 

[SimonG]

Or as Amg says domestic hot water goes thro rad on way to taps, old arrangement but cute
Rob Foster aka centralheatking

In true pantomime season, oh no it doesn't.

The water in the tap and the water in the rad are separate.

The old principle was to pipe the bathroom rad or towel rail would be piped off the cylinder primaries. Gravity hot water and pumped central heating would give you warm towels all year round. Likewise you can do it by taking a supply off in between pump and three port valve or pump and two ports if on a s plan.

Not strictly to regs, but it's out there.

 

[Sus]

The valve on the left which has a big black knob on it (horizontal) I have tested by drawing off a load of water through the valves on the top of the radiator and this allowed the rail to heat up. It is the one on the right which the plumber claimed he hadn't touched which has gone somehow from being open to being closed. My answer is now to get him back to sort that valve out. Thanks to all for pointing me in the direction of the valve.

 

[Scott_D]

The valve on the left which has a big black knob on it (horizontal) I have tested by drawing off a load of water through the valves on the top of the radiator and this allowed the rail to heat up. It is the one on the right which the plumber claimed he hadn't touched which has gone somehow from being open to being closed. My answer is now to get him back to sort that valve out. Thanks to all for pointing me in the direction of the valve.

It does sound like it needs replacing. Unfortunately it's not his fault, if something breaks during normal operation it just one of those things

 

[Sus]

Actually the black knob could be broken too, it just that it is in the open position! Is it possible to replace the valve on these old radiators? I would like to keep it really, as the rest of it is very solid and good quality chrome.

 

[Sus]

The conclusion is that the plumber HAD managed to turn the valve a little but not thought it enough to turn the rail off. A little turn back and it is all hot again.