How to regulate heating batteries

How can I regulate the temperature of the heating battery

In private houses and apartments, quite often there is such a phenomenon as a difference in the level of heating of radiators connected to the heating system. Therefore, residents are forced to put up with uncomfortable living conditions, because the temperature in the bathroom can differ significantly from that in the bedroom or living room. This problem is especially typical for owners using autonomous heating in houses and apartments.

To avoid common problems with the heating system, homeowners will help the competent installation of a device such as a radiator regulator, which is designed to control the temperature of the radiator. Modern radiator temperature controllers are available in a wide range of models and can be used by homeowners to optimize their heating system, reduce energy costs and maintain optimal temperature conditions in every room of the house.

Types of control valves

Existing modern heat supply technologies make it possible to install a special tap on each radiator that controls the quality of heat. This control valve is a shut-off valve heat exchanger, which is connected via pipes to the radiator.

According to the principle of their work, these cranes are:

Ball valves, which serve primarily as 100% protection against emergencies. These locking devices are a design that can rotate 90 degrees, and can let water in or prevent the passage of coolant.

The ball valve must not be left in a half-open state, as in this case the sealing ring may be damaged and a leak may occur.

Standard, where there is no temperature scale. They are represented by traditional budget gates. They do not give absolute accuracy of adjustment. Partially blocking the access of the coolant to the radiator, they change the temperature in the apartment to an indefinite value.
With a thermal head, which allow you to adjust and control the parameters of the heating system. Such thermostats are automatic and mechanical.

Conventional direct acting thermostat

A direct acting thermostat is a simple device for controlling the temperature in a heating radiator, which is installed near it. By its design, it is a sealed cylinder into which a siphon is inserted with a special liquid or gas that clearly reacts to changes in the temperature of the coolant.

When it rises, the liquid or gas expands. This leads to an increase in pressure on the stem in the thermostatic valve. He, in turn, moving, blocks the flow of coolant. When the radiator cools, the reverse process occurs.

Temperature controller with electronic sensor

This device according to the principle of operation does not differ from the previous version, the only difference is in the settings. If in a conventional thermostat they are performed manually, then the electronic sensor does not need this.

Here the temperature is set in advance, and the sensor monitors its maintenance within the specified limits. The electronic thermostatic sensor adjusts the air temperature control parameters in the range from 6 to 26 degrees.

We set up the heating system of a country house on our own

In my previous article, I wrote that one of the effective ways to upgrade heating systems in private buildings is to switch from an open heating system to a closed one.The heating system of a residential building improved in this way has many advantages, which together ensure its simple operation, you just need to turn on the boiler at the beginning of the heating season and turn it off at the end. Everything!

However, in order for the heating system of a country house to work in this mode (turned on, “forgotten” for six months, turned off), you need to correctly configure and adjust its operating parameters. This is what will be discussed in my article. I will make the main calculations, conclusions and calculations using the example of my heating system, but the reader can always use this information by drawing an analogy with his specific case.

How to properly regulate heating batteries

Automatic thermostats are highly practical in residential heating systems and successfully replace shut-off valves. Despite the fact that conventional taps are a cheap option, heating control with the help of special elements is more safe and convenient. When using shut-off valves in the system, air locks or stops in the flow of water can form. The regulator works in such a way that the water flow is reduced, but not completely blocked, so emergency situations are excluded. With the use of taps, additional time is spent, and it is enough to set the required temperature on the automatic regulator.

So, the advantages of automatic valves have been established, and now we can talk about how to regulate radiators. Thermostats or thermostatic valves do an excellent job of providing heat transfer efficiency depending on the temperature conditions outside.

The standard automatic thermostat is equipped with a thermal head that reacts even to a slight change in temperature. The regulator bellows contains a special compound that, when heated, changes its state and expands. This provides an impact on the valve, after which the flow rate of the coolant decreases.

Device Mounting Recommendations

As a rule, the radiator thermostat is mounted on the radiator inlet in accordance with the heating scheme developed earlier, however, some homeowners install devices at the outlet, trying to reduce the effect of the outflow of cool liquid on the operation of the regulator.

The installation process itself is quite simple and does not require special practical skills. The work of installing regulators is not much different from the process of installing any connecting fittings used in a heating system, therefore, if you have basic equipment and basic skills in handling them, installation of regulators can be done quite quickly.

Thus, using accessible and functional regulators in the heating system, it is possible to achieve significant results in matters of energy saving and to achieve a smooth distribution of heat from heaters in a house or apartment.

Types of heating systems and the principle of adjusting radiators

Handle with valve

In order to properly adjust the temperature of the radiators, you need to know the general structure of the heating system and the layout of the coolant pipes.

In the case of individual heating, adjustment is easier when:

The system is powered by a powerful boiler.
Each battery is equipped with a three-way valve.
Forced pumping of the coolant has been installed.

At the stage of installation work for individual heating, it is necessary to take into account the minimum number of bends in the system. This is necessary in order to reduce heat loss and not reduce the pressure of the coolant supplied to the radiators.

For uniform heating and rational use of heat, a valve is mounted on each battery.With it, you can reduce the water supply or disconnect it from the general heating system in an unused room.

In the central heating system of multi-storey buildings, equipped with a supply of coolant through a pipeline from top to bottom vertically, it is impossible to adjust the radiators. In this situation, the upper floors open windows due to the heat, and it is cold in the rooms of the lower floors, since the radiators there are barely warm.
More perfect one-pipe network. Here, the coolant is supplied to each battery with its subsequent return to the central riser. Therefore, there is no noticeable temperature difference in the apartments of the upper and lower floors of these houses. In this case, the supply pipe of each radiator is equipped with a control valve.
A two-pipe system, where two risers are mounted, provides the supply of coolant to the heating radiator and vice versa. To increase or decrease the coolant flow, each battery is equipped with a separate valve with a manual or automatic thermostat.

Pipe layouts

Single-pipe and two-pipe wiring is typical for private houses. What is their difference?

Single pipe wiring

It is the most economical option. The schema should look like this:

A pipe is drawn along the bottom of the floor from the heating boiler, passing through the entire room and returning back to the boiler.
Radiators are installed on top of the pipe, and the connection is made through the lower branch pipes. At the same time, hot water enters the heater from the pipe, which completely fills it. The part of the coolant that has given up heat begins to sink down and exits through the second branch pipe, again entering the pipe.

As a result, there is a phased connection of radiators with a lower battery connection.

In this case, it is worth paying attention to one negative point that affects the efficiency of heat transfer. As a result of such a serial connection of single-pipe wiring, a gradual decrease in the temperature of the coolant in each subsequent heating element occurs.

Because of this, the last room will be the coldest.

This problem is solved in two ways:

a circulation pump is connected to the system, which evenly distributes hot water to all heating devices;
in the last room, you can build up radiators, as a result, the area of \u200b\u200bheat transfer will increase.

This scheme has such advantages as:

ease of connection;
high hydrodynamic stability;
low costs for equipment and materials;
different types of coolant can be used.

Two-pipe wiring

For a private house, such a heating scheme is considered the most effective. However, it is worth considering the fact that at first the costs will be considerable, because it will be necessary to lay out two pipes for the supply and removal of hot water. But still, such a scheme has certain advantages over a single-pipe one:

the coolant is evenly distributed throughout the room;
you can control and regulate a certain temperature mode in each room;
repair of any element of the heating system is possible without turning it off;
very little fuel is consumed.

Step by step instructions for adjusting the temperature

To ensure a comfortable stay in the room, you need to perform some basic actions.

Initially, on each battery, it is necessary to bleed the air until water flows in a trickle from the tap.
Then you need to adjust the pressure in the batteries.
To do this, in the first battery from the boiler, you need to open the valve by two turns, in the second - by three, and then in the same way, increasing the number of turns of the opened valve on each radiator. Thus, the coolant pressure is evenly distributed over all radiators. This will ensure its normal passage through the pipes and better heating of the batteries.
In a forced heating system, control valves will help to pump the coolant, control the rational consumption of heat.
In the flow system, the temperature is well regulated by the thermostats built into each battery.
In a two-pipe heating system, it is possible to control not only the temperature of the coolant, but also its amount in the batteries using both manual and automatic control systems.

Connection Features

Ways to connect radiators

When installing heating systems in private homes, the following connection methods are used:

In this case, the supply pipe is connected from above, and the return pipe is connected from below to the same section. This heating battery connection scheme allows the radiator to heat up evenly. However, if the accordion has a large number of sections, then significant heat losses will occur, so it is better to use other connection options.

Saddle and bottom

This method is an excellent option for cases where pipes run through the floor. The connection is made to the nozzles located at the bottom of the structure, in opposite sections. The disadvantage of this method is only low efficiency, since heat losses can reach 15 percent.

It is used when connecting devices with a large number of sections. As you might guess, the inlet pipe in this case is connected from above, and the outlet pipe is connected from below, in the opposite section. This scheme for connecting heating batteries in a private house contributes to the uniform distribution of the coolant and maximum heat transfer from appliances.

Note! When using a thermostat for heating in parallel with a radiator, a bypass must be provided. This will allow you to adjust the degree of heating of the device.

Radiator connection diagram

As we can see, the methods of connecting heating batteries depend on a number of factors, such as the method of laying pipes, the power of the equipment, etc. In particular, the type of system is of great importance. We will talk in more detail about the types of heating systems below.

Scheme of a one-pipe system

System types

When installing heating systems, two schemes are used:

Single-pipe - is the simplest, since the coolant circulates through one pipe, to which heating devices are connected in series. Its disadvantage is that it does not allow you to regulate the heat supply. Therefore, heat transfer corresponds to the design norm laid down in the design. This scheme is used in small systems, since with a large length of the pipeline and a large number of radiators, the devices will heat up unevenly.
Two-pipe - its meaning lies in the fact that hot water flows through one pipe, and the cooled water returns to the boiler through another. The connection of heating batteries in a private house in this case is carried out, respectively, in parallel. The advantage of such a device is the uniform heating of the sections, as well as the ability to adjust heat transfer. Of the shortcomings, only the need for more pipes can be distinguished, respectively, the cost of the structure increases.

Scheme of a two-pipe system

It should be noted that, regardless of the type of system, connecting heating batteries with your own hands can be implemented in two ways:

According to the vertical scheme - the heating device is connected to a vertical riser, from which wiring is carried out to the radiators.
According to the horizontal scheme - the circulation of the coolant is carried out through horizontal pipelines.

The choice of the scheme for connecting heating batteries depends on the characteristics of the house. For example, if the housing contains several floors, then the connection is implemented according to the vertical scheme.

In the photo - a radiator located under the window

Adjustment of radiators Heating system

On this tab, we will try to help you choose the right parts of the system for giving.

The heating system includes, wires or pipes, automatic air vents, fittings, radiators, circulation pumps, expansion tank thermostats heating boiler, heat control mechanism, fixing system. Any node is unambiguously important.

Therefore, the correspondence of the listed parts of the structure must be planned correctly. The cottage heating assembly includes various devices.

Adjustment of radiators

Temperature control in batteries used to seem like something out of the realm of fantasy.

In order to reduce the excessive temperature in the apartments, a window was simply opened, and in order to prevent heat from escaping from a cool room, the windows and all the cracks were sealed and tightly hammered.

This continued until spring, and only after the end of the heating season did the appearance of the apartment acquire at least a slightly decent look.

Today, technology has come a long way and we no longer worry about how to regulate heating batteries. New, more efficient and progressive methods of controlling the temperature regime in the room have appeared, and we will talk about them in more detail below.

Ordinary taps that are mounted in batteries, as well as special valves, can help partially solve the problem. By blocking the access of the hot water flow to the system, or reducing it, you can easily change the temperature in your home.

An even simpler and more reliable system is the use of special automatic heads. They are mounted under the valve, and with their help (namely, using a temperature sensor), you can adjust the temperature in the system.

How it works? The head is filled with a composition that is very sensitive to changes in temperature, so the valve itself will be able to react to an excessive temperature increase and will be able to close in time, preventing the batteries from overheating.

Do you want a more modern and innovative solution that will tell you how to regulate the temperature of the heating battery, and even practically not participate in this process? Then pay attention to these two ways:

The first option involves mounting one radiator in the room, which is closed with a special screen, and the temperature in the system is regulated using devices called a thermostat and a servo drive.
Next, consider a method for regulating the temperature in a house with several radiators. The features of such a system are that you will have not one, but several zones for temperature control. Also, you will not be able to make the adjustment valves enter the horizontal pipeline, and you will have to equip a special service niche, which will include a special supply pipeline with mounted shut-off valves, as well as a “return” with valves for the servo drive.

Note that there are two main methods of adjustment, the advantages of which are obvious:

The ability to control the temperature level of the water entering the system by a special automatic unit, which bases its work on the indicators of sensors built into the system;
Mounting a device in the system that will control and regulate the temperature not in the entire system, but in each individual battery. Most often, factory regulators are used for this, which are mounted on the batteries themselves.

After weighing all the features of your room, choose the method that suits you best.

Criterias of choice

A radiator faucet is usually a ball-type device that regulates the flow of water and connects pipes to a radiator. It is installed on the bypass, risers, at the top of the battery, in places where air accumulates to bleed it.

Choosing the right faucet is not difficult, it is enough to know a few nuances:

the diameter of the pipes to which it will be connected (DN, in millimeters or inches);
working pressure (PN, in the range of 15–40 and above);
type of connection, the presence of a thread inside or outside, American.

The choice should take into account the purpose of the reinforcement, its localization, the properties of the medium

It is also important the ratio of the inlet and outlet of the valve in the radiator, their relative position

When choosing, consider the characteristics of cranes:

ball valves, although the most common and affordable, are not very effective. It has only two modes: closing/opening;
a cone valve is a more acceptable option due to the possibility of an intermediate position. Disadvantage: the crane must be returned to its original position and constantly monitored;
an automatic thermostat is the most efficient, reliable, but also much more expensive than others. When it is installed on a one-pipe system, a bypass must be present.

How to increase the heat dissipation of batteries

Whether it is possible to increase the heat transfer of the radiator depends on how it was calculated, and whether there is a power reserve. If the radiator simply cannot produce more heat, then any means of adjustment will not help here. But you can try to change the situation in one of the following ways:

First of all, check for clogged filters and pipes. Blockages are not only found in old houses. They are more often observed in new ones: during installation, various kinds of construction debris enter the system, which, when the system starts up, clogs the devices. If the cleaning did not give results, we proceed to drastic measures.
Increase the coolant temperature. This is possible in individual heating, but it is very difficult, rather impossible, with centralized heating.
Change connection. Not all types of radiator connections are equally effective, for example, a reverse side connection gives a power reduction of 20-25%, and the installation location of the heater also affects. Read more about battery connection types here.
Increase the number of sections. If the connection and installation are optimal, and the room is still not warm enough, it means that the heat output of the heater is not enough. Then you need to grow a few sections. How to do it, read here.

Adjusting the temperature of the radiator does not raise

The main disadvantage of regulated systems is that they require a certain power reserve for all devices. And these are additional funds: each section costs money. But it's not a pity to pay for comfort. If your room is hot, life is not a joy, just like in a cold one. And control valves are a universal way out.

There are many devices that can change the amount of coolant flowing through the heater (radiator, register). There are very inexpensive options, there are those that have a decent cost. Available with manual adjustment, automatic or electronic. Let's start with the cheapest.

Heating radiator connection diagrams

Lateral connection of radiators is the most common with regards to the heating system in a city apartment. For the correct connection of the batteries according to this scheme in a private house, the pipes are brought out on the side along the wall and connected to the two battery nozzles from above and below. A pipe is usually connected to the upper pipe, which supplies the coolant, and a return circuit is connected to the lower pipe. Often they do the opposite, however, the heat transfer efficiency of the device decreases by 7%.

Diagonal battery connection is considered the most efficient. To connect the batteries according to this scheme, perform the following steps: first, the coolant supply is connected to the upper pipe, and the return pipe is connected to the lower pipe, which is located on the other side of the device. Thus, the coolant inside the battery begins to move diagonally, hence the name of the circuit.Its effectiveness depends on how evenly the water is distributed inside the radiator. Very rarely, several battery sections may remain cold. This happens if the pressure or throughput is too weak.

The lower connection of the radiator can be found not only in single-pipe circuits. In two-pipe, this is also used, but only in private buildings with one or two floors. Such a scheme for connecting heating radiators is considered insufficiently effective. According to experts, such wiring helps to reduce the heat transfer of heating radiators by 20-30%. In this case, it will be necessary to install a circulation pump, which leads to an increase in the cost of all processes, as well as additional costs for electricity spent during the operation of such a pump. To calculate the required power of radiators, you will need a large number of a wide variety of coefficients.