Draining rad circuit in reverse maisonette

[Pipework plus]

Hi all my first post here so forgive me if this has been answered before.

I've quoted to do a boiler swap from an awful Glow worm 18SXI system boiler and tank/cylinder (gravity) to a combi. (gas safe reg 582473 before you ask) the entrance to the flat, current boiler and drain point is on the First floor, there are 4 rads in the rooms on the ground floor beneath which have no drain points and are below the level of windows/doors so cant be drained. I want to drain the circuit so I can change valves downstairs and refill with fresh water/inhibitor but am at a bit of a loss how to do it. My thought is to remove one of the ground floor rads, connect a hose to each remaining valve and somehow pump the water/sludge out down a hose on one side down the stairs to the street . I'm thinking like a bike foot pump or similar. anyone done this/got any tips or better ideas.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Can you fit a self cutting drain valve and then replace the pipe once drained??

 

[Pipework plus]

Yes I can but I'd still have nowhere to drain to as there is no exit from the property at low (downstairs) level

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yes I can but I'd still have nowhere to drain to as there is no exit from the property at low (downstairs) level

Don't suppose you have a spare single impeller / condsate pump around ?

 

[Pipework plus]

I don't but can see where you're coming from, thought about a shower pump (which I have got knocking about) but think it will only do half the job then stop. These type of flats/installations are quite common in Brighton so an invention utilising a condense pump might be a good investment.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Take the flow switch out and wire it up so its running permanent, If your stuck and want to try something cheap to test it dry a drill pump

 

[Best]

How do you figure out that the water in the bottom rads cannot be drained through the windows? I can assure you they can easily.
Just keep the system filled, so boiler on above floor etc has water in it. Then just turn the both valves off on a ground floor rad and remove the rad and pour water into a large bucket or whatever. Then link a hose onto one of those rad valves and put the hose out the window and be sure to leave the open end of hose down at a lower level outside to the rad valve (as low as possible.) Turn the valve on and it will not only drain the above floor, but will also syphon the ground floor. That is the whole principle of syphons

 

[Last Plumber]

I might be missing something here so bare with me.

Can you not just take the four rads outside and empty/flush them out ?
Like you are thinking of doing with the one ?

 

[Best]

I have drained loads of systems from a rad valve or drain point that was much higher than pipework, yet when I cut into pipes later I find they are often empty of water.
I syphon copper cylinders regularly by pushed a hose with piece of copper on end down in top of cylinder and putting the other end of hose out top windows to ground below.

 

[Best]

I might be missing something here so bare with me.

Can you not just take the four rads outside and empty/flush them out ?
Like you are thinking of doing with the one ?

He could, but I think he wants to also replace rad valves etc. Easier if he drains all from a ground floor rad valve, as I said.