Radiator off the wall - Am i able to remove radiator

[anagram]

Sorry to bump the thread!
Attached are pics of the bathroom radiator on the same floor as the problem radiator. Other rad is normal so I can close that.

With the bathroom rad, is it just a case of turning clockwise until stopped, then bleeding to check? The valve on the left drips but my brother has fiddled with it previously so don't actually think it's a problem.

 

[Stigster]

Seeing as that valve on the towel rail is/has been dripping, I'd want to drain the system enough to get the top floor empty and do all the work you need on that floor at once. It would be easy to connect to the filling loop valve on the right in your picture with a 1/2" female hose adapter for partial draining. I'll have a look in a minute to see if I can find a source or at least a picture of one for you.

Here is a list of the steps you need to take, quite a few but take your time, step by step.

1. Attach hose to filling loop valve on the right and discharge end in drain/sink/outside any safe place.

2. Open the valve connected to hose and drop pressure to zero.

3. Go to top floor and open bleed vents allowing air into system at top and it will start draining. Don't worry about the jammed valve, it'll drain through the TRV side.

4. It'll take a bit of guesswork but drain enough water so top floor rads and pipework is empty and close the valve you are draining through. You don't need to completely empty the system.

5. Close bleed vents.

Now you can work on the top floor without fear of water escape. Change the valve on the radiator that got chewed up. Replace the towel rail valve with a lockshield, like for like. Keep the new valves also closed for now. It's a bit hard for me to tell the sizes from the photo. Is that a 10mm pipe feeding the towel rail?

Now would be a good time to add one bottle of corrosion inhibitor through the cap on the top of the towel rail and then replace cap. Keep the inhibitor trapped in the towel rail, valves closed, incase you have a leak on a valve connection. You don't want to have to drain down again and lose the inhibitor.

6. Remove garden hose and reattach braided hose to filling loop

7. Refill system to 1.5 bar

8. Check for leaks at valve/pipework joint. If happy open the radiator valves and bleed air. The pressure in the system will keep dropping as you remove air so you'll need to top it up to 1 bar and keep bleeding rads until water issues from bleed screw.

9. Have a final look at all your radiator connections. If everything is still sealed properly, use the filling loop to fill to 1 bar with the system cold after you've finished bleeding rads.

10. Turn on your heating and check rads get warm.
[automerge]1571740112[/automerge]
This is the type of hose connector you need to connect to the valve for draining - 1/2" BSP Threaded To Barbed Brass Fitting

 

[centralheatking]

Well done Stig, great narrative and a positive result, its clear you really can instruct people
with clear insight and an open mind ...a credit to PF .op wants to kiss you ...centralheatking

 

[Lou]

Great Post @Stigster

 

[anagram]

Seeing as that valve on the towel rail is/has been dripping, I'd want to drain the system enough to get the top floor empty and do all the work you need on that floor at once. It would be easy to connect to the filling loop valve on the right in your picture with a 1/2" female hose adapter for partial draining. I'll have a look in a minute to see if I can find a source or at least a picture of one for you.

Here is a list of the steps you need to take, quite a few but take your time, step by step.

1. Attach hose to filling loop valve on the right and discharge end in drain/sink/outside any safe place.

2. Open the valve connected to hose and drop pressure to zero.

3. Go to top floor and open bleed vents allowing air into system at top and it will start draining. Don't worry about the jammed valve, it'll drain through the TRV side.

4. It'll take a bit of guesswork but drain enough water so top floor rads and pipework is empty and close the valve you are draining through. You don't need to completely empty the system.

5. Close bleed vents.

Now you can work on the top floor without fear of water escape. Change the valve on the radiator that got chewed up. Replace the towel rail valve with a lockshield, like for like. Keep the new valves also closed for now. It's a bit hard for me to tell the sizes from the photo. Is that a 10mm pipe feeding the towel rail?

Now would be a good time to add one bottle of corrosion inhibitor through the cap on the top of the towel rail and then replace cap. Keep the inhibitor trapped in the towel rail, valves closed, incase you have a leak on a valve connection. You don't want to have to drain down again and lose the inhibitor.

6. Remove garden hose and reattach braided hose to filling loop

7. Refill system to 1.5 bar

8. Check for leaks at valve/pipework joint. If happy open the radiator valves and bleed air. The pressure in the system will keep dropping as you remove air so you'll need to top it up to 1 bar and keep bleeding rads until water issues from bleed screw.

9. Have a final look at all your radiator connections. If everything is still sealed properly, use the filling loop to fill to 1 bar with the system cold after you've finished bleeding rads.

10. Turn on your heating and check rads get warm.
[automerge]1571740112[/automerge]
This is the type of hose connector you need to connect to the valve for draining - 1/2" BSP Threaded To Barbed Brass Fitting

Hi Stig,

Thanks for this, again really clear so thank you.

Couple of questions - I'm guessing i turn off the water supply to the tube on the left (A) by closing the valve on the pipe at the lowest point in the house, and also keep valve A closed

I then close the supply on the right - do i attach the hose connector to the braided hose (B) or the metal pipe side (C)

Sorry if thats a bit simple

 

[Stigster]

No need to turn any other valves off or supplies.

That is a helpful picture with the labels.

Keep valve A closed for the draining operation. (it is is in the closed position now, lever across pipe)
Unscrew braided hose from valve C
Connect hose adaptor to valve C, not the braided hose
Connect hose to adapter and open valve C to do partial drain down

 

[anagram]

Cheer, thanks for clearing that up stig. Maybe be next week until I get round to this, but thanks so much for your help.

 

[Stigster]

Cheer, thanks for clearing that up stig. Maybe be next week until I get round to this, but thanks so much for your help.

No problem. My pleasure.

Any questions before you do the job, just post here and me or one of the other plumbers will help. I check the forums often but erratically as my schedule allows. It also doesn't hurt that I can put "Reading the Plumber's Forums" on my CPD diary I am forced to keep at work.

 

[anagram]

No problem. My pleasure.

Any questions before you do the job, just post here and me or one of the other plumbers will help. I check the forums often but erratically as my schedule allows. It also doesn't hurt that I can put "Reading the Plumber's Forums" on my CPD diary I am forced to keep at work.

CPD... the bane of my life... As an ecologist I'm not sure plumbing forums count..

Thanks again and I'll be sure to keep you updated. Looks like the valves on the radiator are 1/2" both end, where as most seem to be 1/2" then a 15mm rad connection ( which I bought online and is too big)

 

[anagram]

Hi all.

After a weekend away, I come back to a radiator valve (15mm to connect to the pipe) and what I presumed would be the standard fitting into the radiator (1/2"), however it looks way too big?

Is there another size fitting which I've somehow missed? Top down pic as it shows the size attached.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Need this type

https://www.NoLinkingToThis/p/drayton-07-05-900sx-white-chrome-angled-lockshield/7877g

 

[Stigster]

Hi all.

After a weekend away, I come back to a radiator valve (15mm to connect to the pipe) and what I presumed would be the standard fitting into the radiator (1/2"), however it looks way too big?

Is there another size fitting which I've somehow missed? Top down pic as it shows the size attached.

The connection to your radiator is 15mm on the pipe and 1/2" at the radiator side. The valve you are holding in your picture is 15mm radiator side but 3/4" on the rad side.

I did actually make a post about your rad valve asking for opinions on the size as it's hard to tell from your earlier photos. I had one reply saying they thought your rad had a 3/4" tail but your new picture shows that it's definitely 1/2".

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner but I've been overseas for a few days and just got back.