Central heating drain

[chewymix]

Hi - I need to drain my central heating to replace the pump, it’s an open vented system, but as the gate valves are also corroded it’s a full system drain first.

I do not have a drain valve that I can find but I do have a downstairs radiator, by a door, that has this - if I undid this bolt and attached a hose would this suffice to drain down the radiators?

and the reason to drain down is to replace this

Cheers

 

[Mottie]

if I undid this bolt and attached a hose would this suffice to drain down the radiators

Yes but you'd have to be bloody quick!

 

[ianmcd]

That crud on your pump is because there is a leak above it, its not the pump that is leaking post a pic showing the isolation valve above the pump

 

[chewymix]

Ok when I get home I will. The main reason I want to replace the pump is that I don’t think it’s working correctly or consistently moving enough water.

sometimes the heating works perfectly and others some of the radiators take an age to get hot. No amount of bleeding or balancing helps and when the uneven heating happens the pump seems to be making more noise. It’s always the radiators in the loft that are effected and so I thought it was a circulation issue.

It’s a 3 storey house with 12 radiators, I was thinking about a pump with a 6 meter head may help?

 

[ianmcd]

But you have isolation valves above and below the pump, you close these to swap the pump over , no draining of anything required , but in your pic it looks like the one above the pump is leaking but cant see enough of it to be sure

 

[chewymix]

Yes, the gate valves are knackered and need replacing along with the pump. To replace the gate valves I need to drain the system yes?

Will post a pic later

 

[ianmcd]

no on an open vented system just use a bung kit and swap the valves then the pump , no need to drain it

 

[chewymix]

Can you elaborate on that please ?

 

[ianmcd]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REGIN-RE...707275&hash=item1a6a7a12a7:g:JmwAAOSwNSxU2HnR

one bung goes over the vent and the other in the cold water feed inside the F&E tank and the water in the system will be held by vacuum, all the old geezers will come on now telling you to use a carrot and a tattie

 

[chewymix]

Any clues where the vent may live?

 

[terryplumb]

It lives above the F&E tank ,and points down into it .

 

[ianmcd]

Any clues where the vent may live?

On second thoughts maybe time to get a pro in

 

[terryplumb]

On second thoughts maybe time to get a pro in

 

[chewymix]

I did wonder if the vent question would generate some Lolz but thanks for educating me.

here are a couple of pics of the valves that also need replacing. As I said sometimes it gets noisy and others it just seems to lack efficient circulation hence me wanting to swap it out and see where I am at.

 

[kidgreen61]

Classy installation