Advice on where to fit drain cocks

[enfopaul]

Dear All

I am looking for suggestions as to the best place to fit drain cocks on the central heating system.

All downstairs radiators are fed from pipes from the floor above. Currently there is one drain cock fitted in the kitchen but this does not allow me to fully drain the system - there is water left in all other downstairs rads and the feed and return pipes to them.

Should all downstairs radiators have drain cocks fitted to them and on what side of the radiator should they be fitted - on the flow or return pipework?

Is there anyway of installing a single draincock to completely drain the system, and if so where should it be fitted?

The central heating system uses a convential gas boiler with pump and expansion tank in the loft.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

EnfoPaul

 

[kirkgas]

if your rads are drop fed then you need to fit valves on each downstairs rad, if you only need to drain upstairs circit you can drain any downstairs rad, but if you want to drain the whole system you would then need to go round each rad, if you have TRV's it will prob be easier to use the other side and fit a drain down lockshield valve, but it doesn't matter which side the valve is on as the rad will drain to the lowest point anyway, you don't mention anything about the boiler position, if it is downstairs and the pipes rise up from top of boiler you will need one there as well

 

[enfopaul]

Thanks for your help and advice. All the rads have TRV's fitted - on some it would be possible to replace the lockshield valve with a combined LSV and draincock but alas on others the LSV is too close to the edge of the wall and I would proably need to cut into the pipework to fit the drain cock.

you don't mention anything about the boiler position, if it is downstairs and the pipes rise up from top of boiler you will need one there as well

The boiler is downstairs in the kitchen - there is also a radiator there that is the first rad from the boiler. It has a drain cock - so would i still need to fit another drain cock on the boiler pipes you mention or would it drain ok from the drain cock in the kitchen?