can anybody please confirm what i'm about to do is right?

[Kings]

hi

i've had a read of the faq and i think i know what to do but would appreciate someone with a bit more knowledge checking if poss

changing a radiator and moving it about 6 inches to the left. its plastic speedfit type 15mm pipe and its coming from the left so all i'll have to do is remove some plaster board and trim the pipe back to the new length needed.

i have a pressurised system with the boiler downstairs in the kitchen and a cylinder and pressure vessel upstairs in a cupboard.

so the plan is:-

turn off the boiler
attach a hose to the drain point on the radiator downstairs
once its drained for 15 mins go upstairs and crack a bleed or 2 off on the rads up there.
once its fully drained remove old rad.
dress new rad
fettle the pipework and get the new rad secured in new positon.

now this is the part i'm not too sure on

above the cylinder there are 2 pv's one red with a gauge on the base as i've seen in the faqs, and another white one which looks pretty similar to the red one, apart from no gauge. then there a braided pipe linking the two, with valves at either end which are shut. from what i can gather opening the taps starts to pressurise the pv.

so i'm assuming once i'm happy the rad and pipework etc is good to go, is it just a case of opening the valves on the braided hose to begin refilling the system, then bleed the rads, then turn the boiler back on?

or do i have to pressurise the system using a handpump as per the faq's

also can i just pour the inhibitor into the new rad before i seal it? and i've seen that flushing the system is advised, is that necessary after changing 1 rad?

many thanks for your time.

 

[45yearsagasman]

Looks like your weekend is sorted!!!!
1. Yes adding inhibitor to the rad is ok
2. Before refilling system use a pressure guage and check the RED PV for a precharge.(.75--1 bar) You only need the pump if the precharge is low.
3. Open the braided hose taps and refill and vent your system.(This can be time consuming) as you have to constantly keep topping up. It's best with an assistant.
4. As for flushing, that is only required if the water when draining down is dirty.

 

[Kings]

great, many thanks for the advice

 

[Agile]

Great?

You could save yourself a lot of bother by closing ALL the rad valves before draining. All the water ( and inhibitor if any ) will be saved and you will only need to drain the water in the single rad and in the pipework.

Ideally you should clean the rad with X300 or similar but practically speaking that is probably not very important.

Tony

 

[45yearsagasman]

Don't agree with your method of a drain down on a sealed system for a diyer Tony. In my experience it saves no time and its always best to replace old inhibitor. In a sealed system it causes a bunging effect(unless there is an open air vent). Lot of faffing around with rad valves to save very little.IMO.

 

[DeltaT2]

Of course if it's a system boiler you have mate, you can always 'crank' the sealed system; I'll get chucked out the 'Lodge' for giving away an other Trade secret!!!
Anyway, turn off the two valves on the Flow & Return at the system boiler or if you don't have two valves & a standard boiler, drop the pressure in the system to '0' by the drainc.ck & only have one open end at a time, if you try to have two open ends you'll break the vacuum in the system.
Clear as mud eh, well if you don't understand any of the above enlightenment of the 'dark arts', give us a shout back & we'll help further.........Mums the word!!........

 

[petit_pablo]

I'll get chucked out the 'Lodge' for giving away an other Trade secret!!!

Are you back in the "lodge"?

 

[DeltaT2]

I'll get chucked out the 'Lodge' for giving away an other Trade secret!!!

Are you back in the "lodge"?

Oh that 'lodge'!! No, still Black Balled mate.............

 

[nickso]

Don't agree with your method of a drain down on a sealed system for a diyer Tony. In my experience it saves no time and its always best to replace old inhibitor. In a sealed system it causes a bunging effect(unless there is an open air vent). Lot of faffing around with rad valves to save very little.IMO.

not only that but you increase the chances of one of the lockshields leaking and having to replace it.

Why faff about at all? Take the pressure off, close the rad valves in question, drain and remove the rad. move one pipe at a time and you will get very little water out. Put new inhibitor in the rad and then refill the system. Job jobbed.

 

[petit_pablo]

Oh that 'lodge'!! No, still Black Balled mate.............

The mods must really hate you! The CC poll is in favour of your reinstatement.

 

[Space cat]

only have one open end at a time

and

move one pipe at a time and you will get very little water out

That's two ways of saying the same thing. Not much water will run out of a de-pressurized, sealed system if there's only one open end. It wouldn't hurt to close the 'user' valves on all the other radiators though. You can leave the lockshield valves alone.

 

[DeltaT2]

Oh that 'lodge'!! No, still Black Balled mate.............

The mods must really hate you! The CC poll is in favour of your reinstatement.

Oh well, they may or may not let me back in. But I'm very grateful to everyone for their support.
Thanks very much to everyone that voted for me.

 

[DeltaT2]

only have one open end at a time

and

move one pipe at a time and you will get very little water out

That's two ways of saying the same thing. Not much water will run out of a de-pressurized, sealed system if there's only one open end. It wouldn't hurt to close the 'user' valves on all the other radiators though. You can leave the lockshield valves alone.

You don't need to touch any of the other radiators or radiator valves, there's a vacuum formed in the system. One open end at a time & you can work on it as long as you like.

 

[Kings]

right, firstly thanks guys for all the replies they are very much appreciated

but i'm now more than a little confused

obviously i want the least hassle/safest method being a diyer,

so are you saying that its possible to change the rad without draining the system down?

not sure if i mentioned but the mouse and system are just over a year old so i would hope there shouldn't be too much crap in there.

going to be doing this next weekend now by the looks of things

thanks again everyone

 

[namsag]

Delta did you forget about closing any auto airvents