Cast iron radiator bushes

[electronicsuk]

I'm trying to revive some old cast iron radiators and am having trouble removing some of the old fittings. Previously the rads were piped with the valves at diagonals, one bottom left, one top right, plug and bleed valve on top left, and a blank plug on the bottom right.

I now want to remove the bottom right blank and have both valves on the bottom, but I'm struggling to shift the plug. The valves came off no problem, but the plugs look like they might be brazed or soldered in, see pic below. Is this common or even possible with cast iron rads, or do I just need to give it some more beans?

Untitled

• electronicsuk
• 30 Dec 2014
• 1

If it can't be removed then I'll have to keep the old pipework arrangement, in which case, which of the threads on the radiator, top or bottom, should be the flow connection?

Thanks

Matt

 

[denso13]

Flow to the top if the plug won't come out.

 

[bazdaman]

Als if the pipes with ball o fixes on are flow and return i would removed them as they will inevitably leak in the future

 

[St0rmer66]

Keep it as it is, you might permanently damage the radiator getting those plugs out. Looks more traditional anyway going in at the top and out at the bottom (which answers your other question, flow to the top).

 

[electronicsuk]

Thanks all. Don't worry about the ball-o-fix valves, they were just temporary for pressure testing the pipework.

 

[buck51]

I think you will find, One side is left hand thread, and one right hand thread.

 

[Weedrip]

A decent blow torch and 24" stillsons at least. Get it hot, it will shift.

 

[Nige F]

Keep it as it is, you might permanently damage the radiator getting those plugs out. Looks more traditional anyway going in at the top and out at the bottom (which answers your other question, flow to the top).

Agree - the heat required on the plug might be enough to damage the paper/paste gasket on the next section leave well alone