clumsy brickie!

[noseall]

a heavy handed friend of mine has sheared off the brass spigot on the lock shield, whilst isolating the supply to the rad.

is this generally a universal fitting and can it be replaced live. it is an open vented gravity system (non combi), and it's an up stairs rad.

 

[keego]

You could try and replace it without draining down but you have to be bloody quick! & you need to be reasonably sure that the new valve will seat on the old olive ( it's always a good idea not to throw the old valve to far away when you do it )
If you are unsure about it the bung the F&E it's less likely to end in a claim for a new carpet.
As for the new valve just make sure you have the right one for the tail on the rad.

 

[noseall]

i was thinking that the lock shield body could stay put and just unscrew the valve guts, via the threaded nut thats just visible??

 

[keego]

Personally I would change the whole valve, it would be a lot easier than changing the guts on the old one, you can never be sure the new guts will be compatible with the old one until you try & screw it in, & if you're trying to do it under pressure as well!

 

[noseall]

i guess that'll mean a drain down then.

p.s cheers keego.

 

[keego]

Why not bung the F&E, it'll save a drain down.

 

[noseall]

Why not bung the F&E, it'll save a drain down.

not a bad idea. i'm sure my little finger is about 15mm.

 

[Blasphemous]

Why not bung the F&E, it'll save a drain down.

not a bad idea. i'm sure my little finger is about 15mm.

noseall... Your F&E tank will most likely be in the loft so you'll have to either 'chop off' your little finger or have the most amazingly long arms in order to bung the F&E and replace the rad valve!!!

Don't just use a rag or the likes of (such as your chopped off little finger ). It could get sucked into the pipework and cause you a BIG headache! Get yourself a set of Feed & Expansion Tank Bungs. You should be able to get them in B&Q for about 10 or 12 quid. You'll no doubt use them again in the future to move a rad or replace a valve etc so its money well spent.

Oh!... and don't be tempted to replace both valves at the same time. Only do one valve at a time. If you cut into the pipework at both sides you'll lose the vacuum created by your F&E Bungs resulting in an unexpected draindown!!!!!!... So one valve at a time

 

[Softus]

Bunging has the advantage of (usually) keeping all inhibitor in the system, but the easiest way of all the options is to drain down.

Unless of course you have a blocked drain off cock, but now would be the time to find that out in case you have a leak at the bottom of a ground floor radiator...

 

[Paul Barker]

If you don't have the bungs (which are about £12) and you only have the one job like this, buy a 22mm speedfit cap and two 15mm speedfit caps and a 15mm speedfit socket.

Cap the open vent, hold finger in feed pipe so that you can cut it, and cap each side. (later you remake this joint with a speedfit socket.

Now open drain off with hose attached and wate a while until flow stops. Now close it.

Now do your job it will remain bone dry, but use a towel if you lack faith.

 

[noseall]

you guys certainly know your onions!

cheers all.

 

[fitz1]

no mate we use carrots or potatoes.

 

[noseall]

no mate we use carrots or potatoes.

wot......as pipe bungs!

 

[Paul Barker]

Actually when I was changing a pump recently and the ball valve was leaking very badly as a result I hastily hiked up to the loft with my finger, and then shouted down to the customer about carrots. Unfortunately they had non, so there I was muching a potatoe one handed to try and make it replace my finger, but in the end I settled for two push fit caps and cut the pipe.

The other day when I was making another one of those heath robbinson solution adder things with pipe and elbows that we always seem to lose between jobs, making it leak free by creating a wedge of ptfe on the 15mm pipe, it occured to me that an emergency bung could likewise be created, wedging ptfe on a pencil.

I have four of those rubber bungs somewhere but on the day your pump valves leak big time in a 4 story house you can be sure you can't find a single one.

On 22mm pipe the winesaver lever thingy does the job.