Draining radiator -rad pipe to close to wall

[RK_London]

I'm decorating and need to remove a radiator. Radiator pipe very close to wall and can't use my plumb tub. See picture.

Any advice on how to drain radiator without getting water all over floor?

Thanks.

 

[Wayners]

Use tin foil around pipe and make a run off for water.

Spanner upward to undo that right hand side nut.
Spanner down on the left side.

Hold the valve with another wrench and place knee against your hand that holding wrench that's on the valve. That way it cannot possibly move so you won't disturb brass olive where pipe goes in the valve.

Move that too much and it leaks you won't be happy

 

[dilalio]

Wet vac.
Don't have one?
Rubble bag with no holes in it apart from the one you fill it with.

 

[dilalio]

I also have one of these...

VERSA-FUNNEL - NERRAD TOOLS

An essential must have for all boiler engineers! The unique Versa Funnel suits numerous applications from draining boilers to leaking radiators. Especially useful for boiler engineers when diverting running water away from the PCB. Forms into virtually any shape and can be bent, flexed or...

www.nerradtools.com

 

[RK_London]

Update.

Thanks to the versa funnel managed to drain radiator from the lockshield side (see picture).

But not so successful on the TRV side - tried but nut wouldn't budge and felt copper pipe move upward which might be causing a slight weep on the pipe - didn't want that. See attached picture. Maybe my technique not good - maybe shouldn't be using mole grips or I'm not using enough turning force on spanner and too much upward force.

Just in case the TRV leak gets worse or as Wayners pointed out I might have already disturbed olive of pipe going into valve, I need to figure out how to drain system.

Was thinking of using the spirotec filter drain (see picture) to drain system if I need to in an emergency or is there a better way of doing it.

 

[CountryFan]

Maybe temporarily remove the TRV head and use the grips on top? Decent tools would get it, or heat is another good tip.

 

[RK_London]

Was thinking of taking TRV head off but wasn't sure if taking off head would disturb zero-setting (valve switched off setting) and let water into rad.

 

[opps]

I use bin bags to drain rads. I also use a siltson to hold the valve in place whilst undoing the rad nut.

I close both valves. I then use a rad key to release any pressure- then close the bleed valve. I then undo one of the valves and tuck the bin bag up. Then I open the bleed valve again to let the water come out of the valve faster.

I am a decorator rather than a plumber, but it works for me. That said, I am happy to wait 20 mins for the rad to drain.

 

[CountryFan]

Was thinking of taking TRV head off but wasn't sure if taking off head would disturb zero-setting (valve switched off setting) and let water into rad.

It would, but I was thinking just to crack the nut

 

[kidgreen61]

This seems a lot of fuss for something very simple.
Close both valves, open vent to check they are both shut.
As said, hold valve with stilsons and undo nut, gently pull pipe away and substitute valve for 1/2BSP stop end.
Move to other side and repeat.
The water will only exit rad as fast as air can get in, so an old towel will suffice.
2 min job.

 

[RK_London]

Managed to undo the nut on the TRV...will see if I have disturbed the pipe on the valve or if the weeping is from the undone nut.

 

[dilalio]

OMG!
There's a reason to be a plumber!
It ain't always what part is needed, it's how to spec /replace/fit it.

FFS.

 

[RK_London]

Good news is draining radiator was easy - tricky bit was the nut of the TRV which wouldn't budge with my spanner (didn't have a stilson). Hopefully weeping is just from undone nut and not the pipe.

 

[dilalio]

Stilsons on a rad valve!
You can't get muscle strength from screwfix buddy! xx

 

[opps]

Stilsons on a rad valve!
You can't get muscle strength from screwfix buddy! xx

On old valves where the rad nut is extremely tight, I use the stilson on the valve body to stop it twisting (and ultimately leaking from the nut on the underside). What is wrong with that?

I recall an occasion where I didn't use the stilson. Whilst trying to undo the nut, the valve twisted very, very slightly and start to leak from the underside. I had to drain down the system and noticed that the bottom nut had been tightened so much that the copper had bent inwards. I had to cut the pipe and solder in a new section.

At the risk of looking like a wimp, which I confess, I am, I would rather not make extra work for myself.

Not all rads have been fitted by competent plumbers.