Draining unvented cylinder

[vosper2004]

Hi.
I have a Heatrae megaflo unvented cylinder. Might need to replace the element. The 22mm gate valve I installed for draining it has seized. When I did free it nothing flowed out of it so it must have clagged up over the years. Too many angles to poke it clear. The only way I can think of to drain it is to fit a self cutting tap and a hose out of the window. Problem is I can't find a 22mm self cutting tap. Any ideas would be much appreciated as my life won't be worth living if I make a mess.
Cheers,
Don

 

[Agile]

Your gate valve should have been operated every month to keep it free.

Whilst you may now be able to turn the spindle I expect the gate is still firmly stuck in place.

There is a way to empty your type of cylinder but as thats not generally known about I keep it to myself to give me a commercial advantage.

The qualified installer should have fitted a standard drain cock! If yours was not fitted by a qualified installer then it should be checked for safety asap.

I expect that you will have to resort to opening a compression fitting and catching the water in a plastic bowl and transferring it to a bucket. Rather time consuming but likely to be the best that you can do.

Tony

 

[vosper2004]

Tony,
Thanks for the reply.
I installed it myself. I understand your comment's about the qualified installer but if the authorities have their way I will soon have to get someone in to change a light bulb.
Apart from the gate valve, which has not been opened for a few years the system has given good service.
Are 22mm self cutting taps available? 15mm are no problem.
If I manage to drain it I'll change the gate valve for something appropriate.
Don

 

[Agile]

I have never seen a 22mm self cutting tap. As they are not a "professional" fitting then its possible there are some.

Tony

 

[vosper2004]

I have never seen a 22mm self cutting tap. As they are not a "professional" fitting then its possible there are some.

Tony

From the results of my searches I guess they don't exist.
Don

 

[ajstoneservices]

There is a way to empty your type of cylinder but as thats not generally known about I keep it to myself to give me a commercial advantage.

Tony

You ought to press him to reveal his almost secret method, it'll be a cracker

 

[vosper2004]

There is a way to empty your type of cylinder but as thats not generally known about I keep it to myself to give me a commercial advantage.

Tony

You ought to press him to reveal his almost secret method, it'll be a cracker

I've not run out of ideas yet
Don

 

[ajstoneservices]

Lets throw this in the mix. How about you crack the joint at the cylinder draw off and insert a hose and syphon it

 

[vosper2004]

As I can't find the 22mm tap I was thinking of the following:-
The exit is at the top.
I thought of a length of garden hose down this, isolate and break the inlet connection and siphon out of the window.
That should work as long as there is nothing stopping the garden hose going right to the bottom of the cylider.
As luck would have it this has occurred just before we go on holiday :cry
Don

 

[Agile]

My method is much better and more clever than siphoning with a hose.

But siphoning should work if you can get the hose in.

Tony

 

[kirkgas]

rig up the hose to outside, then simply remove the top half of the gate valve, have a cloth ready to cover the hole, you will find the valve has disconnected inside, get plenty of dust sheets round about you and simply put a thin blade screwdriver in and wiggle it till the bottom half of the gate valve comes out, then quickly refit the top half of the valve and nip it up till the cyl in empty, then change the valve for something better, or you could just simply disconnect the old valve and fit a new one, do it live its good for the pacemaker, go on you know you want to try it!!!!!!! cant think of tonys super duper way but haven't time to try to work it out, but as we all help each other he will tell us soon

 

[DeltaT]

I may be wrong but I thought you needed a G3 ticket to work on any unvented cylinder, even if it was a DaftyDIY'er in his own home?

 

[DeltaT]

cant think of tonys super duper way but haven't time to try to work it out, but as we all help each other he will tell us soon

What like syphoning it, just like Tony & the Cray twins did with petrol back in the day??!!

 

[mickyg]

you can get 22mm self cutting taps, very useful they are too. I'm assuming this installation comforms to G3 requirements?

 

[Razor900]

Tonys secret way is easy!!

Disconnect the cold inlet after the combination valve then backfill the cylinder with hot air to drive the water out.

It takes Tony around 5 minutes to fill a 300l cylinder with hot air