Isolating tails, are they better these days?

[theSouth]

about 6-7 years ago I tried some isolating rad rails. Didn't work very well as they didnt fit well with the rads I had and leaked. Yes yes, it could well have been my plumbing 'skills'

Anyway, anyone have a recommendation for decent isolating tails? (Rather than start a debate about whether they are a good idea )

 

[muggles]

Without wanting to start a debate about whether they are a good idea....they're a terrible idea. If you need to turn off your radiator, just switch off the valves that are already on it. If they're goosed, change them (you're going to need to drain your system to fit the isolating tails anyway, which rather defeats the object). The tails can't have very good quality valves in them anyway so I doubt they'd work when you needed them to

 

[theSouth]

I'm going to freeze to remove a rad temporarily. No easy place to fit isolating valves in line to this one and rad may need to come off in future (next 12 months) due to decoration.

I don't need to drain down. I can freeze again in future obviously but it's expensive each time. I just wondered if iso tails had improved.

I'm really asking if someone has recent first hand experience?

 

[ScottishGasMan]

http://www.screwfix.com/p/terrier-lockshield-valve-15mm-x/93129

These are the most reliabale rad tails in my expirience, 10 years of fitting them and replacing old leaking tails with these, and never had a problem with them

 

[Phill Peck]

The point is you have valves.

Why do you want to isolate the tails there is no need.

Completely pointless things

 

[theSouth]

?

To easily remove a rad without:

- Draining down
- freezing
- installing isolating valves earlier in the pipework

No?

 

[Dan Robinson]

No.


Pointless.

 

[theSouth]

I disagree. They have a point.

You know what they are?

 

[Phill Peck]

why do u need isolation valves though u have radiator valves.

Y want to carry the rad out full of water?

 

[Dan Robinson]

FFS - they are pointless. THe ones you used were probably not fit for use on CH pipe work hence they leaked.

Are you going to listen to people who do this for a living or just argue the toss?

 

[theSouth]

You said they were pointless. They have a point.

They were rated for CH. the leak was due to the rad tail fitting. Worked fine for cheap panel rads but not for the one I was using since the tail of the isolator wasn't long enough to make a decent seal. Argue if you like, not interested in conjecture I want facts and someone's ever ounce of using them.

Anyway, not sure how replying is arguing the toss. And please re-read my original post, last sentence before FFS'ing me.

If you've not used them, hate them, think them pointless - good for you, plenty of other threads to reply to.

As I say, I'm looking for someone who has actually used them. Sounds like that's not you.

 

[Dan Robinson]

There's a valve either side of the rad. Why put TWO valves either side of the rad.

What valves were you using?


Explain what possible use a second valve either side of a rad is?

 

[Dan Robinson]

I can easily remove a rad without:

- Draining down
- freezing

I don't need to drain down to do this:

- installing isolating valves earlier in the pipework

 

[FiremanT]

Do you mean these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lift-off-IsoRad-Radiator-Isolating-Tails-BSP-TRV-Bsp-/370620976496


If not, what exactly are you talking about?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Well we all know they're shyte.