On Nov 24, 7:26*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:47:47 -0800 (PST), Joe
wrote:



On Nov 24, 5:57*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:04:27 -0800 (PST), Joe
Except for the leaker, which you should get fixed, if the valves are
open you should have no problem.
If the leak is at the valve stem it just needs new packing, but you'd
have to lower the system water to below the valve.

Thats not a problem. ;-) It is a stem leak and its at the very top of
the system. Strangely though, when I went back and tried it I
successfully bled the radiator. I only opened the ball valve a crack,
and that seemed to work better than opening it full. or some other
random event is taking place that I dont understand. Anyway its
working for the moment. Problem is I will probably have to do this
every time I heat the room, which is only s afew nights per week.


A typical radiator holds some gallons of water, and I assume the leak
from the valve won't empty the radiator in the time span you're
talking about, but only you know that.
That's the trouble dealing with incomplete information.
I don't know if the valve is dripping constantly, or just shed a drop
or two when you open or close it.

Its a slow, steady drip.

Think you said it was a new boiler, so chances are the radiators were
never bled properly by the installers.
And since you can't get water out of the top radiator, your fill valve
isn't opened, which means you probably don't have a regulator.
Just a valve from your water source to the boiler, the same source
that supplies your sinks and tub.
If that valve is open the water will fill the entire system if bled as
I said.
Can't be otherwise in my experience.

--Vic


No, I've bled the radiators many times since I got the boiler. My
boiler only gets filled when I take the hose out and fill it manually.
Its not hooked up to my water lines and there's no regulator like my
old pressurized boiler had.