On Tue, 18 Dec 2012 23:52:15 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
On Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:17:49 +0000, T i m wrote:
As it turned out ... the both 'shut off' but neither did so
'properly'. ;-)
Half a jug in what was it? 10 mins, is nothing...
As it happens the local merchant did me a good deal and the pump was
cheaper than SF. My second big pump pliers (two pairs seem a good
idea) were another 15 and he threw in a small tin of silicone grease.
;-)
Excellent, I suspect you'll be going back to them for plumbing bits in
the future rather than Screefix.
I don't use SF very much these days (Toolstation is closer and
cheaper) and do use this particular local PM for many things, even if
they are 'a bit more expensive' in some cases. It's just SF had the
best price on the pump, till I phone my local place.
A couple of points might still need attention (in the spring)?
1) It might enjoy a flush and re-fill with new inhibitor.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Hmmm, that sounds like my stepdaughter who will just turn the radio up
in her car when she hears a new 'funny noise'. Then I have to fix it
when it does eventually go bang. ;-(
What colour was the water that seeped
out?
Erm, I would say mostly clear with black bits / staining?
If there isn't a radiator that needs regular bleeding I wouldn't
worry too much.
She's not said and I'm sure she would if one was not running properly.
;-)
A bit more inhibitor might not hurt.
Ok.
2) She mentioned that although most of the rads were fitted with
TRV's, 'they didn't work'?
I've never setup such things but assume that ignoring any overall
balancing, each room rad stat valve should do it's own thing and limit
the room upper temperature to something predictable? She also
suggested this was the second lot they had tried?
I think you need to find out what is really meant by "they didn't work".
I think 'that they didn't manage the temperate of the individual rooms
as hoped'?
They system still needs to be properly balanced with all the TRV's fully
open, ie heads off. After that the TRV should keep the room more or less
at the temperature set. But how well that is done depends a bit on the
rest of the system and it's controls.
OK. Well, I have no idea if the system was ever balanced or if it's
still balanced now. I think she has either had a rad replaced or added
as there is so new pipework in the hallway.
Anyway, all the best and thanks to you and all for your help. It all
helps give a bit more confidence on things you aren't doing very often
(or in my case, ever before). ;-)
Glad to help and that it all went well. Good felling isn't it? "I did
that".
Yup, and one I'm pleased ('proud', as this is a d-i-y group) to say I
have enjoyed since a kid. Being it building my first push go-cart,
re-building my first bicycle after finding it in a ditch (and handing
it to the Police), my first moped (bought off a teacher for £5 with a
stripped plug thread) or my first car (Morris Minor Van bought for £25
and had to replace the gearbox in the carpark in the rain, at night to
be able to drive it home). Also, re-plumbing, wiring and some fairly
major building work (removing chimney breasts through to the stack) in
this place.
However, it is even better when you can use your skills to help
someone else, again, a feeling not unknown to me over 30 years in 'IT
Support' and being the one much of the family turn to when they need
some practical advice or something these things done. [1]
The pump that failed on me and I had to remove as lump by cutting the
pipes took about a day and half and a drain down.
Yup, that was the fear for this job by the Mrs (we are *supposed* to
be doing my Mums bathroom). As is often the case, it seemed to work
out ok.
This was in top floor
flat, the drain point was under a loose bit of flooring in the middle of
the hall under the fitted carpet...
Ouch. I've fitted a drain point at Mums, in readyness for that time
when it needs to be done in a hurry and they find no point exists
(lower than the boiler [2]). It meant tapping (1/4" BSP) into one of
the big brass T joints under the floor near the front door and using a
10 mm end (with nut / olive removed) - 15 mm compression converter to
allow me to fit a std drain cock.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5772409/Drain%20point.png
I didn't try soldering because the pipe was pretty large (1 1/4") and
wasn't the absolute lowest point so I couldn't drain it right down.
Access to the pump and pipe work was
cramped by being right up against the HW cylinder.
Ah, I feel we were spoiled on this particular installation. ;-)
Cheers, T i m
[1] A good example of the 'doing something good' feeling was when a
good mate phoned me in a panic one Sunday morning. Long - short, the
back door had fallen off his mini Shogun 4x4 and he was due to go to
the airport in it later that day. I took the hinges off one at a time
(the hinge pins had sheared off though lack of lube), managed to get
the hinge pins out of both sides and turn up / down some long socket
head bolts to fit. He drove off happy a couple of hours later. It
didn't dawn on me but as he was thanking me he said "I don't know who
else I could have asked at such sort notice who would have actually
been able to do such a neat job ... ". There are people out there of
course (especially here), just that he didn't know any. ;-)
Luckily, we have each other (here) to turn to for help and advice. ;-)
[2] I think the original drain point was lost when the gas boiler was
fitted.