Inspected the system last night and cannot find a drain tap for the
radiators!

1. Is there a simple way to drain the system...?

2. I'm planning to add a drain tap on one of the rads while the system
is drained. Will any of the downstairs rads be OK or is there a
convention for placement?

sponix

2. I'm planning to add a drain tap on one of the rads while the system
is drained. Will any of the downstairs rads be OK or is there a
convention for placement?

The lowest one!

Other possible characteristics of a good location:

1. No carpet.
2. Near the back door (for the hose)

Christian.

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 14:06:20 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

2. I'm planning to add a drain tap on one of the rads while the system
is drained. Will any of the downstairs rads be OK or is there a
convention for placement?

The lowest one!

There are three or four lowest ones!

1. No carpet.
2. Near the back door (for the hose)

Good points..

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 14:06:20 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

2. I'm planning to add a drain tap on one of the rads while the system
is drained. Will any of the downstairs rads be OK or is there a
convention for placement?

The lowest one!

Other possible characteristics of a good location:

1. No carpet.
2. Near the back door (for the hose)

Any reason why a draincock has to be used here? I was thinking of
using a 15mm isolating valve (with a screw control) and after that a
3/4 inch BSP male thread so that a hose connector can be screwed on.

Mr F.

Mr Fizzion wrote:
On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 14:06:20 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:


2. I'm planning to add a drain tap on one of the rads while the system
is drained. Will any of the downstairs rads be OK or is there a
convention for placement?

The lowest one!

Other possible characteristics of a good location:

1. No carpet.
2. Near the back door (for the hose)


Any reason why a draincock has to be used here? I was thinking of
using a 15mm isolating valve (with a screw control) and after that a
3/4 inch BSP male thread so that a hose connector can be screwed on.

Mr F.


ISTR my dad putting a washing machine valve with the plastic handle
removed on his - perfect for attaching a hose and easy enough to turn on
with a pair of pliers.

Any reason why a draincock has to be used here? I was thinking of
using a 15mm isolating valve (with a screw control) and after that a
3/4 inch BSP male thread so that a hose connector can be screwed on.

Use whatever type of draincock or valve you like, provided it can do full
isolation. The hose I use just pushes onto a standard draincock, so I used
one of those..

Christian.

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Richard Conway wrote:



Any reason why a draincock has to be used here? I was thinking of
using a 15mm isolating valve (with a screw control) and after that a
3/4 inch BSP male thread so that a hose connector can be screwed on.


ISTR my dad putting a washing machine valve with the plastic handle
removed on his - perfect for attaching a hose and easy enough to turn
on with a pair of pliers.

That's fine - but I would screw a blanking cap on as well just in case
there's any seepage past the valve.

--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
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Set Square wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Richard Conway wrote:



Any reason why a draincock has to be used here? I was thinking of
using a 15mm isolating valve (with a screw control) and after that a
3/4 inch BSP male thread so that a hose connector can be screwed on.


ISTR my dad putting a washing machine valve with the plastic handle
removed on his - perfect for attaching a hose and easy enough to turn
on with a pair of pliers.


That's fine - but I would screw a blanking cap on as well just in case
there's any seepage past the valve.


I'll mention it to him - but its a good 10 years since it was done so I
doubt he'll be too interested!

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Richard Conway wrote:

Set Square wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Richard Conway wrote:



Any reason why a draincock has to be used here? I was thinking of
using a 15mm isolating valve (with a screw control) and after that
a 3/4 inch BSP male thread so that a hose connector can be screwed
on.


ISTR my dad putting a washing machine valve with the plastic handle
removed on his - perfect for attaching a hose and easy enough to
turn on with a pair of pliers.


That's fine - but I would screw a blanking cap on as well just in
case there's any seepage past the valve.


I'll mention it to him - but its a good 10 years since it was done so
I doubt he'll be too interested!

I was thinking more of the OP doing a new one!
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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Christian McArdle wrote:

Any reason why a draincock has to be used here? I was thinking of
using a 15mm isolating valve (with a screw control) and after that a
3/4 inch BSP male thread so that a hose connector can be screwed on.


Use whatever type of draincock or valve you like, provided it can do full
isolation. The hose I use just pushes onto a standard draincock, so I used
one of those..

I went a stage further and picked a pipe location adjacent to a gully on
an outside wall. Drilled through and fitted a pipe through the wall such
that it emptied over the gully, connected via a service valve inside. So
to drain there is no need to mess about with hoses etc, just open the
valve.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
John Rumm wrote:

Christian McArdle wrote:

Any reason why a draincock has to be used here? I was thinking of
using a 15mm isolating valve (with a screw control) and after that a
3/4 inch BSP male thread so that a hose connector can be screwed on.


Use whatever type of draincock or valve you like, provided it can do
full isolation. The hose I use just pushes onto a standard
draincock, so I used one of those..

I went a stage further and picked a pipe location adjacent to a gully
on an outside wall. Drilled through and fitted a pipe through the
wall such that it emptied over the gully, connected via a service
valve inside. So to drain there is no need to mess about with hoses
etc, just open the valve.

I did something similar in my previous house - which had suspended wooden
floors with the downstairs pipework under the floor so it was easy to have a
pipe going out through an airbrick.

My current house has solid floors, though - with the CH being distributed
between the floors and dropping down to each rad - so each individual rad
needs a drain cock - which is a right pain.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 19:30:01 +0100, wrote:

On 29 Sep,
John Rumm wrote:


I went a stage further and picked a pipe location adjacent to a gully on
an outside wall. Drilled through and fitted a pipe through the wall such
that it emptied over the gully, connected via a service valve inside. So
to drain there is no need to mess about with hoses etc, just open the
valve.

The big question is how do I drain down the existing system as there
isn't a valve on it (That I can find)

The system is 35 years old and has never been drained in the last 6
years. Before that I don't know. Maybe it has never been drained.

sponix

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
--s-p-o-n-i-x-- wrote:


The big question is how do I drain down the existing system as there
isn't a valve on it (That I can find)

The system is 35 years old and has never been drained in the last 6
years. Before that I don't know. Maybe it has never been drained.

sponix

Find a small radiator as low down as possible. Close both valves. Slacken
one of the nuts holding the valve onto the rad and drain the rad into a
bowl. When the rad is empty, fully disconnect it from both valves, and lift
it off.

You now have *two* drain cocks - otherwise known as radiator valves!

[Take care to protect carpets etc. while doing this - any spilled black
gungy water is pretty indelible!]
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 21:38:59 +0100, --s-p-o-n-i-x--
wrote:

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 19:30:01 +0100, wrote:

On 29 Sep,
John Rumm wrote:


I went a stage further and picked a pipe location adjacent to a gully on
an outside wall. Drilled through and fitted a pipe through the wall such
that it emptied over the gully, connected via a service valve inside. So
to drain there is no need to mess about with hoses etc, just open the
valve.

The big question is how do I drain down the existing system as there
isn't a valve on it (That I can find)

The system is 35 years old and has never been drained in the last 6
years. Before that I don't know. Maybe it has never been drained.

sponix

If you have a suspended floor downstairs you can do pretty much
anything underneath without worrying too much about spillage of black
gunge.

You could fit a self-cutting drain cock (e.g. BES Part 17036) to any
15mm pipe anywhere in your system. (Haven't tried ths myself but it
looks like the appropriate part to me)

Mr F.

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 23:59:48 +0100, Mr Fizzion
wrote:

You could fit a self-cutting drain cock (e.g. BES Part 17036) to any
15mm pipe anywhere in your system. (Haven't tried ths myself but it
looks like the appropriate part to me)

Hmm, well fitting at the top would be pretty stupid actually, but you
could do it if you wanted to. :-)

"s--p--o--n--i--x" wrote in message
...
Inspected the system last night and cannot find a drain tap for the
radiators!

1. Is there a simple way to drain the system...?


Yes. I had to drain 3 rads in my house that were in loops that dropped down
from the 1st floor, but strangely hadn't been fitted with drain cocks. I
spoke to a couple of professional plumbers, but they didn't have a clue how
to drain them, apart from their usual method of removing rad with 2 blokes
with big thumbs over the inlet & outlet.

After a certain amount of head scratching I came up with the idea of using
one of those self-cutting taps, like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...23031&id=13768
with a hose adapter like the ones you get with a garden tap.
I just used it in the locations where I wanted to fit the drain cocks, and
after draining down I cut out the very short section of holed pipe, then
soldered in a Tee and drain cock. Worked fine, with no spillage. It's
possible to use the tap several times.

Mark

"MarkK" wrote in message
...
"s--p--o--n--i--x" wrote in message
...
Inspected the system last night and cannot find a drain tap for the
radiators!

1. Is there a simple way to drain the system...?


Yes. I had to drain 3 rads in my house that were in loops that dropped
down
from the 1st floor, but strangely hadn't been fitted with drain cocks.

I wish it really was strange but it sadly isn't!

I
spoke to a couple of professional plumbers, but they didn't have a clue
how
to drain them, apart from their usual method of removing rad with 2 blokes
with big thumbs over the inlet & outlet.

If you sheet up correctly to avoid spillage damage and the rad has working
valves at each end whats wrong with that? It works every time for me
..

After a certain amount of head scratching I came up with the idea of using
one of those self-cutting taps, like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...23031&id=13768
with a hose adapter like the ones you get with a garden tap.
I just used it in the locations where I wanted to fit the drain cocks, and
after draining down I cut out the very short section of holed pipe, then
soldered in a Tee and drain cock. Worked fine, with no spillage. It's
possible to use the tap several times.

Mark

On Fri, 30 Sep 2005 23:45:16 +0000, MarkK wrote:

"s--p--o--n--i--x" wrote in message
...
Inspected the system last night and cannot find a drain tap for the
radiators!

1. Is there a simple way to drain the system...?


Yes. I had to drain 3 rads in my house that were in loops that dropped down
from the 1st floor, but strangely hadn't been fitted with drain cocks. I
spoke to a couple of professional plumbers, but they didn't have a clue how
to drain them, apart from their usual method of removing rad with 2 blokes
with big thumbs over the inlet & outlet.

The way I deal with these is to turn off both end of the radiator.
Slacken the coupling on the rad side of the valve and drain the rad in a
tray repeatedly until empty. Then remove rad. Then you can put a hose and
fitting on the valve and use the rad valve to drain the pipework (or
indeed the whole system - as I had to the other week where no drain points
had been fitted at all).

--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 14:55:50 +0100, Mr Fizzion
wrote:

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 14:06:20 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

2. I'm planning to add a drain tap on one of the rads while the system
is drained. Will any of the downstairs rads be OK or is there a
convention for placement?

The lowest one!

Other possible characteristics of a good location:

1. No carpet.
2. Near the back door (for the hose)

Any reason why a draincock has to be used here? I was thinking of
using a 15mm isolating valve (with a screw control) and after that a
3/4 inch BSP male thread so that a hose connector can be screwed on.

I've got these in several places round the house (downstairs heating
comes down in several loops). The outlet goes out through the wall, and
since the house floor is a foot or so about the outside ground level,
you can get a bucket underneath if you want to (I tend not to bother).
--
On-line canal route planner: http://www.canalplan.org.uk

(Waterways World site of the month, April 2001)

"John" wrote in message
...

"MarkK" wrote in message
...

I
spoke to a couple of professional plumbers, but they didn't have a clue
how
to drain them, apart from their usual method of removing rad with 2
blokes
with big thumbs over the inlet & outlet.

If you sheet up correctly to avoid spillage damage and the rad has working
valves at each end whats wrong with that? It works every time for me

Nothing wrong with it, but no good for me working on my own on big, long,
heavy rads!

Mark

Well, the TRV replacement went fairly well but I managed to flood the
kitchen!

All the "tails" bar two were the normal straight ones. The remaining
two came out very easily despite the fact they had been there for over
30 years!

The tool I bought didn't fit-the hexagonal hole in the tail was
smaller than the corresponding hex on the tool-I used a large flat
bladed screwdriver instead.

Anyway, when I refilled the system it became apparent that there was
air trapped in the boiler so I undid a rather large bleed valve/tap
thingumy to let the air out...

Loads of air came out followed by a jet of water. I did the valve up
but the water still came. I did the valve up tighter and the water
still poured out!

It turns out that the washer in the valve completely disitegrated when
the valve was opened-I fould the bits on the kitchen floor.

swmbo was not amused. Ho-hum.

sponix

s--p--o--n--i--x wrote:

swmbo was not amused. Ho-hum.

She will see the funny side in time....

Probably every time she reminds you about it in fact in years to come!

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Tue, 04 Oct 2005 10:17:06 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

s--p--o--n--i--x wrote:

swmbo was not amused. Ho-hum.

She will see the funny side in time....

Probably every time she reminds you about it in fact in years to come!

At the moment she sees it as good reason to replace the entire
kitchen!

s--p--o--n--i--x wrote:

At the moment she sees it as good reason to replace the entire
kitchen!

Yup, that could work.... or "I want a new house!" ;-)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/