hot swapping rads
 

Hi


I want to move radiators without removing them, and without draining,
for access behind them. No its not for painting. In principle one can
loosen the pipe connections, swing the rad down and retighten. But...
I believe rads are usually hooked onto brackets on the wall, in which
case how does one move the thing without unplumbing it? Theyre modern
rads, probably early 70s.

I know this is done, just dont know how to do it!


Regards, NT

hot swapping rads
 

N. Thornton wrote:

I want to move radiators without removing them, and without draining,
for access behind them. No its not for painting. In principle one can
loosen the pipe connections, swing the rad down and retighten. But...
I believe rads are usually hooked onto brackets on the wall, in which
case how does one move the thing without unplumbing it? Theyre modern
rads, probably early 70s.

I know this is done, just dont know how to do it!

The bracket 'hooks' are usually 6-10mm deep, so you only need to be able
to lift the rad by that much. If the pipes go through the floor, there
is almost always enough play to unhook the rad.

--
Grunff

hot swapping rads
 

"Grunff" wrote in message
...
N. Thornton wrote:

I want to move radiators without removing them, and without draining,
for access behind them. No its not for painting. In principle one can
loosen the pipe connections, swing the rad down and retighten. But...
I believe rads are usually hooked onto brackets on the wall, in which
case how does one move the thing without unplumbing it? Theyre modern
rads, probably early 70s.

I know this is done, just dont know how to do it!

The bracket 'hooks' are usually 6-10mm deep, so you only need to be able
to lift the rad by that much. If the pipes go through the floor, there
is almost always enough play to unhook the rad.

--
Grunff

And the design of every rad that I've seen is such that there is no way to
remove them aside from how Grunff mentions.

Alex

hot swapping rads
 

Grunff wrote in message ...
N. Thornton wrote:

I want to move radiators without removing them, and without draining,

The bracket 'hooks' are usually 6-10mm deep, so you only need to be able
to lift the rad by that much. If the pipes go through the floor, there
is almost always enough play to unhook the rad.

excellant, ty.

Regards, NT

hot swapping rads
 

In article ,
N. Thornton wrote:
I want to move radiators without removing them, and without draining,

The bracket 'hooks' are usually 6-10mm deep, so you only need to be
able to lift the rad by that much. If the pipes go through the floor,
there is almost always enough play to unhook the rad.

excellant, ty.

Be careful if doing any work with them in this state, as the pipes are
easily damaged.

--
*There's no place like www.home.com *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

hot swapping rads
 

On Fri, 06 Aug 2004 21:25:17 GMT, "Alex" wrote:

"Grunff" wrote in message
...
N. Thornton wrote:

I want to move radiators without removing them, and without draining,
for access behind them. No its not for painting. In principle one can
loosen the pipe connections, swing the rad down and retighten. But...
I believe rads are usually hooked onto brackets on the wall, in which
case how does one move the thing without unplumbing it? Theyre modern
rads, probably early 70s.

I know this is done, just dont know how to do it!

The bracket 'hooks' are usually 6-10mm deep, so you only need to be able
to lift the rad by that much. If the pipes go through the floor, there
is almost always enough play to unhook the rad.

--
Grunff

And the design of every rad that I've seen is such that there is no way to
remove them aside from how Grunff mentions.

Alex


Yeras ago I saw an idea that had the radiators held to the brackets by
pins going through holes in both rad and bracket,instead of the rads being
hooked on .There was also a chain connecting rad and bracket and when you
wanted to decorate you loosened the connections ,removed the pins and
folded the rad forward and tightened up the connections and did the
reverse when finished .. Apparently it never caught on...
Stuart


--

"YESTERDAY is history,TOMORROW is a mystery,TODAY is a gift

That is why it is called the present "

hot swapping rads
 

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
N. Thornton wrote:
I want to move radiators without removing them, and without
draining,

The bracket 'hooks' are usually 6-10mm deep, so you only need to be
able to lift the rad by that much. If the pipes go through the floor,
there is almost always enough play to unhook the rad.

excellant, ty.

Be careful if doing any work with them in this state, as the pipes are
easily damaged.

As I found out the hard way a few years ago. Support the weight of the rads
on some bricks or wood blocks.

Adam

hot swapping rads
 

On Fri, 06 Aug 2004 21:25:17 GMT, "Alex"
strung together this:

And the design of every rad that I've seen is such that there is no way to
remove them aside from how Grunff mentions.

You've obviously not been looking at enoough rads then!
At Interbuild sometime in the last few years someone had a rad where
the F&R pipes both entered at one end so the rad unclipped and swung
out without draining down.
Can't remember who it was though!
--

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd

hot swapping rads
 

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message ...
In article ,
N. Thornton wrote:
I want to move radiators without removing them, and without draining,

The bracket 'hooks' are usually 6-10mm deep, so you only need to be
able to lift the rad by that much. If the pipes go through the floor,
there is almost always enough play to unhook the rad.

excellant, ty.

Be careful if doing any work with them in this state, as the pipes are
easily damaged.


I've hit a problem. One floor is concrete, and the pipes are cemented
in. So I guess I'd have to drain the system down for that one. :(
Unfortunately its not something I can do quick, so freezing isnt an
option.

Thanks, NT

hot swapping rads
 

"N. Thornton" wrote
| I've hit a problem. One floor is concrete, and the pipes
| are cemented in. So I guess I'd have to drain the system
| down for that one. :(
| Unfortunately its not something I can do quick, so freezing
| isnt an option.

Provided you've got a bit of lateral (rather than vertical) play in the
pipes, just turn off the valves at each end, which will seal the pipes (use
one of those caps if it's a thermostatic valve).

Unscrew one end of the rad from its valve and pull forward. Not much water
will come out of the rad, because it's a closed vessel. Put thumb firmly
over radiator outlet.

Here's where it's a good thing you're not IMM, because you really need a
friend for this bit.

Have friend repeat undo valve and put thumb over outlet trick at other end
of radiator.

Invert radiator so outlets are at top.

With rad inverted, water now unlikely to spill out. Carry radiator outside
and empty.

I was very scared the first time a plumber asked me to do this. But it
worked.

Usual warning - sludgy rad water is indelibly dye. Have towels handy and
protect floor in immediate area.

If you have a sealed primary system you'll have to repressurise after
reattaching the radiator and refilling/bleeding.

Owain

hot swapping rads
 

In article , Owain
writes
"N. Thornton" wrote
| I've hit a problem. One floor is concrete, and the pipes
| are cemented in. So I guess I'd have to drain the system
| down for that one. :(
| Unfortunately its not something I can do quick, so freezing
| isnt an option.

Provided you've got a bit of lateral (rather than vertical) play in the
pipes, just turn off the valves at each end, which will seal the pipes (use
one of those caps if it's a thermostatic valve).

Unscrew one end of the rad from its valve and pull forward. Not much water
will come out of the rad, because it's a closed vessel. Put thumb firmly
over radiator outlet.

Here's where it's a good thing you're not IMM, because you really need a
friend for this bit.

Have friend repeat undo valve and put thumb over outlet trick at other end
of radiator.

Invert radiator so outlets are at top.

With rad inverted, water now unlikely to spill out. Carry radiator outside
and empty.

I was very scared the first time a plumber asked me to do this. But it
worked.

Usual warning - sludgy rad water is indelibly dye. Have towels handy and
protect floor in immediate area.

If you have a sealed primary system you'll have to repressurise after
reattaching the radiator and refilling/bleeding.

Owain




If you have a bit of slack in the pipes you could turn of the valves,
lift the rad off its hooks, slacken the nuts holding the connectors to
the valves and tilt the whole rad forward until its laying on the ground
at this point the connections will be slightly uppermost..water doesn't
run uphill etc, or if you have a shallow 'ish tray, undo the vent nipple
and drain off the or some water that way if you're doing all this single
handed.


Then with some water out you can undo the connector fixings with no or
very little danger of spills. I've got to change a rad with a pinhole
leak this week so I'll give it a try:)
--
Tony Sayer

hot swapping rads
 

"Owain" wrote in message ...
"N. Thornton" wrote
| I've hit a problem. One floor is concrete, and the pipes
| are cemented in. So I guess I'd have to drain the system
| down for that one. :(
| Unfortunately its not something I can do quick, so freezing
| isnt an option.

Provided you've got a bit of lateral (rather than vertical) play in the
pipes, just turn off the valves at each end, which will seal the pipes (use
one of those caps if it's a thermostatic valve).

Unscrew one end of the rad from its valve and pull forward. Not much water
will come out of the rad, because it's a closed vessel. Put thumb firmly
over radiator outlet.

Here's where it's a good thing you're not IMM, because you really need a
friend for this bit.

Have friend repeat undo valve and put thumb over outlet trick at other end
of radiator.

Invert radiator so outlets are at top.

With rad inverted, water now unlikely to spill out. Carry radiator outside
and empty.

I was very scared the first time a plumber asked me to do this. But it
worked.

Usual warning - sludgy rad water is indelibly dye. Have towels handy and
protect floor in immediate area.

If you have a sealed primary system you'll have to repressurise after
reattaching the radiator and refilling/bleeding.

Owain


sounds clever. But... the pipes are cemented in, so no movement at
all. I'm beginning to think the only option is to drain down, saw
through the pipes, and reconnect with compression fittings afterwards.


Cheers, NT

hot swapping rads
 

"N. Thornton" wrote
| sounds clever. But... the pipes are cemented in, so no movement
| at all. I'm beginning to think the only option is to drain
| down, saw through the pipes, and reconnect with compression
| fittings afterwards.

There only needs to be enough give to enable the valve to be separated from
the radiator by mm. If they got the radiator in with the pipes cemented,
then you should be able to get it out.

Owain

hot swapping rads
 

In article , N.
Thornton writes
"Owain" wrote in message
...
"N. Thornton" wrote
| I've hit a problem. One floor is concrete, and the pipes
| are cemented in. So I guess I'd have to drain the system
| down for that one. :(
| Unfortunately its not something I can do quick, so freezing
| isnt an option.

Provided you've got a bit of lateral (rather than vertical) play in the
pipes, just turn off the valves at each end, which will seal the pipes (use
one of those caps if it's a thermostatic valve).

Unscrew one end of the rad from its valve and pull forward. Not much water
will come out of the rad, because it's a closed vessel. Put thumb firmly
over radiator outlet.

Here's where it's a good thing you're not IMM, because you really need a
friend for this bit.

Have friend repeat undo valve and put thumb over outlet trick at other end
of radiator.

Invert radiator so outlets are at top.

With rad inverted, water now unlikely to spill out. Carry radiator outside
and empty.

I was very scared the first time a plumber asked me to do this. But it
worked.

Usual warning - sludgy rad water is indelibly dye. Have towels handy and
protect floor in immediate area.

If you have a sealed primary system you'll have to repressurise after
reattaching the radiator and refilling/bleeding.

Owain


sounds clever. But... the pipes are cemented in, so no movement at
all. I'm beginning to think the only option is to drain down, saw
through the pipes, and reconnect with compression fittings afterwards.


Cheers, NT

Assuming that the rad valves are compression fittings, can't you undo
them after draining and then lift the rad off?, or have I got this
ABF?.....
--
Tony Sayer

hot swapping rads
 

tony sayer wrote in message ...

Assuming that the rad valves are compression fittings, can't you undo
them after draining and then lift the rad off?, or have I got this
ABF?.....

Yes, Ive been a silly arse. I was thinking the conncetions were one
way round when theyre in fact the other. So all I need do is
unscrew... still got to drain down though, gonna be a pain emptying
that lot into a 3" tray :(

Cheers, NT

hot swapping rads
 

"N. Thornton" wrote

Yes, Ive been a silly arse. I was thinking the conncetions were one
way round when theyre in fact the other. So all I need do is
unscrew... still got to drain down though, gonna be a pain emptying
that lot into a 3" tray :(


Try using 2 thick black bin liners, one inside the other. Don't let them get
too heavy to lift, though. I've had success using this method.

Steve S

hot swapping rads
 

"N. Thornton" wrote:
Grunff wrote...
N. Thornton wrote:
I want to move radiators without removing them, and without
draining,
The bracket 'hooks' are usually 6-10mm deep, so you only need
to be able to lift the rad by that much. If the pipes go
through the floor, there is almost always enough play to
unhook the rad.

It's a good idea to put a couple of blocks of timber on the floor
where the rad. will swing down, the same height as the connections,
so that the rad. can rest on these and not strain the pipework
or fittings.


J.B.

hot swapping rads
 

"N. Thornton" wrote:
But... the pipes are cemented in, so no movement at all.
I'm beginning to think the only option is to drain down,
saw through the pipes, and reconnect with compression
fittings afterwards.

You should be able to bend the pipes out a fraction, but
you'll probably have to drain the radiator.


J.B.

hot swapping rads
 

"SteveS" wrote in message ...

Try using 2 thick black bin liners, one inside the other. Don't let them get
too heavy to lift, though. I've had success using this method.

Steve S

loads of good ideas. I guess I just have to drain the system bagful by bagful :(

Regards, NT