Drop fed rads - draining from rad tail.

Im planning to drain down my CH system to do some work on it and also replace a couple of rads.

All of the downstairs rads are on individual drop feeds with most of the pipe work on 10mm microbore ( a few have had 15mm adapters and 15mm pipe added)
There are no drain cocks on any of the rads downstairs.

The rads which use 10mm pipe have got 15mm valves fitted and use 10 to 15mm valve reducers which were a pain to fit and get a good leak free seal

In the past ive been able to drain individual legs using a short length of copper pipe with a nut an olive on one end and a hose on the other as a makeshift drain off point connected to the rad valve (ive only done this on the pipes that have been adapted to 15mm.

I dont really want to use the above method on the 10mm drops as I dont want to have to displace the rad valves and adaptors.

some of newer rads that i fitted a while ago have valve extensions with integral drain taps like this.....


just wondering, would it be possible to drain the entire leg from this point meaning i could leave the valve and reducer set undisturbed?

Isolate both sides of the Rad, take the Rad off but be careful as its full of water... I put a tub under and cap of each side of the Rad then take outside to empty.
Then you can drain from the Rad tails... I have tails off old rads with drain offs tightened in on a nut and cone to drain the legs

I assume you know but just incase you don't all drops have to be drained seperatly the first one you drain will drain upstairs and that one drop (open the bleeds aswell) and then all other drops will need draining if your working on them

LGriffiths said:

I assume you know but just incase you don't all drops have to be drained seperatly the first one you drain will drain upstairs and that one drop (open the bleeds aswell) and then all other drops will need draining if your working on them

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That only counts as one.

Harvest Fields said:

That only counts as one.

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Damnnnnn.. You got me

LGriffiths said:

Damnnnnn.. You got me

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We do monitor the people we have on here mate. (Still only 1)

Harvest Fields said:

That only counts as one.

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I’m lost, is this to do with number of posts?

CBW1982 said:

I’m lost, is this to do with number of posts?

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Yeah mate... Trying to access the secret group aren't I

LGriffiths said:

I assume you know but just incase you don't all drops have to be drained seperatly

Click to expand...

Yes i already knew that but thanks for the heads up

LGriffiths said:

Isolate both sides of the Rad, take the Rad off but be careful as its full of water... I put a tub under and cap of each side of the Rad then take outside to empty.
Then you can drain from the Rad tails... I have tails off old rads with drain offs tightened in on a nut and cone to drain the legs

Click to expand...

I was hoping to avoid having to do this
.. Reason being is that the 10mm pipe is set in the concrete floor so there's no play at all in the pipes. Only way to maneuver the rads out is to very gently 'flex' the pipes outwards to create clearance and remove the rad.

Every time I do this im worried about fracturing one of the pipes so was looking for an alternative approach