Ariston unvented drain off?

[chrisplumb]

Apart from my other post where I have a problem with immersions I also have another job where the drain off is completely buggered on an Ariston unvented cylinder. i have to drain down to change the immersion as the customer doesn't use thier boiler only the immersion, long story but the house is full of unfinished plumbing and apparently been like it for a few years so they use the immersion constantly. I tried to drain down the other day but the drain off is knackered, i tried to move the washer in the drain off with a small screwdriver but it wouldn't have it. I guess my next move would be to try and syphon from the hot supply unless somebody knows an easier way?

 

[davetheplumber]

Sorry. Get ur hosepipe out and suck

 

[chrisplumb]

Sorry. Get ur hosepipe out and suck

Yea thought as much, bloody cylinder is in the most akward place as well, cheers Dave, cant wait until tomorrow or today even!

 

[feltham]

i have had this a few times befor .every time i have unscrewd the drain off compleatly out and pushed a flat head screwdriver as far as possible and have the hose and drain off ready for a sudden gush.
or is it something like you havent vented the cylinder when tryin to drain and then it is air locking and nowt is coming out.

 

[migoplumber]

if you have a stop tap on the entry to cylinder. turn off mains to house. take pressure out of cold. drain hot as far as possible(ie tank). break union of cold stop tap downstream of cylinder. hopefully no water will come out. connect hose pipe to stop tap and take other end to outside. open stop tap. nothing comes out, due to cylinder vacume. break nut on hot outlet. cylinder will drain to cold level input.
then just follow felthams advise. when cylinder is empty. replace drain off with a high quality one. also try to give your cylinder a bit of a flush out.

good luck
shaun

 

[chrisplumb]

if you have a stop tap on the entry to cylinder. turn off mains to house. take pressure out of cold. drain hot as far as possible(ie tank). break union of cold stop tap downstream of cylinder. hopefully no water will come out. connect hose pipe to stop tap and take other end to outside. open stop tap. nothing comes out, due to cylinder vacume. break nut on hot outlet. cylinder will drain to cold level input.
then just follow felthams advise. when cylinder is empty. replace drain off with a high quality one. also try to give your cylinder a bit of a flush out.

good luck
shaun

Yea thanks for your advice shaun & feltham, got it sorted in the end and always replace the DOC with a new one just incase I have to go back again (or another plumber!)