Messed up repair, now I have a puddle!

[CHRIS Pike]

Radiator in bedroom never worked. Been trying to fix it.

Took it off wall last week, rinsed it out. Pipe going in hot, suggestion it might be TRV.

Today. Drained system, took TRV off, put new TRV on. Refilled system. Bled radiators. Still cold. But also leaking!!

From picture. Black circle part is hot, part under red circle not hot. I thought the leak was coming from Green circle area, but on draining the system again, I could hear air from orange nut on blue area.

Should i replace red and orange nuts? If so, how do i get them off the radiator parts.

Any ideas? If the green area is leaking, can I fix it? Got British gas homecare, but thats a week for an appointment. I have no hot water or heating anywhere else until i fix this.

 

[gmartine]

Take rad off, cap both pipe ends with "stop ends", refill system and call homecare. Hopefully it isn't leaking and that plastic coupling isn't damaged.

Ok Im being a bit cynical, if you insist on having a go try using a bit of threading paste like boss white around every olive.

 

[CHRIS Pike]

Having refitted the valve for the second time, applying FAR more PTFE tape, it is leaking at the blue circle, more of a drip now, but it is running down the pipe.

homecare wont cover me because I did it. They are seeing if they have anyone available now but they are SO slow on the online chat. I'l see how much it costs before I commit.

 

[gmartine]

Use paste instead of PTFE.

 

[CHRIS Pike]

Ill go get some, could you advise where to apply the paste?

 

[gmartine]

As with PTFE, around the olive not the thread.

 

[CHRIS Pike]

Totally new at this, where is the olive?

 

[CHRIS Pike]

2nd silly question,, is jointing compound what I need?

 

[gmartine]

Call a plumber mate, it's for your own good.

 

[CHRIS Pike]

Thank you! Ill try to find one! Ill give the paste a go first though! How much worse can it get......

 

[gmartine]

 

[CHRIS Pike]

Watched, put paste on the small olive on the pipe that comes from the wall and the other one after the right angle.

Leak much worse now.

It did get worse lol

 

[Rob Foster]

I expect that it is not all your fault...but its your problem.
looks to me like the 15mm olive has been short fitted , ie not enough lead to get a watertight
joint now you have cracked it.
if you are confident cut off the compression olives , replace with new ones, BANG the fittings right into place , use a toffee hammer , then it will all
be ok,then apply ptfe wrapped properly , or paste if its all dry
or silicon and off you go, or if not confident back off and pay up ....let us know how you get on...Centralheatking

 

[CHRIS Pike]

Thanks Rob. I'm gonna try a ton of tape. If I can get it to the dripping stage again,it can be managed while we shower. Then I'm off to phone plumbers.

 

[CHRIS Pike]

Plumbers came. They did what Rob suggested(replaced the olive) and it stopped leaking.

They fiddled with the other valve. Bled some other radiators and shut lots off. The radiator burgled and warmed up. Hooray. £90 well spent