Problems with air in veneted system

[Chris Bathroom]

Hi all, am having problems with gravity fed system , after draining down to fit 3 new rads and valves, tryed filling system up bit cant seem to get any water from upstairs rads or pump. Any ideas on best way? Its an oil fueled boiler and theres solar panels with an expanion vessel for these. thanks Chris

 

[ecowarm]

Is the float valve in the F&E tank stuck? if not is the cold feed blocked?

 

[Chris Bathroom]

Have made sure f and e is full, will have a look at cold feed pipe though,They are plastic tanks and look pretty new,have thought about putting a burst of mains water into a rad to try dislodge any air locks?

 

[Chris Bathroom]

Will the pressurised solar system affect any filling,am thinking thats on a different system?

 

[ecowarm]

Correct no conection between heating and solar

 

[Chris Bathroom]

Its a biggish old system with bits here and there ,microbore,15mm etc, will check cold feed pipe from tank and try an get sum air out of pump. Thanks for help.

 

[shneld]

Have made sure f and e is full, will have a look at cold feed pipe though,They are plastic tanks and look pretty new,have thought about putting a burst of mains water into a rad to try dislodge any air locks?

How about using a wet vac?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

did you manually open the two/three way valves to let the water to flow fully to all parts of the system?

 

[Chris Bathroom]

Good idea, will try that , pump dry, so could well be that. Am getting water downstairs and have got a lot of air out by running a hosepipe to drain connected to a drain off. Thanks !

 

[Coleve]

Hi without seeing the system it's difficult to say, but the mish mash of pipes might mean it's an air lock. Air locks are notorious to clear but the method I use is deadly but never fails. Find the lowest point drain cock (ground floor) and fit the garden hose to it with jubilee clip, turn on garden tap feeding hose and open drain valve. This is a two man job. Have someone wait at the heating expansion cistern and keep tap open until all air expunged from system either through open vent or coldfeed/expansion pipe, when water only appears it is done. Remember you may have to doze with inhibitor again as a certain amount of dilation will occour. I have said use garden tap for this because it should have a double check valve do not use a tap that does not or you may end up with cross flow into the mains

 

[SimonG]

Get water to pump and run pump, it will help dislodge the air. Or my favourite, boil the system, not for the faint hearted though and you need to know what you are doing . Once spent over 4 hours on a sunday doing a quick trv change, wasn't until I drained down that the cust told me it was a pain to refill. Which is why I do a lot live now

 

[plumberpete]

if the f&e is filling ok.open the drain off until all the air comes out that should sort it.

 

[ManchesterGas]

Open a bleed on one of the rads that has air locked (furthest away is best ) and suck!

normally works for me!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

had similar case , customer called last summer ! he just fitted new trv , but never turned power supply to boiler when system was drained for almost 10h ! and hot water came on at some point and you all know what happened