radiator replacement

[stgiles]

Hi everyone,
Need some advice. I'm going to swap out two radiators tomorrow as the ones i have are getting old and leaky. I have a combi boiler and understand that the draining and filling process can be a bit trickier than a vented system. Just wondering if there is any way that i can carry out the work without draining the system, any ideas???. If not then can you give me some advice about the correct course of action.

 

[stecunners]

hi mate, you dont need to drain the system to change the rad,,just remove the trv and lockshield then turn them both clockwise as far as you can with grips or similer, then remove the rad,get some old towels ready for the sludgy stuff if they are old.... might need to top up to 1.5 bar when cold and need to bleed the new rads, also they will need balancing,,if you can remember how many clockwise turns it took to close the valve on the lock shield then the same turns anti clockwise will be ok,providing they were balanced before you removed the old ones,good luck

woops 1.5 bar when hot!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[stgiles]

That sounds easier, with regard to topping up to 1.5 bar do you mean by using the filling loop on the boiler?

 

[stecunners]

yes thats right....

 

[stgiles]

Thanks mate, great help

 

[Puddle]

hi mate, you dont need to drain the system to change the rad,,just remove the trv and lockshield then turn them both clockwise as far as you can with grips or similer, then remove the rad,get some old towels ready for the sludgy stuff if they are old.... might need to top up to 1.5 bar when cold and need to bleed the new rads, also they will need balancing,,if you can remember how many clockwise turns it took to close the valve on the lock shield then the same turns anti clockwise will be ok,providing they were balanced before you removed the old ones,good luck

woops 1.5 bar when hot!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi
No you were right the first time between 1 and 1.5 bar when cold also remember to turn power supply off to boiler when doing works then when done all checked ok and presure ok turn power back on

 

[NickH]

hi mate, you dont need to drain the system to change the rad quote]

Thats providing the new rads are the same size (or close enough to use extending tails) and the pipework doesn't need to be altered.

 

[stecunners]

quite right,but you would replace same for same if possible...

 

[migoplumber]

if its your first time doing a job like this, i would reccomend you drain the system down before doing any work. if something goes wrong you will need the advantage of an empty sytem, and you dont want carpets full of black gunk.

one of the radiators should have a drain off on the valve, or you will have a seperate drain off somewhere else on the pipework
turn off power to boiler, open drain off, go to highest radiator in the sytem open air vent, air should enter the installation and water will come out of drain off, go through the rest of the radiators opening the air vents until no water comes out of drain off.
this should empty even the radiators you want to change, then you can remove them without much danger of spillage. filling the system is the reverse of above.

its easier to drain and fill unvented systems than vented.

if you still dont want to drain down the sytem, just be carefull when moving the valves as described above.

either way, be prepared for black staining oxide to cover your carpets.
slowly is the key, and plenty of towels and cloths. just in case.

good luck
shaun