there's only so much a newbie can anticipate

[chucka]

Don't laugh (too much)

I had some good advice here and looked at quite a few threads.. So well armed to replace a Type 11 Radiator on a 10mm microbore drop down system and... not being able to free up the drain screw in the original valve earlier in a test, a good idea change the drain tap (vertical tube type between the Rad and valve) with the more reliable drain tail on the other side of the valve.
I got the parts New Rad, valve, PTFE tape...

I marked the height of the exiting valves so that they would not be under stress when marking and offering up the new brackets/rad. I even bought a draineasy kit as this Rad was over carpet. Turn off the heating and isolate the rad.

Now it steadily went all wrong... The draineasy kit doesn't fit over the 10mm elbow into the bottom of the valve. So.. get some plastic sheet and just use the drip tray . Not too bad in the end but wasted my money there.. marked the wall/brackets so the bottom fitting on the rad were exactly in line with the old one.Released the Rad took off the one old (lockshield end) valve and put it into the new rad and fitted the new Valve on the other end.. only then noticing that the new valve is a lot shorter than the old one. This won't be a surprise to the Pros here.. the drain tap being in the middle on the old one made the valve extend out a good 20mm. So had to put the old fitting onto the new rad.

Then having drilled/fitted the new brackets so that the fittings would be in the same place..Oh dear.. as soon as you offer up the valve to the rad they having to be pushed up and are already under stress and not at right angles to the rad. I thought that it was just the weight of the valve that made them drop down. I just knew that, even if I did get the union on, it would leak at some point.

The old one was obviously already under a lot of stress.. Take the brackets off and re-drill the wall dropping the Rad down 15mm. Eurika.. the unions go one with just fingers (at least one easy part!)

at last! Tightened up and released the TRV and heard the water gurgling back in.. released the vent screw till full. Checked for drips and opened the other valve the same amount off turns.

Now I'm knackered and in awe of you knowledgeable guys.. All in a days work for you

Put heating on and kept an eye on the unions now that it was pumping. HEAT!
a Newbies tale...

 

[Rob Foster]

Don't laugh (too much)

I had some good advice here and looked at quite a few threads.. So well armed to replace a Type 11 Radiator on a 10mm microbore drop down system and... not being able to free up the drain screw in the original valve earlier in a test, a good idea change the drain tap (vertical tube type between the Rad and valve) with the more reliable drain tail on the other side of the valve.
I got the parts New Rad, valve, PTFE tape...

I marked the height of the exiting valves so that they would not be under stress when marking and offering up the new brackets/rad. I even bought a draineasy kit as this Rad was over carpet. Turn off the heating and isolate the rad.

Now it steadily went all wrong... The draineasy kit doesn't fit over the 10mm elbow into the bottom of the valve. So.. get some plastic sheet and just use the drip tray . Not too bad in the end but wasted my money there.. marked the wall/brackets so the bottom fitting on the rad were exactly in line with the old one.Released the Rad took off the one old (lockshield end) valve and put it into the new rad and fitted the new Valve on the other end.. only then noticing that the new valve is a lot shorter than the old one. This won't be a surprise to the Pros here.. the drain tap being in the middle on the old one made the valve extend out a good 20mm. So had to put the old fitting onto the new rad.

Then having drilled/fitted the new brackets so that the fittings would be in the same place..Oh dear.. as soon as you offer up the valve to the rad they having to be pushed up and are already under stress and not at right angles to the rad. I thought that it was just the weight of the valve that made them drop down. I just knew that, even if I did get the union on, it would leak at some point.

The old one was obviously already under a lot of stress.. Take the brackets off and re-drill the wall dropping the Rad down 15mm. Eurika.. the unions go one with just fingers (at least one easy part!)

at last! Tightened up and released the TRV and heard the water gurgling back in.. released the vent screw till full. Checked for drips and opened the other valve the same amount off turns.

Now I'm knackered and in awe of you knowledgeable guys.. All in a days work for you

Put heating on and kept an eye on the unions now that it was pumping. HEAT!
a Newbies tale...

Well done you, we all started and honest ones will tell you they still have problems I do.
The issue is....There will ALWAYS be problems it is HOW ...YOU..deal with them that marks you out in my opinion...and remember ALWAYS you are the expert in their eyes thats why they hired you...Rob Foster ..centralheatking

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Least you kept at it and didn’t give up

Good job

 

[Rob Foster]

Least you kept at it and didn’t give up

Good job

When your on your own you have to finish not like BG who just call some more vans in
chking

 

[chucka]

sounds like you have seen this happen then!.. 'more vans'

At least there was 'some' satisfaction at the end.. And the joints are still dry.

 

[Millsy 82]

Buy a wet vac and some tail extensions. Makes life a lot easier.

 

[Millsy 82]

https://www.NoLinkingToThis/p/tesla...yUveGsyxfcRBM9jZ7b6X6wfUF55lQehMaAqY9EALw_wcB

These extensions are a God send.

 

[JCplumb]

Before you know it you'll be doing jobs like that without any stress. Jobs rarely go easy, you do get some brill jobs that fly along, but not as often as you'd like.
I did a few jobs when I was a newbie that came close to making me rethink my career. Those same jobs now wouldn't phase me at all.
Customers are my biggest bug bear now, had one a while back ask me to undo the joints I'd done to check if there were spiders in the pipes because those pipes had probably been stored in the merchants for a while...
I told them I always check for spiders so not to worry.

 

[Burger]

I remember when I was an apprentice, doing x2 jobs (both syphons). x 1 took about 30 mins, as it was a standard low level cistern. The other about 2 and half to 3 hours - because it was a close coupled cistern which had been stuck with really good and thick silicone to wall tiles which obviously I didn’t want to break, and other issues (can’t really remember), but the point is as others have said, we have all had them and like Rob said, some of us still do and it’s how you deal with them. A wise man once said to me “you can’t buy experience”.

 

[firemant]

remember ALWAYS you are the expert in their eyes thats why they hired you

Fairly sure the OP is a DIYer?

 

[chucka]

https://www.NoLinkingToThis/p/tesla...yUveGsyxfcRBM9jZ7b6X6wfUF55lQehMaAqY9EALw_wcB

These extensions are a God send.

Wow! That would have been preferable to shortening the copper pipe and re soldering. Hence putting the old ones backon the new rad. I must admit I don't like the 10mm elbows and olives directly into the bottom of the valves.
Great tip thanks.

 

[chucka]

Fairly sure the OP is a DIYer?

Yes DIY.. But the comment about other jobs is valid. Having gotten the old rad disconnected (well that part) easily.. In am in the process of draining each on and flushing out properly..

I'm getting there and getting a bit more confident. Knowing where my skills end is one thing I want to understand. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Gas is a no no.. That's for sure!