Which is correct order to re-pressurise boiler & bleed rads

[Trac]

Hello,
Was wondering if anyone could give me a step by step guide on how to re-pressurise my boiler and also bleed radiators?
Have detached a rad and reattached it.
Have not at this stage opened the lockshield valve nor bled the rads.

Do I:

1. Check all nuts are tight so no leaks
   
   
2. Open lock shield valve (5 turns for me) - should i hear water filling the rad?)
   
   
3. Open bleed valve using key? (turning anti-clockwise)?
   
   
4. Run to the boiler and start to fill it with pressure using the filling key – aiming to reach 1.5 pressure reading?
   
   
5. Then run back to radiator and close the bleed valve (clockwise)?
   
   
6. Run heating then switch off
   
   
7. Re-check boiler pressure to see if pressure stayed 1.5
   

OR DO I:

1. Check all nuts to check tight for no leaks.
   
   
2. Open lockshield valve (5 turns)? Should I hear water filling the rad?
   
   
3. Walk to boiler and repressurise using filling key until reached 1.5?
   
   
4. Return to rad and open the bleed valve (anti-clockwise)? Listen for air coming out and look for water squirting out?
   
   
5. Lock the bleed valve once water started to squirt out?
   
   
6. Run heating then switch off
   
   
7. Re-check boiler pressurise stayed at 1.5
   

Have the gist of it but a little confused over the order for bleeding rad and topping up boiler pressure.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Once pressure topped up are there any things that i should be looking out for just to know that I’ve done it right. Of course will look for leaks on valves as I may not have tightened then enough.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

1 open lockshield valves

2 wait till pressure equalises

3 air air for a min or two or until pressure / air escaping drops

3 fill boiler 1.5 bar cold

4 air rad and repeat 3 and 4 till rad is full

5 check boiler pressure

6 if ok move to step 7 if not refill

7 run system and check rads getting hot

8 leave for a week under normal use

9 after a week bleed all rads and refill system if pressure dropped

 

[Trac]

Many thanks Shaun, very helpful and much appreciated.

How do i know if / when the pressure equalises or do I just assume that by opening the lockshield valve it does this? Should I wait for about 30 seconds then air rad? I counted 5 tuners when i closed the value so i shall do the same again for opening.

‘Air’ - does this mean air the rad using bleed key at bleed valve and turns anti-clockwise befire closing the bleed valve clockwise?

I can fill the boiler to 1.5.

And then I air rad again and then check boiler pressure again to see if it has dropped or remains at 1.5?

If it drops I assume I just top up a bit more, yes?

One other question – how do i know when the rad is full? Switch on heating and check top bottom and middle of rad?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

You shouldn't hear anything, you will hear the inertial fill and then nothing and yes

Yes open the bleed port until either you have water coming out or the pressure / rate of air coming out drops

Yes air rad until water comes out and double check boiler is around the 1.5 bar mark when cold

Yep

When water comes out the air bleed port

And turn heating on rad should heat up if cold at the top and warm at the bottom after 30 mins bleed the rad (still got a bit of air in)

 

[Trac]

Fabulous Shaun – very well explained – I shall report back with news on my efforts.

One more questions – on the TCR shall I turn valve back to where it was before I removed the rad? It was on 5 – Ta!

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Fabulous Shaun – very well explained – I shall report back with news on my efforts.

One more questions – on the TCR shall I turn valve back to where it was before I removed the rad? It was on 5 – Ta! View attachment 31151

On the trv you can set it to what ever you want normally 3 but different people different temps

But 3 is a good starting point

 

[Trac]

Hi, an update....
I have closed all bleed valves on all rads (clockwise turn)
On the rad I have just worked on I have opened the LS valve (5 turns and TRV (set to 3)
However, there is one radiator which is baffling me as I cant remember if the LS has been opened or closed and what its current position is with the LS valve.
I assumed that the LS valve was closed and so tried to openmit and turn the spindle (turning anti clockwise) but it wouldn't budge so would this suggest that is is indeed already OPEN???
What made me scratch my head though was when I went to turn the TRV (It was fullyclosed) there was sound of water coming through pipes and perhaps into rad...in your opinion what would this suggest?
Apart from this one rad which we worked on some time ago but can't remember if the LS was left open or closed......everything is looking okay and ready to go to repressurise....

 

[ShaunCorbs]

If you can hear water running into the rad when you open the trv the lockshield is shut / closed

 

[Trac]

That's brilliant Shaun really appreciate your help. So it seems that the lockshield needs to be opened and I just can't turn it. I assume to open LS it anti clockwise using pliers and yet again unable to do...not sure if I can turn the thing. ..any ideas. .using plier holding onto spindle top over looking down. ....

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Have you removed the plastic top ?

 

[Trac]

Yes plastic top removed and can see gold spindle. ..

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yes plastic top removed and can see gold spindle. ..

Have you tried tightening it a bit then undoing it (anti) ??

Might be worth draining down again to replace the lockshield if it won't open

 

[Trac]

Hi Shaun,

Many and much thanks for all of your help with my radiator and boiler tasks- very much appreciated – this is a really brilliant forum and invaluable for people like myself who have very little knowledge of such matters but keen to learn and try. Very grateful for your hep and guidance. I have learnt so much.

UPDATE: went back to the tight lockshield spindle and tried once again with the pliers but no luck ...so i thought how about using the trusty adjustable. This i did. They’re 10” adjustable so not too big – positioned on the spindle and adjusted according – SUCCESS! Didn’t require much – it was so easy to turn – and much much easier than using the pliers!

So once I did this I bled all radiators and repressurised boiler. I then ran the CH for a bit but will do it again tonight to see if the pressure drops.

The only other thing was that thought most of the rads heated up fine there was one that didn’t heat up so well – the rad that I had struggled with on the spindle.....I wonder if i should bleed it more or open the LS a little more – i turned it 6 times as I think this is what i did when it was locked but unsure.

Would it be worth opening it completely? And perhaps also open the TRV to 5?

Anyway, i am delighted with your help. I shall monitor for the next few days – checking for leaks and looking at pressure on boiler.

Much and many thanks Shaun!

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Open it an extra turn and go from there but air it first