Rad won't bleed tried everything!

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by 14th edition, Jan 22, 2017.

  1. 14th edition

    14th edition Well-Known Member

    Moved into a new bungalow that has been unoccupied for about a year. Rads look like they and trv's have been changed in recent past. System would not bleed, trv's on, header tank full, hot to bottom of rads but no air coming out of bleed valve.
    Some rads were stinking others cold, so turned off all bar one and still won't bleed, even took out the whole bleed valve but and stil nothing.
    Pump seemed to be fine, air or gas in there as well initially but seems to be running ok now, I managed to get most rads working but not sure how apart from one furthest from boiler. This refuses to fill, hot at the bottom and oddly (?) both flow and return pipes are red hot.
    Run out of ideas....help!
     
  2. Glad its Friday

    Glad its Friday Active Member

    Take the trv head off and check the pin isn't stuck closed. It can be carefully pulled open with pliers. Assume the l/s is open? Get the plastic cover off and manually make sure.

    Once everything is going, get some x800 in there and let it circulate for a few days before draining everything down in order to flush and clean it all through. Bale out the f/e in the attic before draining down otherwise any crud living up there will be pulled down into your pipework.

    You don't want that!
     
    KIAB likes this.
  3. Hot at the bottom and not at t'top usually does suggest 'air' as you clearly know.

    That nothing comes out the bleed screw - even when fully removed - suggests either a very serious blockage in the pipes (unlikely it's that bad...), or seized-shut valves (both would have to be) or else an air-lock in the pipes (but, again, this would have to be on both sides...)

    That the rad gets hot at the bottom suggest it's getting some water, so more weird that no air or water comes out t'bleed screw.

    Are you sure you've opened BOTH rad valves fully?

    I think this is what I would do. Chose a rad that's significantly cold at the top and doesn't 'bleed'. Shut off both valves, slacken off one rad connection and drain the rad - then remove it. Take it outside and tip it out and flush it through. Note if any sludge comes out. Hose in through the bleed screw to test it's unblocked too.

    Place pan under one valve end and open it up - allow it to flow for a good few seconds in to the pan. Any sludge here? Flowing ok? Repeat with the other end.

    Replace rad and open bleed screw and one valve - allow to refill.

    This process should at least show up what's going on - whether there's flow from the 'flow' and 'return' pipes.

    If there isn't, then find the drain cock on your system, connect a garden hose to it, and gently back-fill via there with someone upstairs observing the F&E tank to check it doesn't overflow in to the loft, but successfully goes out the overflow pipe. But also ask them to observe if any glugs and bubbles come out from the pipe near the bottom of the tank.

    If you suspect - find - that the issues are caused by sludge, you need a magnetic filter and chemicals - see numerous threads on this!
     
  4. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    See this thread. http://community.screwfix.com/threads/power-flush-options.185243/

    Wet n dry vac is great for cleaning out header tank.
    Need to fit a Magnaclean Pro 2 filter on CH return,to collect any crud, rather recirculate it around the system & then get some Sentinel X800 cleaner in the system, should notice an improvement within a couple of hours.
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2017
  5. Julia Dolan

    Julia Dolan New Member

    IMG_4931.JPG Good afternoon. I have a leak on my radiator valve just under the thermostat tap. The bolts have been tightened but it is still leaking. I think it's a seal inside the tap which is damaged? What is the best way to approach this?
    Turn the system off and drain the radiator and replace the whole tap? Or is there a 'quick' fix? Thank you for your time.
     
  6. Two things to do, Julia, please.

    1) Start a new thread on this issue, and
    2) add an arrow to your photo (import it in to Paint or similar, and draw it on ) to show where - exactly - the drip is coming from.

    Yes, good chance it can be fixed in situ.

    I could say more, but I won't until you begin a new thread... :p
     
    KIAB likes this.
  7. Julia Dolan

    Julia Dolan New Member

  8. (What's the SF world coming to?! I tell someone what to do, and they thank me... :oops: )








    :D
     
    KIAB likes this.
  9. 14th edition

    14th edition Well-Known Member

    Cheers guys, tad worried about having to drain system in case there is a blockage in the fill system... At present rate it would take several years to refill!
    If I Use the X800 do I have to drain down after or can it stay in?
    The guy who serviced the oil boiler said the pump was in the return... But in answer to previous yes both valves are definitely open, bottom 1/3 is hot other 2/3 warm. Flow and return pipes both red hot. No magnatite filters fitted. Thanks for the help on this
    !
     
  10. In which case, 14th, do as KIAB suggests - buy a Magnaclean filter, fit it on the return pipe before it enters the boiler, and add a dose (or two - allowing the first a few seconds to get in to the system...) of X800 (or my current conversion, Adey MC3+) and then run your system as normal. Perhaps shutting orf half the rads and opening the others fully for a day or so.

    You don't have to drain down for now. If you fit the filter (oops - that will mean a drain-down... :() then you can both add chemicals via the filter and afterwards also flush the system through via the filter's connections.

    But, FILTER! And chemicals!

    (I personally think that anyone who adds chemicals and not a filter first is a loon...)

    This is the exact one I have, and that's a decent price: http://www.screwfix.com/p/adey-magn...tracking url&gclid=CNf7_Z6d1tECFRG6GwodSy4EVw
     
    KIAB likes this.
  11. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    You need a filter to catch the crud, totally pointless disloging the crud with X800 or any other cleaner & just keep sending it around the system again.YOUR achieving nothing, YOU need to remove it, that's the point of fitting a filter.
     
  12. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

  13. On that note, I have to say that my own system is truly running better than it has EVER done since I fitted that Magnacleanse and a double-dose of MC3+

    I am bludy astonished :)
     
    KIAB and Joe95 like this.
  14. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Must be a first!:p
     
    Joe95 likes this.
  15. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

  16. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

  17. Up yer botty...
     
    KIAB likes this.
  18. I wuz robbed when I bought mine - paid 50p more than that...:(
     

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