Loosening nuts on radiator pipe

t45

Brilliant – many thanks- fascinating stuff!
Im not ‘proper hard’ so i don’t think i will be gripping the copper but i may ask sister to try it!
I have various spanners – looked online at the water pump pliers – they’re great but pricy – maybe I shall add to my toolbox in the future but for the now i will work with what i have – a Stanley Adjustable
...which video should i be watching?
Still lost on the righty tightly thing but it’s funny anyway!
‘Thread’ – is that the copper piping bit with the lips on that stops the nuts coming off?
Thanks ref bleeding – will try this - i have a bleed key so will do this – im assuming there is a directional think here to with Clock wise and anti clockwise but i guess once the hole is covered then it’s closes and vice versa for open – i expect to hear a noise of water and air!
I think if the pressure drops on the boiler - its combi worcestre B - which I shall check at the end of my work i think i should re-pressurise the system – but i shall definitely open the bleed keys and then close when they spit – thanks for this additional advise- very very useful

t45

much thanks for the mechanical advantage info -brilliant!

t45

Yes trying to undo the tight annoying union nut on the right of this rad - the one for the Lockshield- it's a nuisance

t45

thanks spadoosh - I see the video - much thanks

Wookey

t45 wrote: »

Just did a bit of research and there is a tool called a radiator spanner that i think can be used to hold the valve in place whilst i would use the adjustable spanner to loosen the nut.....when they say apply leverage is this just a bit of pressure to hold the valve?
Im a girl so this is all very new but I’m keen to work this one out!
There is a also a tool called a stilson?..is this just a long spanner that is adjustable?

A radiator spanner is only to remove the tail piece out of the radiator and is basically nothing more than a large allen key, some very old tails will have 2 ridges in them and some rad spanners will have two grooves to remove those tails.

Ideally all you need is something like a 10" adjustable spanner and a set of footprints, most plumbers will use footprints over pump pliers any day of the week as they allow you to get far more grip due to a pivot point rather than rely on having strong hands to force pump pliers to grip. As a plumber of going on 35 years I have never owned a set of pump pliers as there is just no need for them.

t45

Hi All,
Many many thanks for all of your help and guidance on my removing of radiator and draining radiator for decorating behind it.
Happy to report back – SUCCESS!
I drained most of the radiator from the TVR side with my sister assisting me holding the radiator.
Ref the tight union nut on Lockshield side that i was struggling with – I ended up tightening the union nut slightly before then loosening it is what did it. This was suggested by one of you so many thanks for this!
I got some water pump pliers but didn’t use them! I ended up holding the upstand with my right and and after tightening the nut a little using my Adjustable I somehow managed to lodge it back a bit more AND THR CORRECT DIRECTION was anti-clockwise to loosen this nut so I pushed/pulled away from me.

The ideas of MRCHANICAL ADVANTAGE made so much sense as i could see had my spanner been longer in length i would have had much better leverage so this was a really valuable tip. I shall use this when i try other tasks that require leverage too.
Now i am happy painting but i will have to put the radiator back on which i will do.
The only other things I was unsure of was whether or not to bleed the bleed valve. I ended up not doing this BUT SHOULD I HAVE?
How would I tell if the bleed valve was open anyway? And if i did open it to let our air should I then have closed it before loosening the unions?
My next step is putting the Rad back and connecting the pipes back together and the securing the nuts.
Any thoughts on process and a step by step guide would be greatly appreciated?
QUESTION: When i have attached the rad back to wall and start the re-pressurising of the boiler, do I bleed the radiator first? Should I bleed all of my rads? I have STELRAD rads and a Worcester Bosch combi boiler.
Thanks very much – a very useful forum indeed

Wookey

You will need to get some pressure built up at the boiler and then open up the bleed valve on the rad, as it's one rad you are filling you will need to go back and forth a time or two between them to get the rad filled and the boiler topped up to the correct pressure, do this all with the heating switched of and rads cold.

t45

Many thanks Wookey J
So could i just check the following:
I attach the RAD that is off - I tight the nuts in the appropriate direction and open the values on TVR (to setting 5 – this was the setting we had the rads on) and the Lockshield valve (5 turns – this is how many i counted when I isolated the rad)
Next I go to the boiler and re-pressurise to reach 1.5?
Next I go back to the radiator I have just removed and bleed it? Does this mean just putting the rad key in the bleed valve and turning it to let air in/out? Slightly confused here?
And what about the other radiators – do these also need to be bled?
They were taken off about 2 weeks ago and re-attached but not sure if they were bled?
Once pressure reach 1.5 I then return to radiators and check for any leaks?
Slightly confused on when i bleed radiators – i.e. do i re-repressurise system first then bleed or do i bleed rad first then re-pressurise boiler
....many thanks, hopefully I can do this too.

Le_Kirk

It's probably a two man job (or in your case yourself and sister). One of you to sit at the radiator with the bleed valve open (anti-clockwise) and one of you to operate the valve on the boiler to repressurise it. The one at the radiator will hear the air coming out as the system fills with water and should be prepared to shut off the bleed valve as soon as water starts to come out. The one at the boiler will see the pressure start to rise and can turn off the inlet valve. It may be necessary to bleed other radiators depending where they are in the system. Air rises so start with upper floor radiators. Once all bled, check pressure, switch on heating and run it for a while. Turn off heating, allow to cool, bleed again and check pressure again whilst cold - top up if necessary.

t45

Many thanks this is so helpful.
I have re-attached the radiator and tightened the unions.
QUESTION: should i tighten the nuts really tight?
I have not yet opened up the lockshield valve - Is it okay for me to do this now? I counted 5 turns when i closed the valve.
QUESTION: when i open the Lockshield valve should I expect to hear water filling the radiator?
I will attempt the re-pressurising of boiler tomorrow.
Hoping that sister will assist me with the rads otherwise I will have to run about.
QUESTION: Should I open the bleed valve of rad before doing the boiler valve or does it not matter which order?
QUESTION: when i open the rad bleed valve anti-clockwise should i expect to see water squirt out as well as air? Just good to know so i can ensure I have mops, beakers and sponges. I assume this is the point when I would lock the bleed valve (CLOCKWISE)?
QUESTION: What is the INLET VALVE? Is this on the boiler?
QUESTION: How do I know if the other rads need to be bled? I have a feeling they might. If so, is it just a matter of letting air out using the same proves with bleed key and then locking the valve when water comes out. AND then check boiler pressure again?
When you say TOP-UP – does this mean topping up pressure to reach 1.5 on boiler?
Many thanks for all of your help – it is very much appreciated J