Bleeding radiators

TheNibbler

Posting this on behalf of my Dad. He's trying to 'bleed' radiators but has done it so often that the little square-edged bolts, where you insert the key to bleed them, have become rounded and the key won't grip. Any tips on what to do?

Thanks

wonderfulname

TheNibbler wrote: »

Posting this on behalf of my Dad. He's trying to 'bleed' radiators but has done it so often that the little square-edged bolts, where you insert the key to bleed them, have become rounded and the key won't grip. Any tips on what to do?

Thanks

Get a new one and go easier on it (i.e. don't over-tighten)

LookBehindYou

Try a small socket from a socket set

youtheman

The newer type radiators have the traditional bleed screw fitted into a bushing which is then screwed into the radiator. If you mangle the bleed screw then you remove the bushing with a spanner and insert a new bushing/bleed screw. No problem.

But this facility is not available in an old radiator. I've had this problem before and I've done the following:

1. removed the radiator from the wall (having closed the two valves and drained the water). I took the radiator to a welding shop and they brazed some more metal onto the mangled screw to allow me grip it with a spanner and remove it.

2. abandoned the magled bleed screw in-situ. Drilled a hole on the opposite end of the radiator and inserted new bleed screw. Need to check that there are no leaks afterwards.

3. I've tried an 'easy-out', which is essentially a tapered tapping device with a left hand thread, but you have to drill a hole in the head of the bleed screw. But the screw head was so small that it didn't work (not for my level of machining refinement anyway).

TheNibbler

Thanks, I've passed those suggestions on to him. Will post again if he has any more questions.

Buford T Justice

TheNibbler wrote: »

Thanks, I've passed those suggestions on to him. Will post again if he has any more questions.

If its an old rad and its mangled, then drill and tap in a new one.

aujopimur

Quick fix as follows,
You'll need, hammer, small steel nail, small selftapping screw wrapped in a little ptf tape and a screwdriver.
Close rad vavles, punch hole in top of rad, screw in tape wrapped screw, job done

Sparkpea

Fingers McGee wrote: »

If its an old rad and its mangled, then drill and tap in a new one.

I don't think you can tap a new one because they are tapered, if u drill out the old one it will do away with the taper so the new bleed valve wont seal. Haven't tried it myself but my old man told me years ago he would have tried it and was never successful.

Only other thing I can recommend is if your able to cut a straight line in the head of the vent then use a plain headed screw driver to screw it out but its tough to do.

Buford T Justice

Sparkpea wrote: »

I don't think you can tap a new one because they are tapered, if u drill out the old one it will do away with the taper so the new bleed valve wont seal. Haven't tried it myself but my old man told me years ago he would have tried it and was never successful.

Only other thing I can recommend is if your able to cut a straight line in the head of the vent then use a plain headed screw driver to screw it out but its tough to do.

Have seen it done before, but not in the way you took me up. What I mean is drilling a completely new hole in the rad, tapping a thread in it and adding a completely new valve. I've seen them on single panel rads, old ones.

wonderfulname

I thought you meant the key had become mangled! Sorry, ignore my advice.

Just to prevent me having to open a new thread; I'm fairly sure I have a dry leak somewhere in the system, I have to bleed the radiators every other day as it is. Was going to go away for a bit and am wondering is there anything I can do to either find the thing or keep everything running sound regardless. Just had a plumber round but he was pretty clueless so... That's not a dig at plumbers he was just a useless one.

aujopimur

What's a dry leak ?

wonderfulname

Air is getting in somewhere but there's no water getting out.

Sparkpea

Handy to know it can be done, but how do you get around it being tapered still? The pin is tapered so does the hole not have to be also?

Suppose its similar to aujopimur's post.

wonderfulname I vent my landing rad and hw pipes every few days (not because it causes any problems) and theres always air in them both even if just a little. I don't think ive a leak tho and its something im not overly concerned about. Even dirty systems will cause the need to bleed radiators often.

TheNibbler

LookBehindYou wrote: »

Try a small socket from a socket set

He's going to try this option (if I follow what he said correctly!) but is having some trouble sourcing a socket-head wrench that will fit a 5mm bolt or nut?
The local DIY place had nothing smaller than 9mm. Any ideas on where to get one in south Dublin area?

Buford T Justice

Sparkpea wrote: »

Handy to know it can be done, but how do you get around it being tapered still? The pin is tapered so does the hole not have to be also?

Suppose its similar to aujopimur's post.

wonderfulname I vent my landing rad and hw pipes every few days (not because it causes any problems) and theres always air in them both even if just a little. I don't think ive a leak tho and its something im not overly concerned about. Even dirty systems will cause the need to bleed radiators often.

Its a full socket and not just a pin that goes in. The taper will be on the inside of the fitting with the actual valve, and there would be a standard M8 or similar size hole to be drilled and tapped.

Sparkpea

Fingers McGee wrote: »

Its a full socket and not just a pin that goes in. The taper will be on the inside of the fitting with the actual valve, and there would be a standard M8 or similar size hole to be drilled and tapped.

ahh get u now! thnx