pressurise through a radiator

[scoz]

My Gloworm 30cxi boiler has dropped pressure down to 0.5 Bar and will not fill up via the built in filling loop even though water is reaching the filling loop, but I think that the water inlet valve is stuck. Is it possible to pressurise the system via a radiator through a hose and connector to the radiator until the 1.5 Bar pressure is reached as my funds at this moment cannot run to repairng this problem then when funds allow get it fixed.

 

[kozak1968]

Cheaper and less mess to get it fixed properly.

 

[newcastle phill]

As above.
A bit like trying to give your car an oil change via the sump plug your way haha

 

[scoz]

Cheaper and less mess to get it fixed properly.

I know what your saying is right but I don't have a spare £150 plus right now to get it fixed I just wanted to know if it was possible as a stop gap.

 

[PhoenixServices]

It can be done but messy and could end in a flood. Not for the inexperienced, so make sure you have a friend at the other end to turn off the tap.

 

[scoz]

Many thanks pheonix for your reply it is much appreciated. I will try it this way with assistance then will get it done properly

 

[Best]

Because your heating has still some pressure in it, you just need your tap open very slightly & for literally only a second or two for to increase the pressure, so be careful.

 

[stevetheplumber]

connect a hose anywhere on the system drain of or isolate a rad and remove a vent or plug screw in a male fitting and connect the hose to open one valve and fill that as said it will only need a short squirt to top updo it in a room with hard flooring as you will get water escape

 

[scoz]

Thanks Steve for the much appreciated detailed instructions

 

[Ray Stafford]

This is gonna be messy!

 

[stevetheplumber]

This is gonna be messy!

aint my house

 

[Masood]

aint my house

Heartless man!

 

[SimonG]

£150 plus to fix a filling loop! Where do you live? Canary Wharf!

I need to put my prices up, again.

 

[Ray Stafford]

aint my house

pmsl.

 

[jonnyswamp]

Unscrew small grub screw from both grey levers and check that the spindles are moving on both valves first, the levers may be split and not turning the valve
Do you really want to fork out for decoration after you've sprayed black sludge everywhere
If so, please post pictures when it goes belly up

 

[lame plumber]

if its the horrid gloworm built in loop, fm memory they are a tiny plastic spindle affair that shears off, new one about £12 plus labour to repair. so looking at £75 or so if you tell the technician the issue before they appear and can order the right part to arrive with

 

[julesverne]

Scoz post a picture up of your filling loop we can give you better advice. And just maybe just maybe save your house from a potential flooding.

 

[lame plumber]

the built in loop is a bit of plastic fantastic tat, dont be trying to swap one unles you have the correct part in your mitt to go back in or your functioning boiler wont function till the part arrives. Gloworm do say that a seperate filling loop is required to charge a system initially?? so their built in one is a waste of time imho, so no pictures needed as the op says its the built in loop thats busted, as they do when folks tighten them up too much

 

[jonnyswamp]

I was thinking of the braided hose type, not the all plastic built in bit of quality with the blue knob
If thats the case,drain it and get a normal remote type fitted

 

[PhoenixServices]

Those things are rubbish. Anytime I touch those I end up with water pouring out everywhere.

 

[scoz]

Radiator valves shut, pressure released from radiator and a 1/2" to 15mm straight connector fitted and connected to a tap hose. One radiator valve opened and tap turned on slowly with assistant watching pressure, turned off tap at 1.5 Bar and released pressure from radiator. Piework removed, rad plug refitted and rad valves opened, vented rad and removed towel with about a pint of water soaked into it from the floor and Roberts your fathers brother. One perfect working system.

He who dares winsarty:

 

[PhoenixServices]

Good glad to hear it went well and thanks for letting us know the outcome.

 

[jonnyswamp]

Well done on avoiding a mess,but you'll have to do the same thing every couple of months

 

[Bolty123]

Doing what you did is probably less likely to leak that opening your built in fill loop.

 

[stevetheplumber]

glad it went well and thanks for the feed back

 

[plumben]

Wouldn't it off been easyer to fit a new external filling loop under the boiler for when it needs pressurising again?
good to hear it actually worked though filling via rad