To bung or drain down?

[Jennie]

Hi all,
I'm due to change a lock shield on a rad.
It is a fairly large house, and the rad is on the ground floor. Gravity fed. Two-floor house.
In theory, if I put bungs in the CH vent and supply pipes, the water should be held in the system with only a few drips while I swap the valves.
Is this the case in practise? I don't much fancy getting wet.
Otherwise, I'll just drain down first.
Thanks for all your advice,
Jennie

 

[JCplumb]

If you bung the feed and the expansion you'll be fine with towels after draining any residual pressure from a doc or just venting the rad. Make sure you close the bleed valve first though 😕

 

[GQuigley67]

Be mindful to keep only one open end as you change the valve, or swap really quick if possible.

 

[Scott_D]

Got a wet vac?

 

[SavageW]

Bung it, shut both the lock shield an wheel head, you can then put a tray or rubble sack under the connection from the lock shield to the tail of the rad. Drain the radiator, spin the lock shield valve on the pipe then either make a fitting up to connect to a hose it or open it up into a rubble sack to relieve the pressure once it stops your know it's created a vacuum an you can just replace the valve. That's if it does if you find it keeps glugging water out the valve then draining down would obviously reduce the risk of damage

 

[Best]

After running the old valve into a hose for a few minutes, the water should completely stop flowing. Usually no more than 1/2 bucket water. Once that happens you know it will be dead easy to replace the valve.
Just be sure to first close any auto vents and only do one pipe at a time. Have plenty towels, drip tray, bucket and all tools at hand that are needed.
I bung the vent & feed nearly every job that I need to replace brass joints/valves. No problem cutting the olive off to remove old nut also.
I have actually replaced oil boilers without draining rest of system.
Only snag I have found is if the tank connector in the f&e tank has the internal lugs and won't let the bung in for a tight seal. I have on occasion had to drain the tank and then use a temporary brass stopend on the feed pipe

 

[Ball Cock]

After running the old valve into a hose for a few minutes, the water should completely stop flowing. Usually no more than 1/2 bucket water. Once that happens you know it will be dead easy to replace the valve.
Just be sure to first close any auto vents and only do one pipe at a time. Have plenty towels, drip tray, bucket and all tools at hand that are needed.
I bung the vent & feed nearly every job that I need to replace brass joints/valves. No problem cutting the olive off to remove old nut also.
I have actually replaced oil boilers without draining rest of system.
Only snag I have found is if the tank connector in the f&e tank has the internal lugs and won't let the bung in for a tight seal. I have on occasion had to drain the tank and then use a temporary brass stopend on the feed pipe

 

[Ball Cock]

I`m sure you will have heard of this, if the feed does have lugs on the inside, a potato forced on the outlet can work. Just don`t force it in too far, you don`t want a potato plug in your pipe

 

[Stigster]

I`m sure you will have heard of this, if the feed does have lugs on the inside, a potato forced on the outlet can work. Just don`t force it in too far, you don`t want a potato plug in your pipe

I've used a carrot but potato sounds good as well. I reckon swede and parsnips will work too but broccoli probably not so good!

 

[Harvest Fields]

I used to drain down all the time when I was on the cards. Now that I am self employed I only drain down if I have to.

 

[Ball Cock]

I've used a carrot but potato sounds good as well. I reckon swede and parsnips will work too but broccoli probably not so good!

I've used a carrot but potato sounds good as well. I reckon swede and parsnips will work too but broccoli probably not so good!

You are right, but between us we could make some nice soup at the end of the day.

 

[Best]

There used to be a Scottish member on here called Colin, who often said a parsnip is perfect for bunging tanks.