New radiator install, adding tails and on tightening, I heard a crack!

[kreatiff63]

Hi, I'm installing a new radiator and just getting round to adding the tails. The one with the heat control went on ok but the other made a single crack on tightening up the tail. Should I be less worried about this than I currenly am? I'm thinking its more likely to be the metal casing rather than the pipe I'm connecting into ? Thoughts ???

 

[Ben-gee]

Carry on and connect it up.
You’ll soon know if it leaks.

 

[kreatiff63]

Carry on and connect it up.
You’ll soon know if it leaks.

I was hoping to find out if anyone else had had the same experience. Also I don't want there to be a weakness that damages the new flooring once that goes down. If its not a 'thing' tehnI've probably damaged the fitting and its better to be safe than sorry later. I'm going to get another radiator.

 

[Roy_66]

I was hoping to find out if anyone else had had the same experience. Also I don't want there to be a weakness that damages the new flooring once that goes down. If its not a 'thing' tehnI've probably damaged the fitting and its better to be safe than sorry later. I'm going to get another radiator.

Personally I think Ben's advice was good. It reminds me of tightening wheel nuts or a plumbing compression fitting. When it starts to squeek it's had enough. That said on a compression a bit of grease on the threads makes it easier. I also wax car wheel nut threads but let's not go there (and recheck the torque after a shakedown drive or two. Also I don't use Manufacturers torque setting . . . )

Two ideas for you - pressure test it outside with a hosepipe - e.g. 3/4BSP Male to compression fitting will get you from hoselock (via their BSP Tap adapter) back to normal plumbing to connect to the rad.

In any case can you test your final work please before the flooring goes down. A professional could do a pressure test on all your work.

P.S. some rads and tales are taper BSP. I won't say any more.

You could just take to bits and inspect, but personally I'd follow Ben's advice.

Cheers,

Roy

 

[Last Plumber]

It's not impossible to crack a female side but it would be really tight.
I would go off the above advice, carry on regardless.

 

[kreatiff63]

Personally I think Ben's advice was good. It reminds me of tightening wheel nuts or a plumbing compression fitting. When it starts to squeek it's had enough. That said on a compression a bit of grease on the threads makes it easier. I also wax car wheel nut threads but let's not go there (and recheck the torque after a shakedown drive or two. Also I don't use Manufacturers torque setting . . . )

Two ideas for you - pressure test it outside with a hosepipe - e.g. 3/4BSP Male to compression fitting will get you from hoselock (via their BSP Tap adapter) back to normal plumbing to connect to the rad.

In any case can you test your final work please before the flooring goes down. A professional could do a pressure test on all your work.

P.S. some rads and tales are taper BSP. I won't say any more.

You could just take to bits and inspect, but personally I'd follow Ben's advice.

Cheers,

Roy

thanks for the feedback but i went with a replacement. I have other problems now... joists in the way so can't get access, and also a venting tube is blocking access. I wasn't built for squeezing into tight spaces and push fits need some grunt and the ability to tighten... looking into pre constructing just to get myself back to an access point

 

[kreatiff63]

Managed to get all joints connected and now waiting for it tio get hot. While I'm waiting I'm wondering is the fact that we have a combi boiler and the pipework working on a circuit so to speak, do I need to do anything to the valve on the other side to the heating control? I remeber watching a video about using this to control the flow throughout a circuit e.g. when one radiator is not getting as hot as others. I never did anything with that side when adding the radiator before this one, do i need to?

Previous radiator had a lot of air in it, not suprising... I've bled this.

IT HELPS IF YOU OPEN THE OTHER VALVE 🙂 Got hot straight away.