No air from bleed valves

[RickyJ]

Changed a radiator today.
The heating is a system boiler, I shut the supply to the f&e tank and drained the rads.
When I had fitted the rad and started to fill the system there was a small amount of air from each rad and then it stopped.
The f&e tank is still full and the rads arent filling, any suggestions as to what could be wrong?
Is the cold feed blocked somewhere and if so how can I clear it?

Thanks

 

[SimonG]

or airlock. spin up the pump. if it's oil boil it.

not a sealed system is it?

 

[Ermintrude]

Have u opened the two ports or if y plan the 3 port?

 

[RickyJ]

No its not cylinder is downstairs and the f&e tank and cws tank are in the loft

 

[RickyJ]

I had already filled it once albeit slowly, but had a slight weep on a solder joint so had to drain it down and repair the leak

 

[Ermintrude]

Give the tee where cold fill joins a good rattle sounds a tad poopy! No valves on cold fill is there?

 

[RickyJ]

No valves that I could see, wondering if I put my wet hoover on the rads and try to draw the water in and the airlock out?

 

[Centralheatking]

Hi RickyJ

System set ups can be beset with airlocks. What I do is hook up the lowest mt cock to a hosepipe connected to the outside tap (mains pressure) use jubilee clips etc.

Then give the system a few squirts of mains pressure but turn off after each squirt - be carefull you dont over fill the F&E - it might o/flow out the tell tale pipe if you put too much in.

Wizz around bleeding rads etc, check aav's and mannual bleeds and all the air will go away

Happy days - we call it a 'blast from the past'


centralheatking

 

[Kyle87]

Put wet vac on the expansion pipe. That will shift airlock!!

 

[Ermintrude]

Can but try! Think cold fill is blocked. Empty and cut it about 50mm up from tee. Lime scale and sludge ! If it is just cut out and use a comp replacement.

 

[RickyJ]

Thanks guys will give some of these a try tomorrow had enough for today!

 

[RickyJ]

Hi RickyJ

System set ups can be beset with airlocks. What I do is hook up the lowest mt cock to a hosepipe connected to the outside tap (mains pressure) use jubilee clips etc.

Then give the system a few squirts of mains pressure but turn off after each squirt - be carefull you dont over fill the F&E - it might o/flow out the tell tale pipe if you put too much in.

Wizz around bleeding rads etc, check aav's and mannual bleeds and all the air will go away

Happy days - we call it a 'blast from the past'


centralheatking

Will that clear the blocked cold feed? I'm guessing if it starts to back fill into the f&e tank it will!

 

[Ermintrude]

Will that clear the blocked cold feed? I'm guessing if it starts to back fill into the f&e tank it will!

Get a bit of speed fit 15mm, and an ISo valve. Cut cold to f&e join speed fit with ball valve. Chamfer end of speed fit and ram into tank connector for cold fill. Open ISo valve and hold speed fit in place until expansion has a wee into tank.

 

[AlexGas]

Use a carrot! :smile: Plug it.

 

[AWheating]

you may find opening any air nipples in the air cupboard may be all that is required to move the air and start it filling.

 

[Centralheatking]

Hi RickyJ - dont forget to let us all know how you got on with your problem
We can all learn from helping you........Centralheatking

Will that clear the blocked cold feed? I'm guessing if it starts to back fill into the f&e tank it will!

 

[Baloo790]

I'm with awheating, check you have opened the bleeds in airing cupboard. My first experience about 3 years ago changing a rad. Up in loft checking f&e tank was full, real head scratcher till I realised about the air vents, gushed in like a river after opening!

 

[RickyJ]

Put wet vac on the expansion pipe. That will shift airlock!!

This is what worked, boiler keeps locking out now, as there is still some air in the system, bled air from the pump and the boiler stays on longer, problem is there are no aavs anywhere
The boilers an ideal icos, are they any good?

 

[AWheating]

icos is not a great boiler. Fair few problems.

theres def no thumb vents in the air cupboard?

 

[kirkgas]

Get a bit of speed fit 15mm, and an ISo valve. Cut cold to f&e join speed fit with ball valve. Chamfer end of speed fit and ram into tank connector for cold fill. Open ISo valve and hold speed fit in place until expansion has a wee into tank.

That's a good way to do it, I used to have a piece of speed fit with comp nut and ring on one end and 22 speed fit bend on the other (with 22x15 reducer) take off air cushion at F&E ballcock connect make up pipe onto fitting and onto expansion pipe to refill, with drain valve open this worked most of the time, if not find and cut tee clear blockage with a quick repipe

 

[Baloo790]

Generally I find the biggest trapped air issues are with houses that have had extensions, so many pigs and troths, I usually just put a hose on every drain off and run water through them for 5-10 mins each one. The worst one i did was in a farm house with a log burner. Of course you can't turn them things off!!! Pipes banging and water flying out the over flow from the f&e. scary times but put hoses on all drains and run for 10mins each and shifted all air out of pipe work' just bleed rads then and in van on way home!

 

[Centralheatking]

Brilliant story Baloo feels like I was there CHK

Generally I find the biggest trapped air issues are with houses that have had extensions, so many pigs and troths, I usually just put a hose on every drain off and run water through them for 5-10 mins each one. The worst one i did was in a farm house with a log burner. Of course you can't turn them things off!!! Pipes banging and water flying out the over flow from the f&e. scary times but put hoses on all drains and run for 10mins each and shifted all air out of pipe work' just bleed rads then and in van on way home!