Bleeding rads

mrcheez

When I'm bleeding my rads I need to turn the "slot valve" 90 degrees to the left using a flat-head screwdriver to keep the pressure on my combi boiler up (see image.jpg)

My question is:
After turning the screw 90 degrees to the left, do I leave it on in this position for the duration of the bleeding process, or do I interchangeably turn it left like this for a few minutes, turn it back to horizontal, bleed rad, then repeat turning it back to the left, etc?

One plumber told me to leave it "on" all the time, another told me to interchange.

Thanks!

Sleeper12

Assuming you are mains fed you would want to check if you have a pressure reducing valve fitted. If you don't, then you definitely won't want to leave the valve open.

Robbie.G

mrcheez wrote: »

When I'm bleeding my rads I need to turn the "slot valve" 90 degrees to the left using a flat-head screwdriver to keep the pressure on my combi boiler up (see image.jpg)

My question is:
After turning the screw 90 degrees to the left, do I leave it on in this position for the duration of the bleeding process, or do I interchangeably turn it left like this for a few minutes, turn it back to horizontal, bleed rad, then repeat turning it back to the left, etc?

One plumber told me to leave it "on" all the time, another told me to interchange.

Thanks!

How much of the rads need to be bleed?
Is the system empty or is it just to top up?
Let the system fill to around 2 bar then bleed rads when air stops coming and no water re pressurise rads keep doing this till all bled.
Then finally pressurise to 1-1.5 bar

mrcheez

Robbie.G wrote: »

How much of the rads need to be bleed?
Is the system empty or is it just to top up?
Let the system fill to around 2 bar then bleed rads when air stops coming and no water re pressurise rads keep doing this till all bled.
Then finally pressurise to 1-1.5 bar

Just a top-up.

Yeah so the "interchange" method seems to be the way to go rather than leaving the valve open.

Robbie.G

mrcheez wrote: »

Just a top-up.

Yeah so the "interchange" method seems to be the way to go rather than leaving the valve open.

Yes just put pressure up to 1.5 bleed rads then top up again it won't take a large volume of water to do this

scudo2

Air pressure in pressure vessel also needs to be checked that it's between 1-1.5 bar before topping up system. That should also be checked annualy when serviced.
It's part of the safety system on the heating system to protect it.

mrcheez

Robbie.G wrote: »

Yes just put pressure up to 1.5 bleed rads then top up again it won't take a large volume of water to do this

I bled the rads this morning, pressure dropped on the boiler from 1 to 0.75 as expected.

After bleeding them all I turned the valve screw beside the boiler 90 degrees to the left and waited for 10 minutes. The boiler still read 0.75 after this time.

I'm assuming there's another valve that needs to be turned somewhere, or is this likely a leak?

I'll try to get the original plumbers that fitted it last year out to have a look.

mrcheez

I got the RGI over to check out the boiler and he said that the heating needs to be turned on in order for the system to be topped up.

i.e. turn on heating, go out to boiler and turn the valve screw, then the water comes through and pressure indicator goes up.

Says that as the system is installed according to the SEAI requirements, the valves are closed unless the heating is active.

Is this a normal setup?

Dtp1979

mrcheez wrote: »

I got the RGI over to check out the boiler and he said that the heating needs to be turned on in order for the system to be topped up.

i.e. turn on heating, go out to boiler and turn the valve screw, then the water comes through and pressure indicator goes up.

Says that as the system is installed according to the SEAI requirements, the valves are closed unless the heating is active.

Is this a normal setup?

Absolute nonsense. Take pics of the installation please

mrcheez

There's a pic in the first post, what else needs to be photographed?

Dtp1979

mrcheez wrote: »

There's a pic in the first post, what else needs to be photographed?

Pic of where the pressure gauge is and motorised valves. Is it the mains that's filling it or is it tank fed?

mrcheez

This is the boiler with the gauge when it was at 1.

It's tank fed afaik, there's a tank in the boiler house, rather than the attic (my choice)

mrcheez

Not sure what a motorised valve looks like. Are those the "switches" that activate via the thermostat? I think those are under the kickboard in the kitchen so not easy to access.

Dtp1979

mrcheez wrote: »

This is the boiler with the gauge when it was at 1.

It's tank fed afaik, there's a tank in the boiler house, rather than the attic (my choice)

Hard to make out to be honest. Is the pump feeding the boiler filler?

mrcheez

The pump activates when the taps are on/ toilet flushes. Not sure on the order the water goes through. Kitchen tap cold is connected directly to mains.

I had an SEAI inspection done and he didn't comment that the setup was incorrect so I may just have to live with this anomaly.

Interesting to know that it's an unusual setup, but I wouldn't be recommending these RGI installers to anyone else in a hurry. I won't name names as I'm sure it's asking for trouble. There were plenty of items the SEAI inspector DID list as issues (which were ultimately rectified)... But it was pure chance I was selected for an inspection!

Dtp1979

mrcheez wrote: »

The pump activates when the taps are on/ toilet flushes. Not sure on the order the water goes through. Kitchen tap cold is connected directly to mains.

I had an SEAI inspection done and he didn't comment that the setup was incorrect so I may just have to live with this anomaly.

Interesting to know that it's an unusual setup, but I wouldn't be recommending these RGI installers to anyone else in a hurry. I won't name names as I'm sure it's asking for trouble. There were plenty of items the SEAI inspector DID list as issues (which were ultimately rectified)... But it was pure chance I was selected for an inspection!

I'd upgrade that crap lagging for a start. Do not fill your heating system when the boiler is on. It should be topped up when cold

mrcheez

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Do not fill your heating system when the boiler is on.

That's the problem. It has to be on for the gauge to go up.

It's the anomaly I was referring to.

Or do you mean "Don't bleed the rads while the heating is on" ? I wouldn't be doing that obviously.