Can I have the heating on with radiator removed

[Steve Graham]

I have had to remove a radiator from my central heating system while I have my kitchen rebuilt. I will not be in a position to reconnect the radiator for several weeks.

I need to know if I can safely run the heating with the radiator removed?

I guess it will all depend on the type of system I have and the main question will be whether I have to connect the two radiator pipes together to allow the water to flow, or if I can just run the system safely with the gap in it.

I have a Combination Boiler (a Vaillant TurboMax) and it has (alongside pipes for gas, mains water in, hot water out) two pipes labelled:

CHF - I assume this means Central Heating Flow CHR - Issume this means Central Heating Return

Can anyone give me any advice on what I need to do to run the system?

Thanks

Steve

[IMM]

Yes, as long as the isolation valves are firmly off. Count the turns of the lockshield valve when you turn it off, and then open it the same number when you replace the rad. Then go to the boiler and make sure the water pressure is 1 bar. If not, top it up via the filling loop at the boiler. Do this when cold and do not go over 1 bar, well not by too much.

No need to link.

[Gordon]

Yes Steve, it shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure that the valves are tight. You don't need to connect any pipes for flow. You dont say if you have a TRV on this rad, but if you do, I would advise capping it, as they nearly allways leak. HTH Gordon..

[Christian McArdle]

Should be fine. Almost all UK systems are twin pipe and don't require the ends to be linked. Ancient systems (unlikely as you are combi) or US systems may require linking.

It is important that you don't rely on a TRV as an isolation valve, as they don't normally turn off fully, but go to frost protection mode, where they can open if it gets cold overnight, emptying your system over the carpet. To turn them off completely, you normally need a decorator's cap which holds them fully off. (My TRVs actually have a genuine off setting half a turn beyond the normal frost setting).

Christian.

[Steve Graham]

Thanks for the replies! Jeez you guys are quick.

You couldn't tell me why I don't need to link them together could you? Surely there will be no water flow back to the boiler if there is a gap in the system? I'm sure there is something I don't understand.

Thanks again

[Jonathan Pearson]

Because radiators are run in parallel, not series, but you still need one radiator open at both ends, hence if you have TRV's on the radiators, you will find that one of them (normally bathroom) won't have one as the flow needs to circulate back to the boiler, thus although I doubt it will apply in your case make sure that the radiator your removing isn't the one which recirculates the flow (if its got a TRV then your fine)

Jon

[Dave Plowman]

The 'professional' doesn't need to check whether it's single or twin pipe...

[Nick Brooks]

It's a flow and return system and looks a bit like this (ascii art(!) follows)

____________ | | | | | | | | | Boiler | | | | | | | |____________| _________ _________ | | | | | | | | | RAD 1 | | Rad 2 | | | |_________| |_________| | | | | | | | |____Flow_______|______ | _________|______ | _______ | | | |____________________________|__________________|_________ Return

So you can see removing one rad doesn't stop the others from working

Nick Brooks

[IMM]

Of course you can. All you do is drill a pair of holes in the wall and feed a pair of extension pipes through to the outside. Simply mount the radiator on the outside wall to maintain the balance of the system. If it's not an outside wall, but a party wall, your neighbours will thank you by putting gifts through your letterbox.

[IMM]

Dickhead, you are traceable. Imitate me again and you WILL be traced and your ISP will act.

[Lurch]

On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 20:19:21 +0100, in uk.d-i-y "IMM" strung together this:

I'm not sure which post was the funniest, IMM (the real one) or IMM.

[imm]

In message , IMM writes

Ooh, Handbags at dawn ...

[IMM]

[e-mail]

They ARE being informed.

[Rod Hewitt]

"IMM" wrote in news:c5n6da$31j$ [e-mail]:

Obviously you are not aware that [e-mail] n longer works. (In fact the lack of it might be one reason for email from NTL not arriving in certain other ISP's mailboxes. But that is another thread.) You have to go through a multi-page web form to report anything.

[geoff]

In message , IMM writes

Oh yes? And what do you think they are going to do ?

There's another person who posts here as geoff, should I report him for stealing my name?

I think not you sad little Essex boi

[geoff]

In message , Rod Hewitt writes

Do you know what's up with ntl mail?

I have 300 + emails not downloading (although I could read them online I suppose)

The main site's not there either

[Rod Hewitt]

geoff wrote in news:28qbIxFWKEgAFw+ [e-mail]:

No - but have you tried changing cache?

See

if you don't know what I mean.

And try - potentially very useful when NTL's news servers are stuffed, but a bit quiet still.

All seems to be working fine for us at the moment.

[IMM]

I know. Go to the Energis web site. They tell you how to identify and report.

[geoff]

In message , IMM writes

And what exactly are you going to be reporting me for ?

[IMM]

Maxie, its says "abuse".