Radiator Bleed Valve

[RedOnRed]

I bled a radiator last week and the bit that unscrews slightly sheared off and started a slow dripping leak from the rad. I've isolated the rad but it's now unusable until I've got a replacement part.

We're covered by E-on central heating cover who I rang last Saturday and the soonest they can come out is Thursday (time wasters) I know it's then going to take them weeks of messing about trying to order it, so I'm trying to get it myself as it would be cheap and easy to fit anyway.

Right, getting a replacement part (a radiator bleed valve) is proving to be the ultimate unforeseen challenge. Yesterday, in my lunch break I went to...

Buildbase> B&Q> BSS> Plumbcenter> & Graham's and unbelievably not one of them has the part.

It's quite hard to describe the part but I think the rad is by Centerrad and it was fitted about 5 years ago. It's a traditional single rounded top style and the bleed valve is on the right hand side, sort of offset at angle (looking down on it). The full part (a sort of bolt that unscrews) is about 10mm long and is threaded and about 6mm wide. There's then a screw inside it which bleeds the rad - which is the bit that's broken.

Does anyone have any ideas of some sort of radiator valve specialist as at the moment i'm starting to think that I might end up having to get a new radiator to replace one that's relatively new???

Cheers.

[Dave Liquorice]

Side as in one of the large faces that face the room or wall or side as in end? Though I don't think it matters the ...

... screw valve part is probably common between all the valves. As you have the rad isolated take the valve out and have a look at it. I suspect it'll be square ended (approx 5mm) with a threaded section then a point. I'd expect the pin from any bleed valve to fit.

This doesn't fit with the housing size you've quoted though. A picture paints a thousand words, pop one up on the web somewhere.

[Roger Mills]

Try

- and type "air vent" (without the quotes) into the search box, select the first item, and scroll down to find something which looks like your required bit.

Chances are that the thread on the outer bit is 1/8"BSP (which is actually nearly 10mm in diameter). I'm not quite sure which dimensions were 10 and

6mm respectively in your description.

[Roger Mills]

Problem is, that's the bit that's sheared - so he can't get the pin out!

[Usenet Nutter]

Is it like this ?

[RedOnRed]

Thanks for all of the replies and sorry for the delay getting back. I've been unable to take and post pics at work.

Here's a few pics...

The radiator...

on view of the radiator.... valve on a 5 pence piece... only had the rad installed 5 years ago but Plumbcenter seem to think that it's not made any more.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[Bob Minchin]

This air vent does not look like it has a standard BSP thread so might be difficult to find a new one to fit. Put the old one back with some PTFE tape

If you look here

part no 16383, you can fit a compression TEE in the pipe alongside the valve. Put the branch facing upwards and insert the air vent.

hth

Bob

[RedOnRed]

Thanks for that.

The part that you mention above is 15 or 22mm I think in width of the screw and looks similar to the ones I was being shown over the counter at BSS and Plumbcenter. The one I have is only about 6 or 7 mm across where the thread is.

[Dave Liquorice]

Did you have the bust one with you when you did your trawl around the stores? That BES link has three sizes of screw in air vent, 1/8 1/4 and 1/2" BSP. I'd ceratinly compare the 1/8" with something "6 or 7mm across".

Got to admit that the thread doesn't look the right shape for BSP but it could be full of sealing gunk and I'd be surprised if it really wasn't a standard (if uncommon) part.

[Dave Liquorice]

Having seen the pics it would be tricky but not impossible. At least the pin is soft so you can drill it with relative ease unlike a hardned steel bolt. B-)

Wonder if the JML screw extractors that are on offer in Homebase at =A34.99 (normally =A39.99) would work? I wouldn't pay =A39.99 for 'em bu= t =A34.99 is worth a punt.

[Bob Minchin]

Please re-read my suggestion.

I am suggesting to abandon the existing bleed location and fit a new one in the feed pipe adjacent to the radiator with an upward facing T and the air vent which fits into a compression joint in place of the olive.

If it turns out the thread is BSP (and that would be normal) then on the same page of the BES catalogue, you will find 1/8 BSP air vents which should fit into the radiator.

Bob Bob

[Mike Clarke]

But how will that enable him to bleed out any air that accumulates at the top of the radiator?

[Bob Minchin]

Fair point! I had assumed top entry radiators like the ones I have

I'll crawl back under my stone now

Bob

[RedOnRed]

I've got the E-on engineer coming round tomorrow whom I don't have much confidence in at the best of times. I know the part's not available but i'm expecting the engineer to try and order it anyway, which will probably take ages to confirm what I already know.

Hopefully he'll just end up replacing the actual radiator sooner rather then later. If all else fails i'll probably end up getting a new rad' myself. A 600 x 700 single one is only £20 something from Wickes with a 10 year guarantte and it's bound to be better then the one i've already got. It's actually starting to feel like the easier option.

Fortunately, we haven't got the heating on at the moment. Anyway we'll see how we get on tomorrow with E-on.