radiator bleed valve conundrum

May 10, 2013 12 Replies

Bleeding some rads today . Standard "key" worked on all bar one - key (5mm?) too small, 6mm socket too big.... Wtf?



Rad is twin panel format but with bleed values (helpfully) on the inward face of each panel NOT on the ends like usual...



Any ideas how to proceed? Tried long nose pliers & small mole grips but not enough angle to get enough grip.



Cheers



Jim K


too small, 6mm socket too big.... Wtf?

of each panel NOT on the ends like usual...

enough angle to get enough grip.

Socket

m?) too small, 6mm socket too big.... Wtf?

face of each panel NOT on the ends like usual...

ot enough angle to get enough grip.

Probably the normal size but buggered up because they are so awkward. They need replacing (maybe the radiator in the worst case). Depending on the pipework you may be able to loosen any compression joints and ease the rad away from the wall. Failing that, it will have to be removed and be assessed.

too small, 6mm socket too big.... Wtf?

of each panel NOT on the ends like usual...

enough angle to get enough grip.

Might well be that, except that a standard key is apparently too

*small*, not too large as you'd expect if the valve corners had got rounded off.

Are there currently many different sizes of rad valve? I've seen larger ones in older ads I think, but the presenceof a valve on the *face* of a rad suggests to me it's not very old.

One that fits. Most people have a set of small 5mm > 9mm sockets

NSS

that go up in 0.5mm increments? I doubt most people have such a set - do you?

Jim K

5mm?) too small, 6mm socket too big.... Wtf?

d face of each panel NOT on the ends like usual...

not enough angle to get enough grip.

Eh why would easing the rad away from the wall help? the bleed valves face each other one on each of the 2 rad panels. Low budget Ascii art:-

[]* *[] [] [] [] [] [] [] *=bleed valve

Jim K

PS tsk tsk - I see you've still got the malware on board?

too small, 6mm socket too big.... Wtf?

face of each panel NOT on the ends like usual...

enough angle to get enough grip.

Are some bleed valve hexagonal these days? My rads are all 1985 or older hand have square male screws for bleeding.

Is the a new bleeding standard these days?

Bob

(5mm?) too small, 6mm socket too big.... Wtf?

ard face of each panel NOT on the ends like usual...

ut not enough angle to get enough grip.

I've not seen one like that before. I misunderstood.

I suspect the malware is sent to me by Google. I can't get rid of it. Maybe I'll go back to Outlook Express.

I've got all kinds of odds & sods around. Like valve keys that fit.

Most of the small 1/4 inch drive socket sets go up in .5mm increments till they get to 10mm, all the ones i have do that. certain computer type socket/driver sets usually have sockets in odd sizes like x.3mm x.7mm etc,

Of course these small sockets are usually hex types, to fit on normal nuts and bolts, and rad bleed valves are usually square,

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