Plumbing System
- Thread starter tonyt
- Start date
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On the subject of installing 'emergency' drain-offs....
Yes - OK - washing machine 'vampire' connectors do work as a means of getting the water out of a CH systems with no drainoff installed. I have used them myself.
But one small thing bothers me.... the little round copper disk that gets cut out of the pipe by the fitting and (inevitably) drops down into the pipe! What's to stop it getting carried round the system and jamming the pump, blocking the heat excahnger in the boiler etc.? It's small and light enough to move in the water flow. In it's intended application, all that can (should be able to) happen is that it gets carried into the filter on the back of the washing machine, with no serious harm done. However, having said this, I've never had a call-back to fix any consequences. And pray I never do!
Given working radiator valves, I've always found it preferable to switch off the lowest radiator on both sides, drain it off by loosening one of the union nuts, remove the rad altogether then drain off the system through a hose connected to one of the valves.
Yes - OK - washing machine 'vampire' connectors do work as a means of getting the water out of a CH systems with no drainoff installed. I have used them myself.
But one small thing bothers me.... the little round copper disk that gets cut out of the pipe by the fitting and (inevitably) drops down into the pipe! What's to stop it getting carried round the system and jamming the pump, blocking the heat excahnger in the boiler etc.? It's small and light enough to move in the water flow. In it's intended application, all that can (should be able to) happen is that it gets carried into the filter on the back of the washing machine, with no serious harm done. However, having said this, I've never had a call-back to fix any consequences. And pray I never do!
Given working radiator valves, I've always found it preferable to switch off the lowest radiator on both sides, drain it off by loosening one of the union nuts, remove the rad altogether then drain off the system through a hose connected to one of the valves.
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