"Sludge Cock" problems...

[Aragorn84]

I had to extend a pipe on a radiator at the weekend to clear an extractor duct, which required draining the heating system. We've had a new kitchen fitted and the drain valve was behind one of the new units, but i had the guy cut an access hole so no issues there... set to with some pliers trying to open the valve. It was siezed solid.

Got a larger holesaw and made the access hole larger so i could get a bigger spanner in, still siezed solid. Gave up, drained the radiator into a bucket by undoing fittings at the rad and got the pipe sorted.

This morning i figured i should order a new valve, so when i replace the radiator in the room we're currently refurbishing, i can swap the valve out for a non siezed one.

After some searching i finally found online, a picture of the valve thats currently fitted:

https://www.mkmbs.co.uk/prodl009875-compression-15mm-bronze-sludge-cock/

Its something called a "sludge cock". And when i found the picture, i realised it has a nut on the back of it. A nut thats currently inaccessible thru the hole i've cut in the back of the kitchen unit. So perhaps, the valve isnt siezed at all and this nut is the key...

So i'm now wondering, does that nut "lock" the valve, and thus the reason i couldnt open it is because it needs slackened first? Also, what on earth is that valve supposed to be for and whys it used on the drain for my heating system!

Cheers
Kev

 

[Madrab]

Nope, the nut just retains the valve spindle, remove that nut and you would be able to remove the whole spindle. You could probably remove that and tap the valve through, then it could be serviced and greased. It's usually used for tapping drums/tanks etc to allow the draining of any sediments that may have settled out.

Might be easier just fitting a new tap though. Get a drain cock and install it into a Tee and pop that in.

 

[Aragorn84]

Thanks for the info.

Yeh, its just nice as the existing drain pipe goes out the wall after that valve, saving messing about with bits of hose onto a drain cock etc.

I guess replacing it with a normal quarter turn valve would do the job though.

Also not sure if theres enough slack in the pipework to be able to get the valve out. I guess if theres not, i could just cut out whats there and install a normal drain cock in its place instead.