How to bleed this radiator?

[StephenStephen]

Hi there,

I've a radiator with very little access on the left, and no access on the right - someone built a giant bookcase round it.
It needs bleeding

The left would be easier to create access to (narrower bookcase upright, and some space already)
[GALLERY=media, 100817]Left side radiator1 by StephenStephen posted 12 Dec 2017 at 1:45 PM[/GALLERY]
[GALLERY=media, 100818]left side radiator2 by StephenStephen posted 12 Dec 2017 at 1:45 PM[/GALLERY]

The right would be more effort to create access to (very much wider bookcase upright)
[GALLERY=media, 100819]right side radiator by StephenStephen posted 12 Dec 2017 at 1:46 PM[/GALLERY]

Which end should I take the circular saw to the bookcase, in order to create access to bleed the radiator?
(I assume the right side has a standard bleed valve, but no way of knowing without drilling through that tree trunk of a bookcase upright)

 

[John D v2.0]

Assuming a right handed engineer, should be right!
Check the visible side of the radiator carefully for dried out drips from previous bleeding. Might save your bacon.

 

[StephenStephen]

What I really need to know is:
-whether I can use the square sticking out lug on the left (second picture) to bleed?
-or is it reasonably safe to assume there'll be a bleed valve on the right?

 

[Mottie]

The square is a blanking plug. I wouldn’t personally try to bleed it through that. Bleed will be on the right. Could you not just somehow disconnect enough of the book case to pull the right side of the case out a couple of inches to enable you to get to the bleed valve?

 

[StephenStephen]

The square is a blanking plug. I wouldn’t personally try to bleed it through that. Bleed will be on the right. Could you not just somehow disconnect enough of the book case to pull the right side of the case out a couple of inches to enable you to get to the bleed valve?

Thank you, unfortunately not - the upright runs floor to ceiling, and is fixed in multiple places - probably half a day to remove a wall of books, take the whole thing apart, bleed, reassemble, put books back - think I'll have to attempt to cut through from the other side.

 

[John D v2.0]

You can always drill a small hole in the rad at the top somewhere convenient, then wrap PTFE tape around a similar size self tapping screw, then screw it in and out to control the bleeding. Failing that you can get a thing called easibleed which is a "ready made" version.

 

[StephenStephen]

You can always drill a small hole in the rad at the top somewhere convenient, then wrap PTFE tape around a similar size self tapping screw, then screw it in and out to control the bleeding. Failing that you can get a thing called easibleed which is a "ready made" version.

Brilliant, thank you - looks a lot easier than cutting through 4 inches of old oak in an awkward location!

 

[John D v2.0]

Brilliant, thank you - looks a lot easier than cutting through 4 inches of old oak in an awkward location!

Ah didn't take note it was so thick!

If it's that hard you always have a last resort of replacing the radiator completely. Some rads have a built in bleed and it's on the back face instead of the side. Or the inside faces if it's a double.
Towel rads have the bleed on top, but that's no help here.