I have a heating system about 18 years old with a potterton boiler. It has gravity hot water and a pumped system to the radiators. A few months ago the hot water stopped heating the tank up but the rads were fine ( I left this alone and relied on the immersion!). Now there seems to be a lot of air in the upstairs rads which do not seem to want to bleed ....if anything it sucks in more air when I open the valves ( pump off). Today it gave up the ghost and doesnt circulate at all! The header has water and the ballcock is fine....but it seems to be neither supplying or receiving water to the system and looks as if the water level hasnt changed for ages. Any comments would be appreciated ...are there any vents or valves I should look at? It seems a fairly simple system but ceratinly the h w tank has some serious scale build up.
heating problems
- Thread starter jimmyW
- Start date
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sounds like you have a blockage in your feed pipe from f/e to the system.
if the system is lot letting any air out and your f/e is not refilling system.
useally where the feed joins the system pipework it can block.
if the system is lot letting any air out and your f/e is not refilling system.
useally where the feed joins the system pipework it can block.
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check the blockage is not at the water tank...the pipe connected to the side at 1-3 inches of the bottom.
if you seem able to shove a wire/pencil down it then it poss not blocked there. i take it the is no closed valves on that pipe !?
if above does not help u could req a plumber to check the system and consider cutting out the pipe where the feed meets the system, that the normal place where it blocks up (try a magnet at that juction...if it has pull" then there is build up and this could be your blockage)
if you seem able to shove a wire/pencil down it then it poss not blocked there. i take it the is no closed valves on that pipe !?
if above does not help u could req a plumber to check the system and consider cutting out the pipe where the feed meets the system, that the normal place where it blocks up (try a magnet at that juction...if it has pull" then there is build up and this could be your blockage)
N
nathyorks
Firstly are you should check the 3 port valve sounds like its stuck in the heating so not allowing the heated water to to travel into the cylinder. also you need to check and see if you have a filter normally located near the pump. you can isolate and its basically a brass bolt just loosen and remove and use some nose hair pliers to remove it there is no need to replace it.. you can treat the system by adding x400 its a sludge remover that you can buy from a plumbers merchant even bnq. add that into a radiator and leave for 3-4 weeks in your system. then just add x100 an inhibator. the air problem could be caused by a faulty auto air vent.. hope that helps
Jamie, many thanks, I have just 'rodded' the line as far as I can from the exp tank without any success! Must be further down .....looks like it joins the large diam pipe at the top of the heating coil in the HW tank?
Nath ...again thanks. I think the system is too ancient for a auto vent somehow...at least I havnt seen one in my travels. Not even sure there is a 3 way valve. The boiler has a seperate flow and return for each of HW system and the heating loop.
Many thanks all, jim ( chilly!)
Nath ...again thanks. I think the system is too ancient for a auto vent somehow...at least I havnt seen one in my travels. Not even sure there is a 3 way valve. The boiler has a seperate flow and return for each of HW system and the heating loop.
Many thanks all, jim ( chilly!)
As you say you have a gravity primary system you won't have a 3 port valve.
As Seco said, blockage will be where 15mm feed joins heating system pipe work.
You can prove this by draining water from system and at the same time you should hear water filling in th F & E tank.
The only answer is to cut out the offending blockage and re-pipe.
As Seco said, blockage will be where 15mm feed joins heating system pipe work.
You can prove this by draining water from system and at the same time you should hear water filling in th F & E tank.
The only answer is to cut out the offending blockage and re-pipe.
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