Hot water brown in colour

[kevplumb]

hence the question about how many tanks

 

[namsag]

Should have asked that first instead of saying primatic with bubbe gone, never assume anything

 

[neald]

what do you mean by coil split and height of tanks!

cheers

 

[htgeng]

is there one or two tanks in the loft? big un and small un or just a big un?

kev - moved to thailand? not one of those naughty tourists are you

 

[ChrisR]

what do you mean by coil split and height of tanks!
cheers

Heating water is often brown/black. It (hot)goes through a coil of pipe inside a HW cylinder to heat it. If there's a leak between the pipe coil and the (tap)water in the cylinder, dirty stuff could get into your tap water. The direction water flows through the leak will depend on which system's tank, in the loft , is higher. If the leak is fast then one or other tank will overflow - depends on heights of water level and overflow pipe.

The small(htg) tank shouldn't be higher than the big one but they can be. If you turn off the supply to the upper tank it will empty if there's the leak we suspect.
The level in the lower tank will rise but that would be hard to see if it's a small leak into a big tank.

 

[kevplumb]

thought it was only me that didnt sleep

 

[moss84]

Hi people just new to the board,but I'm glad I've found you all,I'm having the same problem with the water being brown and I'm sure It's a primatic tank I have,Do you turn off the water going in to the tank in the loft(if thats where it is)or next to the central heating system ?

 

[moss84]

Oh yea and then what do you do after that ?

 

[moss84]

I have the mains cold water tank higher than the heating tank? I've just turned of the loft one and the brown water has stopped ,but i'm unsure of my next step ?

 

[ChrisR]

Turn off supply to loft tank (or tie up the ball), or turn off the output from the loft tank, then drain the HW cylinder, then turn on in loft.

 

[moss84]

ok I,ve drained the hot water,there is no brown hot water coming through....but in the bathroom there is brown cold water ? but apart from that what is my next step,can you explain what i.m actually doing so i can see and understand for the future ,thanks

 

[ChrisR]

If you do a searh on this forum you'll find a drawing.

If your COLD water is brown - do you have a steel galvanised rusty CW tank in the loft?

 

[moss84]

Cheers done a search found the diagram,wee bit clearer now.I've turned all the water on now,hope it works,

The cold water tank was used for two houses,but got converted just to feed ours, at the top,don't think it's galvanised think it's just a huge black rubber tank,should this have a tight fitting cover ?

thanks again

 

[kevplumb]

yes

 

[moss84]

nope turned the water off ,drained the system of water turned off cold mains to,only had cold water coming in the bathroom sink, don't know why,turned the water on into tank but still water is coming out brown ?nuisance,hate to call in a plumber if I'm just not getting the sequence wrong,and it's extremely difficult to get a hold of one around here.!!