Potterton Neataheat Electronic

[sborrone]

Hi, Just replaced a rad and most probably introduced an airlock etc, I'd like to know if the boiler fills itself automatically or do I have a filling system somewhere?

Thanks for the advice

 

[kevplumb]

and the system is

 

[brumylad]

Is there a pressure guage on the boiler?

or is there a header tank (small black plastic box with a ball valve inside)in the loft.?

What problems are occuring to make you believe there is an air lock?

Check these points
1. bleed the radiator
2. bleed the pump
3. read the boiler manual check to see if it has an auto air vent.

 

[sborrone]

Gents

How do I tell what type of system it is?

Can't find a gauge on the boiler anywhere (first thing I checked after reading other posts)

I've bled the rads on the ground floor, each of them are full of water or at least there's plenty coming out when I undo the bleed screew.

I've bled the rads on the first floor but they're empty of water or at least nothing is coming out - the new rad I installed filled up quickly and then it drained out just as quick !

I checked the drain valve - inbetween the feed from the boiler to the first rad and nothing came out !!!! yet bleeding shows there's water in the rad ? crazy....

I've taken the screw of the front of the pump and can see the impeller spinning - had an occasional drip appear,

Will check online to download a manual as I've turned this place upside down looking for the bugger !!!
Turn on the CH and the boiler fires up and the outbound hW pipe heats up 3/4's of a meter ! the rest is stone cold.

Would it be a good idea to fill the new first floor rad with water and let it drain downtairs? then bleed every thing? As it looks like there's no water in the pipes and there fore nothing's heating up?

Thank you for your advice - It's freezing !

 

[sborrone]

Forgot to mention;

There's 2 header tanks in the loft, a large one that feeds the hot water tank and a tiny one that has alittle gunge in it.. The smaller of the two also has a "return"? pipe that sits above it and drops down ,

The ball cock is in working order and I've checked that there's no blockage in the outlet...

 

[kevplumb]

are you bleeding the rads with the pump running ?
if so turn it off and try

 

[sborrone]

When I installed the rad I turned on the CH to move the water around, the rad filled up.

The CH went off - and then rad drained I've bled with it on and off, will bleed again with Pump off -

Cheers

 

[sborrone]

First rad appeared to have water in it but then it stopped and changed to a slow drip? tried to bleed another and the water's coming out ...

Would you agree that I should fill the system up with water although I think I'll probably compound the issue?

Thanks again

 

[brumylad]

Your aim is to totally fill the system with water before you run the pump or fire the boiler. If you run the pump without the pipes being full of water it could wreck the bearing of the pump.

The small tank in the loft should have at least 2 inches of clean-ish water in the bottom. follow the small feed pipe that comes out of the bottom of the tank down until it meets one of the thick pipes. Test there is not a blockage of iron sludge inside the pipe here by using a magnet on the pipe.

Does the system have one or more motorised valves 3 inch square silver or plastic boxes on top of a thick metal (brass)valve)? if these are closed then they might be preventing part of the system filling properly. Move the little lever on these from auto to manual.

 

[ChrisR]

NB drain cocks don't always let water out - often a bit sticks to the seat. They're cr-ap like most plumbing fittings

 

[sborrone]

Cheers - will check and let you know

(did connect a hose to the drain valve and "attempted" to force water into the system - only succeded in flooding the kitchen... )

Have called BG and arranged for an engineer to visit on Monday...

 

[ChrisR]

DO let us know the outcome, and what it costs for the BG man!

 

[sborrone]

Gents

Let me start by thanking you for your advice -

The BG man arrived as advised Monday afternoon, when he saw the boiler he screwed up his face, drew in a breath and shook his head as if he'd stubbed his toe (normally associated with job's worth's) and instantly I knew what was coming next -

That boiler is not supported by BG, as the internals cannot be procured anymore. Well you can imagine my delight when I heard that... I explained about the airlock and he checked in the loft, he used a short tube to blow air down the inlet pipe in the header tank - first response - You've got a blockage - I'd read about using a magnet to indicate a blockage (only I didn't know where to start! )

He checked near the inlet pipe and advised he thought it looked blocked and then told me my pipes are the wrong size the system's all wrong?
It's gravity Feed hot water but a pump is used to draw water around the rads? Needs a flush about £450 but can't do it until early next year, then he left

This point I'm pretty mad as I've called what I'd have thought were the "real-deal" and quite frankly weren't interested unless I spent a large sum of money, even then it couldn't be done until early next year
And then came the real shocker - "you need a new boiler mate" about 2k all in all but can't be done until early 2005.

After he left I thought I'd have a go at it - have nothing to lose - can't get any colder than the icicles in the study !!! I checked the pipe with a screw driver and it did feel magnetic'ish so I removed the pipe and sure enough it was full of debris. Cleared the blockage and put it all back together - took a while but when I opened the valve I heard water / bubbles flowing through the system

I opened a rad and it filled with water things are looking up - continued until all rads were full and the header tank had stopped refilling. I'm still bleeding the new rad in the bathroom now - it took a while for the house to heat up again. But it doesn't seem as hot as before maybe it's because of the blockage and the water didn't reach all of the rads in the past (also had a couple switched off)

Still have lots of hot water - thanks again for your advice...

 

[sborrone]

I forgot to add the associated costs;

When I first spoke to BG I enrolled into a £24 monthly support contract, something which has now been cancelled - if they're not going to support my boiler I certainly don't see the reason for paying £288 a year? Or buy a new boiler from them - as mine is only 68% efficient and the efficiency of all new boilers is above 90%

Cheers

 

[kevplumb]

nice one