Smelly Hot Water

[smellywater]

Please help me!!

We have a Titan Flowmaster indirect hot water cylinder.

About 2 weeks ago we started getting discoloured smelly hot water. The colour cleared but the smell remained.

Last week the plumber changed the anode which was totally corroded. He sucked a lot of residue out of the tank but the problem remained.

Yesterday I ran the hot taps from both baths for 2 hours then from the sinks for the same amount of time and the smell was not there. (thank god I am not on a water meter!!)

The water heated up this morning for two hours and at first appeared OK but at lunchtime it was smelly again.

Please can anybody assist me with what might be causing this before I call my plumber out again.

 

[JPC]

it could well be you have a perforated coil and the heating water is mixing with your hot water....it shouldn't but some times the tanks in the loft ar place at the wrong heights (in relation to each other)

Is the any overflowing water in the loft or outside from the tank supplying the hot cylinder (the large one)

 

[smellywater]

we don't have a loft as this was a bungalow conversion. There is a small plastic tank underneath which is the expansion vessel then the Titan flowmaster. I have not noticed any leaks and the plumber has not mentioned anything.

 

[seco services]

has the pressure not dropped on the vessel ?

 

[smellywater]

Not as far as I know but I am a mere female with very little diy knowledge at all. All I know is at the moment I am longing for a long soak in a warm bubble bath to ease my tired bones after hours of gardening yesterday and yet again I can't do this without boiling tons of hot water in the kettle.

The water coming out of the hot taps is flowing as fast as previously.

 

[seco services]

The water coming out of the hot taps is flowing as fast as previously.

the vessel pressure won't alter the flow from the taps

 

[smellywater]

well there you go I told you I know nothing about the topic. Would this cause the water to smell?

 

[seco services]

only if the coil is split in the cylinder.
check the pressure gauge what does it read ?

 

[smellywater]

I am not sure - I am not at home at the moment still at work but I will try this when I get back and if I can locate the information I will post it on here.

Thanks for trying to help

 

[seco services]

I know is at the moment I am longing for a long soak in a warm bubble bath to ease my tired bones after hours of gardening yesterday

and you've been at work alday

 

[smellywater]

I know sad isn't it and I still have to go home, cook tea, try and find the pressure gauge. Life is tough being a woman!!

 

[smellywater]

sorry to be a nuisance but where will I find the pressure gauge. I have looked in my airing cupboard at the tank etc but can't find anything. Is there somewhere else I should be looking?

 

[seco services]

useally near the vessel or the filling loop for the system

 

[smellywater]

as far as I know we don't have a pressure gauge and I have just spoken to my husband who is abroad working and he doesn't believe we have either

is it possible that there could be residue in the pipes which is causing a smell - i am thinking of running the water through again tonight and if thta doesn't work I will have to call my plumber again

 

[muggles]

Flowmasters are unvented hot water cylinders, internal pressure should be higher than the pressure of the heating system, so a split coil shouldn't be too much of a problem, although I suppose eventually the pressures will equalise. That'd mean the heating system is running at 3 bar though, which is blowoff pressure for most.

The best way to diagnose a split coil for certain in this situation is to try to drain the heating system. Make sure nobody uses any water while you're doing it. If as you're draining you can hear water flowing into the house or cylinder via the incoming main, or if the water just keeps flowing out of the system long after it should have finished draining, then the coil's split and you need a new cylinder.