Vokera Linea 24 - losing pressure only when heating off

[Matt1010]

Hello,

Been reading this site over the last couple of days as my boiler (Vokera Linea 24) has recently been losing pressure. It normally needs topping up every 3/4 months but as of Friday now at least once a day.

There are no visible leaks and there is no water coming through the floorboards from upstairs. The rest of the pipes are in the cellar and I've checked them and they're all fine with no leaks. The pipe that goes outside is also not leaking. So from what I've read from other posts I think it's possibly a problem with expansion vessel.

I followed the process in the FAQs (no. 7), however, when I came to refill the system it was now taking forever and it didn't actually register anything on the pressure gauge in the 10+ mins I was waiting. It has been slow at repressurising the last few times I've done it but not this slow. So I undid the release thing on one of the rads downstairs and more water did come out so it looks it’s working just incredibly slow.

I undid the filling loop to test that and it's coming out of the water inlet rapidly. Is there anything else I should check to see why it's taking so long to fill up?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[gas4you]

As you look at the boiler from the front, the left hand end of the filling loop connects to a non-return valve.

It is usually this that has got stuck or partially stuck closed.

These are easy to obtain and replace and is a DIY job if you are handy with a spanner. (after draining the boiler again)

 

[Matt1010]

Thanks Dave much appreciated.

 

[stumpydick]

lineas have a built in filling loop, i have found that the check valve and ch isolator valve can block with system debris causing slow/no fill. needs attention by expert.

 

[Matt1010]

lineas have a built in filling loop, i have found that the check valve and ch isolator valve can block with system debris causing slow/no fill. needs attention by expert.

Got someone coming next week to look at the main problem so I'll mention that to him before he comes. Don't want him to get here and then find out it takes ages to fill the system and he needs another part.

I've just checked and it is filling up...it's on 0.4 bar and it's been going 20+mins.

Thanks for your help.

 

[gas4you]

With new year closures etc, give him as much notice as possible so he can get the non-return valve.

 

[Matt1010]

With new year closures etc, give him as much notice as possible so he can get the non-return valve.

Will do.

 

[nickso]

make sure he gets the right valve. there are three.

there are also two types of isolation valve if that ends up causing due to blockage.

 

[Matt1010]

make sure he gets the right valve. there are three.

there are also two types of isolation valve if that ends up causing due to blockage.

Will do cheers.

 

[Matt1010]

Hi again!

A little update for you since Christmas:

The engineer that came out serviced the boiler and sorted the slow topping up issue. However, we still have the same problem with the boiler losing pressure.

Over the summer it wasn't that bad as obviously the heating wasn't on so a top up every other week was ok. Now that the heating is back on its losing pressure more frequently but only when the heating is actually off.

The British Gas guys have been out 3 times in the last two weeks and have: -

1. Re-pressurised expansion vessel
2. Cleaned out blocked pipe (and suggested some contraption called sludge buster or something)
3. Put two bottles of Ferox sealer in (this seemed to slow down the pressure loss)
4. Checked for leaks which they couldn't find (all downstairs pipes are in the cellar and visible, the upstairs ones are under the floorboards - but a leak here would surely drip through the downstairs ceiling?)
5. Checked the pressure release pipe for drips

The pipes are all plastic clip together ones (which I think look rubbish but that’s a different story!) There are no visible leaks on any of the connections or on any of the radiators.

Does my issue sound like a leak in the pipe work or is there something else to look at?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[grill]

Hi matt,

Had a problem with a Vokera doing this last week. Leak sealer sorted my issue though.

Not sure if your Vokera had a latent heat collector in it but these can fail.

The water will run done through the condensate trap and down another pipe to outside. You woudlnt see any leaks.

If its like the syntesi look underneath it for a black plastic pipe coming out of the condensate trap. Pull it out and check is there water running out of it. If it is only dripping slightly when teh boiler is running then this is normal

Have you had any fault codes since putting in your leak sealer by the way?

Good luck

G

 

[Matt1010]

Hi matt,

Had a problem with a Vokera doing this last week. Leak sealer sorted my issue though.

Not sure if your Vokera had a latent heat collector in it but these can fail.

The water will run done through the condensate trap and down another pipe to outside. You woudlnt see any leaks.

If its like the syntesi look underneath it for a black plastic pipe coming out of the condensate trap. Pull it out and check is there water running out of it. If it is only dripping slightly when teh boiler is running then this is normal

Have you had any fault codes since putting in your leak sealer by the way?

Good luck

G

Hi Grill, thanks for the pointers. I'll have a look.

No fault codes since the sealer went it but we did lose hot water pressure about 2 hours afterwards.

Cheers,
Matt