if there aint a valve between the tank and the heating pipework (follow the pipe ) from the bottom of the tank
it sounds like the cold feed is blocked
it sounds like the cold feed is blocked
Worcester Danesmoor 15/19 - Oil Fired ** now with pics **
- Thread starter Estrella
- Start date
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OK. That 15mm pipe that comes out of the bottom of the small tank (the CH Feed & Expansion pipe). Follow it down. It probably joins one of the bigger pipes near the pump.
There will be a Tee joint. This is most often where a blockage occurs.
Lay your hands on a magnet and hold it against the Tee. There is a strong chance that it will be attracted to the copper pipe at that point only. The reason being that there is an accumulation of black iron sludge from the corroding steel radiators that has collected there and blocked it.
Your mission is to find and remove that blockage.
You will probably have to cut the tee out (assuming it is a soldered one) and refit a compression brass Tee (which will be easier to remove next time). Bale out the F&E tank first as the contents will gush out over you when you cut the pipe.
That will remove the blockage that is preventing your radiators from being topped up. You can test if this is the source of the problem by having an accomplice drain a pint of water from your radiator drain valve. A corresponding amount of water ought to be drawn from the F&E tank, unless there is a blockage.
Bale and sponge out all the sludge that has collected at the bottom of the F&E tank.
Having fixed the blockage, you need (1) to remove all the rest of the sludge that is contained in your system (2) prevent more from forming.
If you look in the FAQs and Wiki you will see ways to do this. For a start, buy a bottle or two of CH Cleaning chemical (Sentinel and Fernox are good brands) and add the Cleaner to the system when you refill after fixing the Tee. Follow the instructions. Also buy some Corrosion Inhibitor to add after you have cleaned and flushed.
There will be a Tee joint. This is most often where a blockage occurs.
Lay your hands on a magnet and hold it against the Tee. There is a strong chance that it will be attracted to the copper pipe at that point only. The reason being that there is an accumulation of black iron sludge from the corroding steel radiators that has collected there and blocked it.
Your mission is to find and remove that blockage.
You will probably have to cut the tee out (assuming it is a soldered one) and refit a compression brass Tee (which will be easier to remove next time). Bale out the F&E tank first as the contents will gush out over you when you cut the pipe.
That will remove the blockage that is preventing your radiators from being topped up. You can test if this is the source of the problem by having an accomplice drain a pint of water from your radiator drain valve. A corresponding amount of water ought to be drawn from the F&E tank, unless there is a blockage.
Bale and sponge out all the sludge that has collected at the bottom of the F&E tank.
Having fixed the blockage, you need (1) to remove all the rest of the sludge that is contained in your system (2) prevent more from forming.
If you look in the FAQs and Wiki you will see ways to do this. For a start, buy a bottle or two of CH Cleaning chemical (Sentinel and Fernox are good brands) and add the Cleaner to the system when you refill after fixing the Tee. Follow the instructions. Also buy some Corrosion Inhibitor to add after you have cleaned and flushed.
and keep a bucket handy for when it does
Another option to try 1st save cuting into pipework is to attach a hose onto the drain off on the shelf below the pump & open it to see if the tank starts to run. if no attach the hose to the drain off with a jubilee clip & attach the other end to a cold water tap. then open up the drain off full & pack with old towels as they leak a bit. then turn on the cold tap a little. go up to the small tank & it may be pushing water out of the 22mm vent back into the tank. try blocking the vent with a cloth & ya thumb & c if the pressure build up will push through the blockage into bottom of the tank. If so turn off the water main close the drain off. try to remove all the gunge out of the small tank then opn the drain & let it run fresh 4 a while, Then treat ya sysyem 2 some desludger & a good flush out. then add inhibiter.
bab said:
Am i sposed to be doing this with the heating on or off ? As i opened the drain off beneath the pump and absolutly nothing came out
It is this bit that confuses me
Where is the pressure sposed to be coming from ? If there is no water in the pipe and the system is gravity fed from the small tank , and there is a blockage in the pipe , where does the pressure come into it ??
Confused
washer is prob stuck in the drain tap
connect the hose to a tap
Is that the drain i should be attaching the hose and tap ?
If so , my question still is , where does the pressure come from ? That pipe is fed from my little tank upstairs , are youu saying that it would generate enough force (via gravity) to push out the blockage ?
p.s. Bloody hell Kev that was a quick reply
yes the hose goes on there the washer is prob stuck to the seat inside
you connect the other end of the hose to a mains water tap
Kev , Bab , Oilman and John , thanks all for your help.
I dunno what i did , or even how I did it , but I know have fully hot rads upstairs. Walloping the valve with the claw hammer was a twitchy moment though
Mucho gracias
I dunno what i did , or even how I did it , but I know have fully hot rads upstairs. Walloping the valve with the claw hammer was a twitchy moment though
Mucho gracias
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