Combi Pressure guage

I have been having problems with my water pressure in my potterton 80 combi.

It looks like the water pressure isnt being regulated properly. I know that pressure should be at about 1.2 bar but my pressure was at 2 bar and increasing. So i bled the radiators to see if if could reduce the water pressure and that seemed to work (reduced to bout 0.5 bar) I then increased the water pressure with the mains water inlet valve to the required 1.2 bar and switched on the central heating. I kept my eye on the pressure guage and noticed that it was slowly increasing in pressure and went past the red 1.2 bar marker on the guage and also could hear the noise from the boiler almost like the system filling up with water (wooshing of water). I switched off the heating and left it to cool off and when i returned later to check the guage it had dropped down to about 1 bar.



Im not sure if this is normal operation of a combi (never done it before) i had problems in the past with my boiler (only 3years old) and had to get the water pump and wax capsule replaced (jan 04) so im just wondering if there is any suggestions or advice anyone can give me on this problem!?!

cheers
Alan Simpson

normal
your question is ???

well my question is...............

if my water pressure keeps rising past 1.2 bar to 2 bar and higher (as it has been doing). Is there a problem with my boiler, what damage (if any) will result from my water pressure being so high and inconsistent?

I also noticed that my radiators often only heat up at the top part and the bottom stays quite cool. I have been told bleeding will solve this problem but I have tried this many times without any results. Do u have any suggestions as to why this is happening and what to do?

Cheers

Alan Simpson

when you repressurise your system do you remove the loop ?

No...i dont actually know what the loop is m8... can u give me an idea of where it is, and how to do that?

cheers
A

remove the shiny silver pipe after you repressurise the system

if i do that will water not spill out?

A

No.

There's loads of information on this forum about system pressure, expansion vessels, filling loops, and quite a few pictures of the parts. Try searching the forum.

Cold rad bottoms = sludge = £300 or so to clear, usually, unless your pump's comletely worn out/clogged so you're getting very little circulation.

ok thanks for that info, that helps alot

Radiator prob sounds like a bit of a nightmare..i can afford those costs right now, is there nothing i can do to help the problem myself? or if i leave it will it be ok? (will pump be affected by sludge etc..)

it sounds like your mains water filling valve is open and it shouldn't be. as previous post, remove the filling loop.

set pressure to boiler makers recommendation. the pressure will increase as the central heating warms up but usually it should be no more than 2.5 bar when the system is at its hottest (c.90 degrees).