Indirect hot water cylinder

I have a leak on my hot water cylinder and intend to try to repair it. But I am having a little difficulty draining the cylinder.

By viewing other posts, I have isolated water feeds to heating and tank, but as my drain valves appear to be blocked, I removed the top connection and syphoned off using a hose.

This was ok until it stopped with water still remaining in the tank. As it's a bungalow, having tried to restart the syphoning without success, I don't think I have the necessary drop to empty the remaining water. I tried pulling out the bottom feed, but this only results in water gushing out and flooding the floor.

Short of digging a well, can anyone suggest how to remove the remaining water please?

Either crank loose a bottom fitting and get a rubble sack (nice and thick with no holes in it) under to catch the water - just drain it off slowly by only opening it a little and you should find it doesn't flood.

Or, try taking out the rubber plunger inside the drain cock and see if you can clear the blockage through there.

Or buy yourself a cheap "pump" that attaches onto a drill (about £2 from most surplace stores) and pump the remaining water out.




Or, depending what pipe sizes you are working with, if you have access to a a 15mm pipe you can use one of these:



But obviously you will need to repair the pipe after if you are going to take it off, or leave it in place to help with future drain downs.

pump will work - washing machine tap won`t not in a bungalow

Nige F said:

pump will work - washing machine tap won`t not in a bungalow

Click to expand...

Why won't the self cutting tap work if it was applied to a pipework at the base of the DHWC - assuming it is correct sized pipe - just to drain that pipework down.

Its just effectively providing a drain down point at a point in the pipework lower than the DHWC. DHWC could be on the ground floor and provided that the self cutting tap is connected to pipework attached to the base of the cylinder it would drain down - basic basic basic gravity principles - a bungalow has nothing to do with the case. It would work if the cylinder was in a basement! provided the self cutting tap is attached to pipework at the base of the DHWC. Although agreed it is likely to be a 22mm pipe feeding the DHWC from the CWSC. Not sure if they do a 22mm self cutter. Hence my disclaimer re. the right sized pipework

it would dribble out into a container shallow enough to go under it - a few litres @ a time out of the cylinder with maybe 60 litres if half full -I just don`t think that qualifies as draining down Pump as illustrated would be much better. Aztec Domestics Do they still do human sacrifices for non - payers.