Who can explain the atmos multi 24/80 to me please?

[nocluewhatsoever]

Hi all,

Basically I am a completely clueless 25 year old woman who doesn't understand a single thing about boilers, heating, hot water etc. Since moving into my flat I have always been confused about how the boiler (an atmos multi 24 / 80) works, despite having read the user guide.

I don't have a particular problem with it but I would really like to know how it works and why it does the things it does. For example, there is currently a 1 and a dot flashing on the screen which I understand means it is dealing with a demand for hot water. But nobody is using any hot water. Is it just that it is heating the water back up to the required temperature? At the same time, water is running constantly from a pipe out of the bottom of the boiler into a funnel type thing and another pipe (I can see the water). I thought this water flow had something to do with the central heating but as the boiler tells me it's dealing with the hot water and not heating now, I guess that can't be true?

I am confused as to why water is streaming out the boiler into another pipe and has been for quite a while now (half an hour at a guess) when the radiators aren't warm and nobody is using the water.

Sorry to ramble on but if someone could explain the basics of how it works to me and why the water flows out of that pipe, I would really appreciate it. Not understanding freaks me out a bit as I worry something will go wrong and occasionally we have had to reset it when there was no hot water.

Many thanks,

A very confused young lady.

 

[Dan Robinson]

These are fantastic boilers and yours needs a service.

The dripping water is causing the store of water to cool, so the boiler is topping up the heat.

They need regular annual servicing by someone familiar.

You have a small tank with the burner in the middle. If you go onto you tube you will find some videos under my name that show the inner workings.

 

[nocluewhatsoever]

Thanks a lot for the fast reply. The water isn't dripping. It's a forceful jet of water which comes out of a pipe bottom right directly into another. It's not doing it constantly, it just does it from time to time, presumably when it's doing something. Though it does seem to have been doing it for a long time this evening!

I will talk to the letting agents about having someone out to service it and will look at your videos. Thank you.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Is it one with a grey display panel? If so it is a MK 1 and you could well need a new T&P valve due to lime scale (this boilers biggest enemy).

The water is pouring out because either that valve or the expansion vessel or both are goosed.
Can you post a picture of the boiler and the pipe work underneath?

You're not in Biggleswade by any chance?

 

[Inky Pete]

The pipe-funnel-pipe arrangement you describe sounds like a tundish.

These are often fitted to overflows and discharge pipes which usually have no flow through them, and they serve to give a visual indication of when something is overflowing or discharging. Thus alerting the user to take corrective action.

So if there's water flowing through yours then I'd suspect you have a problem with your boiler.

 

[nocluewhatsoever]

It has periodically had this water running from it since I've lived here (months and months) but the heating and hot water have worked, though it did occasionally have to be reset. This time it does seem to be going for a while though and the sound of it furiously spewing water does disturb me quite a bit! Do you think I should reset it for the time being?

I do live in Biggleswade, yes. I would have to speak to the letting agents.

Here are a few pics. In the closer up pic you can see the water. View media item 51562 View media item 51561

 

[Dan Robinson]

I know where you live... Not down to the door number though so don't panic.

That is the Mk1 version of the boiler and will probably not have had much attention. With nay luck the worst it will need is a new T&P valve and some TLC.

What error codes are you getting that need resetting? Have you the installation manual with them at the back?

 

[Razor900]

The letting agents will have their own heating guy they will probably want to send.

However if he can't sort it I was told by one of the head honchos at Atmos that Dan is one of the best blokes with these boilers in the country.

It's the sort of unit where a perfectly competent and qualified fitter but one whose not familiar with it can do more harm then good

 

[nocluewhatsoever]

Well, that's only somewhat disturbing then.

I've sometimes had a flashing '9' on the screen but the manual only seems to tell me what numbers up to 8 mean. Currently there isn't an error, it just has the number 1 and a flashing dot as if dealing with a demand for hot water.

I definitely can't go to bed with it streaming water like that or I'll never sleep for worrying about it!

In my original post when I said I don't have any particular problems with it, what I meant is that I've had slight problems with it for ages but been pretending it was fine (which it mostly has been to be fair). I've lived here since June 2011 or thereabouts so it definitely hasn't been seen to since then. Other than the regular gas inspection thingy.

 

[Dan Robinson]

9 with a dot is a PCB failure.

9 on its own is a major overheat and changes things somewhat. Not necessarily related to the running water.

The big blue handle under the boiler turns off the supply to the tank and should stop the flowing.

If you are where I think you are (does the word Saffron or Saxon mean anything?) then it probably hasn't been looked after and will be a little stiff and need some pliers to give you enough grip.

Alternatively just press the hot water button so the light goes out.

IIRC you will have the Plus model, so the hot water only takes 11 minutes to heat up so you shouldn't have too much of a wait in the morning.

 

[nocluewhatsoever]

That was a stupid answer from me because a malfunction shows a letter not a number. Basically I've never seen a letter on there for a malfunction, just sometimes a flashing '9' (or maybe it just looks like a 9) and I can't find what that means.

 

[nocluewhatsoever]

9 with a dot is a PCB failure.

9 on its own is a major overheat and changes things somewhat. Not necessarily related to the running water.

The big blue handle under the boiler turns off the supply to the tank and should stop the flowing.

If you are where I think you are (does the word Saffron or Saxon mean anything?) then it probably hasn't been looked after and will be a little stiff and need some pliers to give you enough grip.

Alternatively just press the hot water button so the light goes out.

IIRC you will have the Plus model, so the hot water only takes 11 minutes to heat up so you shouldn't have too much of a wait in the morning.

I think it was just a 9 I've seen without a dot but can't remember exactly. Either way, it's not there now. Saffron, yes. That's a little worrying that you know where I live from my boiler!!

I pressed the hot water button but the water is still running. Will it stop or do I still need to face the blue tap thing? Sorry for being entirely thick. It's a combination of not understanding and also finding anything to do with boilers and gas to be really worrying! I hate turning handles and things

 

[Dan Robinson]

I can almost gurantee the annual gas inspection will have done squat to the boiler.

Out of interest.

Can you hold the SET button in for 10 seconds.

The display will change to "A". Press the hot water button so that the temperature display blinks between 00 and LL.

After a few seconds the boiler will fire and the display will give a number and the LL. What is that number?

It will fluctuate a little - just the general gist? You want it to be over 45.

If it is less, then you're on borrowed time before the boiler shuts down through lack of servicing.

 

[Dan Robinson]

That's a little worrying that you know where I live from my boiler!!

We plumbers know things, and it is a very small world .

The water will carry on for a while if you rely on pressing the button.

You will have to wait for the expansion to stop and (hopefully!) the valve to reseat.

Turning the blue handle 90 degrees stops the inflow of water and stops water running through the tundish.

 

[nocluewhatsoever]

I can hear the water slowing down thankfully. If I was to turn the hot water back on in the morning, do you think it will work? I can shower at parents' house but just thinking of my flatmate.

I suppose the agents will want to call their own plumber but if I can convince them to call you, what is the best way to contact you and would you be available?

Thanks a lot for your help, this probably isn't what you wanted to be doing with your Thursday evening. Consider yourself a hero though or I would've been seriously panicking by now!