Low Pressure on Halstead Ace High

[pinheadplanet]

Hi

We have a Halstead Ace High boiler which is supposed to be at about 1.2 bar when cold but when on it gets too hot and the pressure goes way too high activating the PRV.

It seems to be happiest at about 0.5/0.6 bar when cold and we don't get any issues, but this isn't right is it? Even if I fill it to 1.2 bar when cold it will soon be down to 0.6 of it's own accord. Aside from the PRV activating I guess it could be a leak in the pipework somewhere but it never gets below 0.5 bar which wouldn't really be the case if it had a leak would it.

Been like this for a couple of years now.

What do we reckon?
Thanks

 

[terryplumb]

Expansion vessel problem.

 

[pinheadplanet]

Expansion vessel problem.

Just wants topping up? These are pressurized aren't they?

 

[ianmcd]

Just wants topping up? These are pressurized aren't they?

You dont just top it up, you have to do the job correctly and follow ALL the steps , you can not just top it up

 

[terryplumb]

Could just need pressurising ,could be kaput ! And PRV's have a tendency to not fully close after lifting umpteen times ,as yours apparently has. Sounds like you have not had a service for a few years. Probably a good idea to engage a gsr engineer to investigate / cure and service.

 

[pinheadplanet]

have to do the job correctly and follow ALL the steps

Which are?

 

[pinheadplanet]

Could just need pressurising ,could be kaput ! And PRV's have a tendency to not fully close after lifting umpteen times ,as yours apparently has. Sounds like you have not had a service for a few years. Probably a good idea to engage a gsr engineer to investigate / cure and service.

Been keeping an eye on the PRV via the Overflow pipe and it's not leaking. Yeah will have to look for a new GSR Engineer, somehow people who know Halstead boilers in Southampton are few and far between. Unfortunately I went through a few bad ones who didn't know what they were doing (a few years back) until I finally found one who did know Halstead, he has since retired Doh!

 

[terryplumb]

Halstead were taken over by another company several years ago ,cant remember who ,but they may be able to point you in the right direction .Do a bit of research ,good luck.

 

[ianmcd]

Which are?

hundreds of posts on it in the FAQ not gonna add another

 

[ianmcd]

Halstead were taken over by another company several years ago ,cant remember who ,but they may be able to point you in the right direction .Do a bit of research ,good luck.

Glen Dimplex

 

[pinheadplanet]

Before I call in the engineer I'm trying a recharge of the EV, having read the FAQ's (Cheers Ian)

Could you just confirm I'm doing this right if poss please:

I've dropped the pressure in the boiler to Zero by releasing some water from a rad drain valve. Checked the valve on the expansion vessel and no water came out just a tiny (and I mean tiny) amount of air. I've pumped it up to about 0.75 bar with a foot pump but I'm having to rely on the gauge on the foot pump as it's impossible to get my more accurate hand gauge onto the valve head where it is positioned!

The pressure gauge on the boiler has now gone up to about 0.4 bar, is this correct? Or should I be aiming for it to be at 0.75 bar?
Cheers guys
Kelv

 

[Gasguru]

As you inflate the vessel the boiler gauge will rise as you push water from the vessel to the boiler/rads...you need to keep releasing water from the system to ensure that the system gauge reads zero...only then will you have a true vessel pressure. You want to aim for 0.8 or thereabouts on the footpump with zero on the boiler gauge. Then fill to 1 bar.
Think about replacing the boiler...Glen Dimplex took over the parts (Halstead no longer exist) and they are extortionate and probably limited in supply. Good heating engs. can source some of the parts from other boilers that use the same but you're on limited time.

 

[terryplumb]

You need to leave a drain cock open ,so when pumping the EV you effectively have an open ,unsealed ,system. Pump the EV to 1 bar on the gauge attached to EV.

 

[pinheadplanet]

You need to leave a drain cock open ,so when pumping the EV you effectively have an open ,unsealed ,system. Pump the EV to 1 bar on the gauge attached to EV.

Cheers Terry, I'll leave the bleed valve on the highest rad in the bathroom open as the drain valve I was using is at the lowest point in the house meaning it'll drain all my inhibitor if I leave that open. I'll give it another go, see how I get on. Thanks

 

[ianmcd]

doesnt matter where you leave the drain open but you must leave an open point somewhere, think about it, your EV is full of water , you need to get all the water out, then you can start to pressurise the vessel, you will be surprised how much water comes out before you actually start to pressurise the vessel