A chemical analysis of the water will tell me what the contamination is. I've asked the water board but I suspect they will say no as its post the cold water supply part of the system. It would probably take them weeks anyway at best. Unless stuck I dont really want to go private as the cost will be high I suspect
Hot Water Smells Sweet and a bit chemically in Unvented system
- Thread starter topgazza
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Read the manual in detail and it was quite an eye opener. Spoke to Ariston which was as much good as talking to the dog next door. However he did say one useful thing and that was what LEDs were lit on the anode PCB. "What LEDS?" I asked. However on checking I have one green and one red. The green is for 240v supply connected, check. The red however is the killer. That says the anode is toast. To be fair the anode is tucked out of direct sight but I would have spotted it before. So the assumption is that the anode has had it, and is probably degrading and leaking metals into the water. My plumber is due on Monday and he would have spotted this but for my benefit I've learnt something.
The Ariston guy said my 19 year old cyslinder is no longer covered by the 25 year warranty because BG Homecare who did the plumbing service for 15 years did not visually check the anode or heating element. I know they didn't. Essentially it's a standard part for the Ariston annual service schedule and part of the warranty requirement. The warranty is therefore invalid. I have just written to BG for comment as an opening gambit.
The Ariston guy said my 19 year old cyslinder is no longer covered by the 25 year warranty because BG Homecare who did the plumbing service for 15 years did not visually check the anode or heating element. I know they didn't. Essentially it's a standard part for the Ariston annual service schedule and part of the warranty requirement. The warranty is therefore invalid. I have just written to BG for comment as an opening gambit.
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Took the cover off the Titanium anode, the Protech electronic one and the 9v lead to the thread on the end of the anode has "unstuck" itself from the anode. Cant be repaired so I've ordered, on my plumbers advice, a new electronic titanium anode, a new passive magnesium anode for lower down the tank and just in case a new Protech PCB for the titanium anode. Plumber is coming next week to drain the cylinder and fit them. Fortuantely the anode near the wall is the short titanium one and the magnesium one is on the front. So just a possible issue with the fact they have never been removed in 19 years. Still, my man knows his stuff.....
Update as I know you guys are having sleepless nights worrying about it 
On inspection the passive magnesium anode was , well, gone. Obviously disappeared over time and there was absolutely nothing left. The titanium Protech ones was a bit worn but OK. However my plumber confirmed that the smell was in fact inhibitor. So the coil, after 19 years, had finally sprung a leak and tainted the hot water. No doubt the anode gone and the titanium one not working probably helped in breaking down the cylinder. Anyway, new RM Cylinder installed and not only do we have clean hot water but curiously the pressure has returned to the showers. More like the "power shower" we had when it was first installed 19 years ago. I guess something has affected this over the past year or so to reduce the hot water pressure, corrosion/blockage ?
Shower pressure was OK but no better than a normal gravity fed shower and I think this had dropped gradually over the past year or so to a gravity fed type pressure from a sand blasting power shower effect. I got used to it. But now it is brilliant and back to its unvented best. Thanks for everyones help
On inspection the passive magnesium anode was , well, gone. Obviously disappeared over time and there was absolutely nothing left. The titanium Protech ones was a bit worn but OK. However my plumber confirmed that the smell was in fact inhibitor. So the coil, after 19 years, had finally sprung a leak and tainted the hot water. No doubt the anode gone and the titanium one not working probably helped in breaking down the cylinder. Anyway, new RM Cylinder installed and not only do we have clean hot water but curiously the pressure has returned to the showers. More like the "power shower" we had when it was first installed 19 years ago. I guess something has affected this over the past year or so to reduce the hot water pressure, corrosion/blockage ?
Shower pressure was OK but no better than a normal gravity fed shower and I think this had dropped gradually over the past year or so to a gravity fed type pressure from a sand blasting power shower effect. I got used to it. But now it is brilliant and back to its unvented best. Thanks for everyones help
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Not noticeably so picasso he did check that. Possibly a pin hole leak so not much affect on pressure but slow leaking of inhibitor and possibly bad corrosion in the tank giving the smell ? Its just nice to have it working so well again. Not sure I'd want a gravity system again unless I had no choice.
If the old pressure reducing valve had become partially blocked then the dynamic pressure to the outlets (shower) would fall, and in severe cases fall to almost zero. During this time inhibitor laced water from the heating system would leak into the old hot water cylinder, causing your keenly tuned sense of smell to react. Clearly not all of this would return to the heating system once normal water pressure was resumed.
This explains the smell - tick.
If I am not mistaken the Ariston cylinders are mild steel with a glass coating inside. It follows that once the sacrificial anodes have been exhausted (and after 18 years that's a distinct possibility) the water will turn its attention to eating the heating coil instead, thus a leak. Manufacturers often use small print to render their warranties null and void as their whim dictates, so no surprises that Ariston have a 'water tight'
LOL reason to void yours. Maybe you should persevere with your BG complaint, though don't go over the top, because you'd already used up 3/4 of your warranty period, and any compo may be calculated at 1/4 of the residual value of your old cylinder....4/5ths of 5/8ths of sod (other phrases are available) all, as we used to say.Glad to hear you have a good supply of hot water now, and nice to see you've taken the bother to feed back the solution.
Don't forget to top-up the heating inhibitor.
Did you keep the old pressure regulator? No harm in taking that to pieces to confirm that it's blocked (or otherwise).
MM
I think the plumber Ashley Clarke in Basingstoke is and has been superb. Youngish lad, late 20s, the quality of his work and attention and care for detail is peerless. He is a spotlessly clean worker. He is self employed and I would recommend him in a heartbeat. Anyway, enough of the free ad, I will ask him about the pressure regulator as I know he hangs onto the stuff for one big trip to the scrappy. He is also popping back next week to refill with inhibitor.
I will gently push BG. Not expecting a great deal but worth a try.
I will gently push BG. Not expecting a great deal but worth a try.
I will gently push BG. Not expecting a great deal but worth a try.[/QUOTE]
You will probably get a free years cover, just to stop you bothering them, total waste of money
You will probably get a free years cover, just to stop you bothering them, total waste of money
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