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What made you change to a combi? There are pros and cons with a combi (mainly cons IMO), one problem being changing a gravity system to pressurised, as you've found. The installer should have pointed that out.

That's right, the solution is to throttle the hall rad more, so the roomstat there is less likely to be satisfied. The problem I see is when the outdoor weather is about 12° the roomstat will always be satisfied, so unless you turn it up you can't heat other rooms. Putting the roomstat somewhere...

Starmer talks as if we only need to increase defence spending because of pressure from the likes of Trump, and he's showing principled resistance by dragging his heels, saying 3% by 2035 or something.

I said Magnaclean or similar when I first raised it, but couldn't be bothered to keep repeating it. We've discussed leaking Magnacleans before. I've never had a problem with mine, installed in 2010.

I just meant it would be a new job to drain the system again to fit a Magnaclean. It can be added via the F/E tank, as others have said. But it's easier to ensure it all gets into the circulating water if added to a Magnaclean, Covered by other posts

Maybe a bit late now the job is done, but a Magnaclean or similar would be a good investment. Apart from its main job it's very useful for adding inhibitor, and sampling the system water for a bright wire nail test.

I bought one in 2010 (it wasn't cheap!) but found the colour chart vague. Don't know if later kits are any better but these days I do an annual bright wire nail test.

Interesting if you have the patience to get through it! But I don't think I'll be giving up using inhibitor. I'm pretty sure my DO is low, but no idea about conductivity. Edit - if you're getting much gas from the Spirovent that's most likely hydrogen, not a good sign. Does it burn?

Found this, says it's explosive, but doesn't link it specifically to town gas. Copper(I) acetylide

If they didn't they must have patched it up! I had a scrounge round on the internet but only found the attachment. Probably no need for it as there’s no town gas these days. I’m speaking from memory about acetylene, but there’ll be some ammonia and H2S present in town gas. Similar situation...

Quite an experience! It would be interesting to know if the gas board admitted blame, and whether the pipe was replaced, and with what, if you remember. I still think copper wasn't allowed on town gas, but from your experience perhaps they were prepared to ignore the rules.

When was that? Town gas originally contained traces of acetylene which reacts with copper forming copper acetylide, a very temperamental explosive. I suppose it's possible that at some point the gas was treated to remove the acetylene, I wouldn't know. If anybody on here knows, perhaps they'll...

Thanks, that's what I thought

Maybe some regulation is needed. I've read that corn oil is added to manufactured food, as it reduces the "full" feeling, so the companies sell more food and add to the obesity crisis. At least until they sober up!

I would think he meant re-used. He said "The original pipes were generally used when town gas was converted to natural gas." The pipes wouldn't be original if they were installed at the time of conversion. Perhaps OB will confirm. Also after conversion for new runs it would be easier to use...

Quite. Are bakers to be held responsible because some people are overweight, or brewers because some become alcoholics?

I think you're misreading what OB was saying. Not that steel pipes weren't used before natural gas arrived (early 1970s), just that they weren't replaced at that point. Natural gas is less corrosive than town gas. Reminds me of a Frank Muir story about that time. There's a knock on his door and...

Is there any reason to think a replacement with similar output to the existing wouldn't be OK?

Apart from the current UK government which goes out of its way to appease them

I read somewhere that for stability the grid needs a certain percentage (50%?) of power input from rotating machines. Steam turbines or hydro, but not wind turbines IIRC, because of the way they work. Can anybody confirm?