Search results

D_Hailsham - Well I contacted Spirotech Technical Support (in Holland!) and was advised that if I could not fit the MB3 into the boiler return, then immediately before the circulation pump was a good alternative. So that's what I plan to do! :) Thanks again for all the support. I still...

Not sure I fully see the point. Pumps come with isolating valves anyway, which could be turned off (but only with the use of a tool). I think I will call the Magnabooster people next week and see what they think. The MB3 with external magnet looks interesting, but I hope it doesn't constrict...

Thanks and that's interesting. I presume the concern is that with the isolating valves closed the overflow pipe would be blocked. But I was thinking of a Magnabooster which doesn't have isolating valves like the TF-1. So risk mitigated, I think.

Richardthe3rd - Yes I do get blockages, mainly to the main lounge radiator (which is actually oversized for an 8mm feed anyway). These seem to occur after draining down and refilling and have been fixed each time so far by back flushing with mains cold water from the drain valve on the lounge...

Thanks for the updates everyone. An amusing cautionary tale to finish with: Having changed all the radiators in my house I took them to my local recycling tip for disposal. Once there I put my builders gloves on to make sure I didn't cut myself on any sharp edges and then proceeded to throw...

Many thanks for the guidance everyone. The rads have got valves at both ends and there are drain-down lockshields on the three downstairs rads so cleaning with F3 and draining each one down to get the sludge out would be easy. It seems to me that with the low flow rates of microbore...

I am refurbishing a small 1980s house which has had 8mm microbore heating installed. I would like to bring the installation up to a good standard but need some guidance from those more experienced with such systems. First, some background: - The old cast iron boiler has been replaced by a...

For now I've 'fixed' the problem by reversing the connections to the ballast so that the end that was earth leaking is now connected to 230v and vice versa. How long this will last I don't know! I will pick up a spare ballast in due course before they are finally obsolete. Many thanks to...

Well I'm getting closer! The theory about metal cased capacitors is a non-starter, as mine are all plastic dating from 1987. However, by a process of elimination involving taking out starters I have been able to identify which tube and ballast are causing the unwanted tripping. I then...

A new theory I have is that the metal cased capacitors may have their cases connected to earth, in which case they could contribute to an earth leakage spike at switch on. Fixing that will require insulating the cases of the capacitors. Not impossible, I hope, and worth a try. Thanks...

Several of the fittings do date back 20 - 25 years in case that's a possible issue. I could rewire to a two gang switch but it's quite a fiddle as my garage, like most peoples, is full of 'stuff', and I would prefer to avoid it. I'm now thinking that an earth leakage fault is most likely and...

Thanks everyone for your comments - they really do help. It's an odd fault isn't it! For now I intend to try and fault find it by removing one starter at a time to see if it's fitting related. It would be good if I could establish whether the tripping is earth leakage or overcurrent driven...

Is there any information on how big the inrush current can be on fluorescents? It must be a whole lot bigger than I had expected. I could get a type C RCBO but the current type B RCBO is almost new and it's required to protect all loads in the garage so going for type C operation doesn't...

I have installed eight 6ft 75W fluorescent lights in my garage, fed via a 5A fused spur off the garage ring main, which itself is protected by a 32A RCBO in the main fuse board. I have installed a single on-off switch for all the lights. Surprisingly (for me at any rate) the RCBO trips in...

Interesting Nige. Just one of the roofers I have spoken to talked about cutting and welding lead work on site. Others wanted to put in a flat DPC tray at apron level, which would have involved rebuilding work inside the house(!!) and so far as I can see would have left a damp spot inside...

Thanks Nige. Do I get it right if I understand that you shaped a lead DPC all the way across the chimney footprint generally following the stepping of the external flashing? That makes sense to me, but is seems quite difficult to do, as upstands are still needed to catch water coming down...

Thanks for your suggestion, but yes the lead work has been checked by supposed experts. I think this is a longstanding problem, addressed unsuccessfully by the previous owners (new flashing, repointing etc.), and more drastic measures are now needed. Certainly there are no lead DPCs. I am...

There is loads of information on the web about best practice for lead DPCs for single flue chimneys, and it all makes sense. However, I have a two flue chimney build into the inside cavity wall with the second flue closer to the ridge line, together with an upstairs room through which the...

Well the job turned out OK but I have to say that I found sawing off the olives quite fiddly without cutting into the pipe or stressing it too much - and I am quite a patient person. Has anyone tried the proprietary 8mm olive cutter that I see advertised? I have a house full of rads still to...

Well, I have experimented a bit in the last few days by reducing the maximum boiler output from 15kW to 10kW via d.0, and magically this has made a huge improvement. My hot water cylinder now heats up in about twenty minutes as compared with around an hour before. The boiler now seems to stay...