Advice needed.

[Andynorthampton]

Hey, so after several weeks, several plumbers and many hundreads of pounds, I still have no hot water or heating. I have and Ideal Logic heat 24 (not combi) open vented sysyem. It displays fault code for no water flow. New flow sensor fitted, new pump fitted and power flushed. After losing interest in paying for people to guess I have started to do it myself. What I have discovered is I believe a blockage in the boiler feed. When the pump is running you can hear flow through all radiators. The boiler I have established is filling via the vent and there is no flow through the feed pipe. Any suggestions how to unblock it?

 

[FiremanT]

I don't really follow how all this could have been done without someone realising there is a blockage, or how it is "filling via vent". Why did you keep changing plumbers?

Anyway, the short answer is to cut out the cold feed junction section and replace. Sometimes you can strip and clean, but easier and quicker normally to replace.

 

[Andynorthampton]

Well the answer to why I kept changing plumbers is the same reason why you don't follow how all that has been done without any of them noticing it filling by the vent. I am not a plumber and it took me about an hour to figure it out. Is there anyway of clearing it without removing the pipe? I only ask as to replace that pipe would be half of the upstairs floor boards up.

 

[muggles]

One wonders why you've paid anyone anything if you employed them to fix the problem and their attempts didn't fix it. They haven't fulfilled their side of the contract so you didn't need to pay...

Cutting out and repiping the cold feed (which should have been flushed as part of the powerflush) is the usual way to clear it. A strong magnet held to the pipe should determine the location of the blockage if it's caused by corrosion debris

 

[Dan Robinson]

How is it filling by the vent?

 

[Andynorthampton]

Well im assuming that as it is an open system and it has a H section above the pump it is backfilling due to the blockage.

 

[muggles]

But water can't get into the vent to start with, it should be above the water line (well spotted Dan)

 

[Andynorthampton]

Ok sorry by vent I mean the open side of the system. So boiler output

 

[Razor900]

Take a very deep breath Andy, the guys are trying to help.

How about you post up some pictures of the pipework in the airing cupboard. Particularly where the vent and feed pipes are?

 

[Andynorthampton]

So Right hand pipe is cold water feed left is return/ vent.

 

[flameport]

It displays fault code for no water flow.
...
What I have discovered is I believe a blockage in the boiler feed.

By 'feed' do you mean one of the two pipes connected to the boiler - as in flow & return?

 

[Andynorthampton]

Yes flameport. Sorry as I said im not a plumber so terminology might not be correct

 

[75pete]

So, your second pic that shows your feed,is that the one with an isolator and just can see a gate valve ?
If so double check that the gate is open and not closed.
If open and you still think you have a blockage then have a look at FAQ, C and boiler question 12. This shows how you could back flush the feed pipe.

 

[Razor900]

Looks to me like it's happened before.

I'd turn off the ballofix drain off a little water then disconnect the pipe under the ballofix. get a bucket then crack the valve to prove that legs not blocked.

Is there a compression fitting on the flow pipe under the shelf? If so you could remove that whole section for cleaning. If not I would probably get a 22mm pushfit coupling and cut the flow under the shelf, undo the other compression fittings and remove the whole section that way - well I'd sweat a coupling in but same thing!

 

[PullerGas]

With a 'close coupled' Expansion & Feed, it's likely to be blocked. It's a bit of a *****'s Breakfast really, it would be best to remove the ISO valve & the Gatevalve completely.

It could be air locked on the Feed, so I can only concur with my Learned Friend Razor.