Alpha cd24c boiler

[tilly10]

My son called... he's in need of some advice.

He lives in a 3 bed flat in Edinburgh. The boiler is about 4 years old, it was fitted by the council.

Apparently it keeps losing pressure, the engineer came out and said all the boilers on the estate have the same problem. He flushed the system out and said that might sort the problem, - ( it did for a few weeks).

Another engineer came out and said the problem is the boiler is only powerful enough for a 1 bed flat -and thats the problem.

How many BTU's would this particular boiler comfortably handle.?

Would a leaking valve or diaphragm cause this problem?.

I'm wondering if the problem gets better for a while not because they flushed it, but, because the boiler was re-filled after flushing.

Thanks in advance

 

[Agile]

Its normal for systems to lose pressure over a few months. They need to be topped up! It sounds as if your son is not topping it up?

What he has been told is a tribute to the incredible lack of knowledge of the idiot sent to look at the boiler.

Its a 24 kW boiler which can heat a six bedroom detached house! A one bed flat might need just 3-5 kW.

Tony

 

[SirBodgeAlot]

Don't think it's anything to do with heating capacity of boiler, should be plenty for 3 bed flat anyway as far as central heating is concerned (hot water capacity is another issue).

A leak from anywhere in the system would cause the problem (boiler, rads, pipework) so have a good look around the boiler and rads.

Only other thing I would look at is pressure relief valve on boiler (check overflow pipe for signs of water) and possibly expansion vessel, may have lost air pressure causing loss of water through pressure relief when the system warms up.

I assume the bloke thoroughly bled all the air out after flushing?

 

[tilly10]

Thanks Tony, I'll ring him and let him know what you said.

Oh yes! he did say the knob that's used for filling is trashed, It seems when the guys come out they have to use pliers- (they should fit a new flipping knob)

Thanks again.
Lynn

 

[SirBodgeAlot]

Its normal for systems to lose pressure over a few months. They need to be topped up! It sounds as if your son is not topping it up?

What he has been told is a tribute to the incredible lack of knowledge of the idiot sent to look at the boiler.

Its a 24 kW boiler which can heat a six bedroom detached house! A one bed flat might need just 3-5 kW.

Tony

Agreed, but we're talking about a few weeks in this case.

 

[tilly10]

Don't think it's anything to do with heating capacity of boiler, should be plenty for 3 bed flat anyway as far as central heating is concerned (hot water capacity is another issue).

A leak from anywhere in the system would cause the problem (boiler, rads, pipework) so have a good look around the boiler and rads.

Only other thing I would look at is pressure relief valve on boiler (check overflow pipe for signs of water) and possibly expansion vessel, may have lost air pressure causing loss of water through pressure relief when the system warms up.

I assume the bloke thoroughly bled all the air out after flushing?

Now you come to mention it, my son did say the sides of all the flats have brown stains-( where the pipe exits the wall). My son did say it was the overflow pipe, I thought he meant " the blow off pipe) lol.( I guess they're the one of the same) ?

AS for bleeding the system- god knows, they sound like a bunch of cowboys.
OK thanks I'll let him know what you both suggested.

Many thanks
Lynn

 

[Agile]

Its not an overflow!

Nor is it a blow off pipe!

Its actually a pressure relief valve vent pipe. Its very likely thats where the water is being lost from! The PRV needs changing if it leaks.

Tony

 

[tilly10]

Well there ya go, you learn something new every day. I always thought a blow off pipe was connected to the PRV.


I've sent him a link so he can read the replies for himself.


Thanks all.
Lynn

 

[trigger27]

Hi everyone, tilly10's son here. My mum never got the full story off me, whats happening is when the boiler is switched off the pressure drops to zero and has to be topped up every time so I can turn it back on. When I use the (now broken) tap to top it up, the tap leaks everywhere but stops when I turn it back off. This is the only leek that I can see, but I don't see it being a problem as it does actually stop leaking until used again.

An engineer came out a while back and said it was the diaphragm so she replaced it and went away. Still the problem persisted.

Also to get any hot water both the heating and hot water dials have to be turned up full or else the water is only luke warm at best! We haven't had our rads flushed yet, it was somebody else in our street, who said it never made a blind bit of difference.

Any help on the situation would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Phil.

 

[Paul Barker]

you need as Tony says a new PRV

Probably also need a DHW flow switch

ANd you also need your expansion vessel checking it might need recharging it might even need replacing, it certainly needs investigating.

You also need a new filling loop.

You might then be able to get somewhere with properly diagnosing anything underlying all this mayhem,

 

[Agile]

Well listed Paul! Dont give up the day job, they need you there!!

Trigger, fully update mum in future!

This is really a very sorry response that you have had from the engineers visiting you. ( No long grey dreadlocks I hope? )

Tony