Apollo 30/50b problems

[Tazman1976]

Hi All,

I have an Apollo 30/50B system and we have lost rads and hot water, we had to change the pump 3 way valve and thermostat on the tank.

the pilot is lit but the burners come in for a time and the water starts go go through the pipes and the burners shut down again but pilot still lit.

Any Ideas i'm at a loss.

Cheers

 

[kevplumb]

air in the system

did you lock the valve mid position when refilling (lever on side / end)

have you bled the pump

View media item 667
any man vents near cylinder View media item 11360

 

[Tazman1976]

It was a Dab pump i will bleed the system i shut the water off next to the pump with tapes and a valve, no lock off on new pump.

Cheers

 

[Tazman1976]

I have taken the cap off the pump nothing has come out. There is no valve near the tank but were the Apollo unit is there is some sort of valve.

 

[kevplumb]

View media item 11149 View media item 11148

I have taken the cap off the pump nothing has come out.

are you sure there is water in the system

 

[Tazman1976]

I Have turned the hot water tapes on and left them running for a while, between the 3 way vale and the pump the pipe gets warm i have bleed some of the rads to get the water through as well.

 

[D_Hailsham]

I Have turned the hot water tapes on and left them running for a while

That won't help! The water coming out of the taps is completely separate from the water circulating through the radiators.

between the 3 way valve and the pump the pipe gets warm i have bleed some of the rads to get the water through as well.

So the water does not get hot on either side after the valve?

There is a lever on the side of the valve which slides in a slot. It should be at the end marked AUTO. Did you move over to the MAN side while refilling the system? If you didn't most of the system may be full of air.

Have you checked the water level in the small tank in the loft? When cold, the level should be one to two inches above the lower outlet (feed) pipe.
If the level is OK, bleed some water from the system and check the level goes down and the tank starts filling before the level has dropped to the feed pipe. If the level does not go down there is a blockage in the feed pipe or where it joins the main pipe from the boiler.

Slide the lever to the other end; you should feel resistance and the lever should move back when you let go. If there is no resistance the valve may be stuck. Turn of the main electricity connection to the heating system and check the lever again. If there is still no resistance the valve is definitely stuck.

 

[Tazman1976]

The valve lever gets resistance when I switch the rads off at the dial, I have put the lever into the slot and the water tank sounds like it is trying to fill as it is getting emptied.

 

[Tazman1976]

Bleed the Rads locked off the 3 way valve with rads switch'd off and it is still not having it, when it tries to kick in and dies out you can hear bubbling water like there is not alot of it i am lost??

 

[D_Hailsham]

The valve lever gets resistance when I switch the rads off at the dial,

So, with the room thermostat turned right down, you can feel resistance and the lever is at the AUTO end? When you turn the stat up can you hear the valve moving and does the lever go loose? If so that means the valve motor is working and opening the valve.

I have put the lever into the slot and the water tank sounds like it is trying to fill as it is getting emptied.

Do you mean you have locked the valve in the notch at the MAN end? That allows the system to fill.

So you have not gone up in the loft to check the water levels and are relying on what you hear?!

Bled the Rads, locked off the 3 way valve with rads switch'd off and it is still not having it. When it tries to kick in and dies out you can hear bubbling water like there is not a lot of it. I am lost??

Do you have thermostatic valves on the radiators? If so remove the valve head so the valve is fully open. Also open the wheel valves on all other rads. You could also open the lockshield (LS) valves - opposite end to TRV and wheel valve - but you will need a spanner or pair of pliers. Each valve will be set, so count the number of turns and part turns required to open the valve and write it down.

Doing this gives the water an easier path to fill the rads. Bleed each rad starting on the ground floor with the one furthest from the boiler.

When you have got rid of the air and the heating stays on, reset each LS valve by closing down the number of turns you noted down.