Hi, I'm a Gas Safe registered engineer and have entered my details into "the combustion chamber" and am waiting approval. In the mean time, I need an urgent response before 12 noon tomorrow (Monday). Just need opinions of people with more experience on this matter.
I have a customer with a Baxi Solo 2 boiler, converted to a pressurised system. They had the property replastered and removed the radiators for this. When they refitted everything, this is what happened: When the heating was turned on, within 2-3 minutes, the pressure gauge on the expansion vessel (EV) would shoot up and the pressure relief valve (PRV) would let by. First port of call was obviously the EV, so I checked it and there was water in the schrouder (can't spell it) valve. Also the PRV had now got crap stuck in it, and was constantly dripping. So I recommended a new EV and PRV.
I installed it today with great difficulty in the kitchen base unit under the boiler and turned the boiler on. I then saw the pressure rise within a few minutes, followed by the PRV letting by, just as before. I then heard a burning noise (Tssshhhhh - that's the best way I can explain it) in the EV and piping and the PRV started to let by again. I touched the feed pipe going from the EV to the heating pipe and it felt almost as hot as a joint that has just been soldered!
So I need to know if anyone has experienced this before. Only thing that comes to mind is that there must be a blockage somewhere so the water isn't moving and thus it's burning up when the boiler fires up. I'm going back tomorow at 1pm and first thing I will do is look for any valves in the flow/return pipes that may have been closed and not re-opened (all radiator valves are open, and there are no TRV's), as well as check the pump speed setting. Second thing I'm thinking (if that doesn't solve it) is that the heat exchanger must be blocked. In which case on a boiler this age I'd usually recommend a new boiler if they want any guarantees on any further works carried out (I know that will spark a debate, but that's my professional opinion, since anything else would be extra cost, which will not guarantee no further problems/leaks,etc).
So after that essay, what I'm asking is....Am I on the right track, or am I missing something? And is there any more advice on the situation, since I'm relatively new to heating repairs?
Thanks for reading (if you managed to get through all of that).
Baz.
I have a customer with a Baxi Solo 2 boiler, converted to a pressurised system. They had the property replastered and removed the radiators for this. When they refitted everything, this is what happened: When the heating was turned on, within 2-3 minutes, the pressure gauge on the expansion vessel (EV) would shoot up and the pressure relief valve (PRV) would let by. First port of call was obviously the EV, so I checked it and there was water in the schrouder (can't spell it) valve. Also the PRV had now got crap stuck in it, and was constantly dripping. So I recommended a new EV and PRV.
I installed it today with great difficulty in the kitchen base unit under the boiler and turned the boiler on. I then saw the pressure rise within a few minutes, followed by the PRV letting by, just as before. I then heard a burning noise (Tssshhhhh - that's the best way I can explain it) in the EV and piping and the PRV started to let by again. I touched the feed pipe going from the EV to the heating pipe and it felt almost as hot as a joint that has just been soldered!
So I need to know if anyone has experienced this before. Only thing that comes to mind is that there must be a blockage somewhere so the water isn't moving and thus it's burning up when the boiler fires up. I'm going back tomorow at 1pm and first thing I will do is look for any valves in the flow/return pipes that may have been closed and not re-opened (all radiator valves are open, and there are no TRV's), as well as check the pump speed setting. Second thing I'm thinking (if that doesn't solve it) is that the heat exchanger must be blocked. In which case on a boiler this age I'd usually recommend a new boiler if they want any guarantees on any further works carried out (I know that will spark a debate, but that's my professional opinion, since anything else would be extra cost, which will not guarantee no further problems/leaks,etc).
So after that essay, what I'm asking is....Am I on the right track, or am I missing something? And is there any more advice on the situation, since I'm relatively new to heating repairs?
Thanks for reading (if you managed to get through all of that).
Baz.
