Blocked Cold Feed?

[Redhotferrari]

Hi Guys,

House with indirect cylinder etc on the ground floor, radiators on ground floor getting hot, as does the water in the cylinder, the upstairs radiators are the problem, with none of them getting warm, tried to bleed radiators but nothing happened. turned valves of to one radiator, removed valve from radiator and nothing came out of the radiator, so empty, opened the valve to check and suprise suprise, no water. So no radiators in the upstairs are getting water.

Checked F&E, this has plenty of water, would I be right in thinking that the cold feed from the F&E is blocked somewhere?

The route of the cold feed is as follows, out of the F&E and across the loft for about 4 meters, elbow down then a straight drop to ground floor where it connects to the bottom connection of the coil, on this pipe run just above the cylinder is a gate valve which I have checked and is open, there is for some reason an isolation valve on the pipe as it leaves the F&E, again this is open.

Do you think I have a blockage in one of the elbows? Whats the best way of tackling this one?

I was thinking switch of boiler, close gatevalve and isolation valve stopping water leaving the F&E, cut out the elbow in the loft and see it that is blocked the work my way down the pipe run and try to track it.

Sorry for the long post but wanted to give as much info as possible.

Look forward to your thoughts on this.

Cheers

 

[seco services]

have you got a magnet that will give you an idea where it maybe.

 

[JohnD]

It is most likely in the tee where the F&E joins the main circulating pipes. As Seco says, hold a magnet here and see if it is attracted to the blockage.

Most likely you will have to cut it out and replace it with compression (it is very difficult to solder wet pipe)

Bale out the F&E first, and swab out the mud, or it will gush out when you cut the pipe.

Once you've got it working, use Sentinel X400 to loosen the other deposits for a few weeks, then drain, flush and refill with X100. if you can afford an extra £100, fit a Magnclean as well. You will be amazed and delighted to see how much black it collects.

There is a faint chance you might be able to squirt out the blockage if it is soft

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=771846#771846

 

[Redhotferrari]

thanks guys, assuming that the blockage is where the f&e comes down and meets the circulating pipes, (I think they are 28mm to the coil and boiler) I will have to drain down the whole system?

When the f&e pipe comes down it has an elbow just higher than the cylinder before it drops to meet the bottom of the cylinder coil pipework, I have a sneaking suspision this is where the blockage could be.

My thoughts are that as this section is above the gate valve, I could turn this off to stop any water coming up the pipe, undo the nut above the gate valve and inspect, I could isolate the f&e with a bung to ensure it does not empty all over me!!!

If the tee from the 15mm f&e to 28mm coil pipe was blocked surely there would be a problem with hot water? if the f&e water cant get past the tee, how could the water circulate through the coil? The tee is about 4 inches from where it enters the coil.

 

[gas4you]

The blockage is usually in the 15mm neck of the T, or just above, so circulation will, until it gets really bad, keep going to the cylinder providing HW.

 

[Redhotferrari]

Have uploaded a basic line drawing to try and show the setup and if you think the marked area is where it could be, or are you guys still thinking its at the tee point?

View media item 4344

 

[gas4you]

Personally I would still cut the T out first.

You could cut the pipe above the T and try ramming a long screwdriver down it. This will clear it but leave the removed crud in the system.

 

[malkie]

I would go no further than what the lads have said and cut the 15mm above the tee and make sure you have something to poke down i bet you will find it solid with sludge and end up having to force it clear,when its clear get yourself some strong cleaner and leave it in for a week or two then drain down and then add your inhibator you should be ok

 

[JohnD]

No need to guess.

buy yourself a magnet. It will only stick to copper pipe where there is a black blockage imside

If you don't cut the tee out, and you just try to poke it, you will release hard sharp lumps which will do your pump no good at all.

Also, bale out the F&E tank and sponge it clean. You don't want to add all that mud to your system and make it worse.

 

[waterworks]

Hi when you have found and removed your blockage also remove any valves such as the gate valve you show from the feed and expansion pipe,as you should not have any isolation valves etc in either feed&expansion pipework or open vent pipework.