Boiler not working, some advice please...

[angelheart0604]

I have a Baxi Solo boiler. Not sure whether this may have anything to do with it but my instinct is not, I had removed a rad in lounge for decorating and only the other day put it back on.

One confession though is I forgot to open the return. Hot water had always been working ok until I decided to switch the heating on. I turned it on, attempted to bleed rads but could only get water to run after air on the two rads downstairs. Upstairs would bleed but not to the point of getting water out. Rads did heat up tho. Had alot of noise from boiler and pipes etc banging and such. Anyway after this night, nothing seemed to work. Tried bleeding again to no avail. Then realised hot water not working either so turned off heating and tried independently but no good. Turned off boiler and reset, seemed to light ok, water put on override but won't heat it. Previous to me putting rad back on, boiler had occassionally been overheating - prob 4 times or so in last few weeks. Had similar prob a year ago that was sorted by having pcb replaced.

Hope i've not messed it up but just wondered if anyone could suggest anything I can try as it's a pain cos I keep forgetting to switch off immersion and it's cold in the evenings! Thanks

 

[kevplumb]

check the header tank has water in it

 

[angelheart0604]

That's the one in the loft I think? I tend to get stuck in the loft when I go up as i've no loft ladder lol. Will there be two or just the one?

 

[kevplumb]

two its the smaller one you need to check

 

[angelheart0604]

Just been up, there is one tank up there and yes header tank is as it should be. No probs there....

 

[namsag]

You have a blocked cold feed from the small header tank usually just as it tees into heating circuit

 

[angelheart0604]

Ok, there is only one fairly big tank up there. How do I go about getting rid of the blockage please? Could a massive airlock cause it? Thanks

 

[kevplumb]

does it say "primatic" or "single feed " on your hw cylinder

 

[angelheart0604]

Untitled

• angelheart0604
• 30 Oct 2009
• 1

This is a pic of the label on cylinder.

Any help?

 

[kevplumb]

you should have 2 tanks

 

[Agile]

You are getting vague advice because you system must be either pressurised with a filling loop an dpressure gauge OR there is a header tank.

You say there is only one large tank in the loft, that would be for the cold water!

Its amazing how many people I go to dont know that their header tank is at the top of a cupboard or sometimes boxed in.

Tony

 

[angelheart0604]

There is a caleffi bar pressure cylinder thing next to the hot water cylinder. I maybe a woman and sometimes a little dizzy but there is defintely no other tank! Thanks

Untitled

• angelheart0604
• 30 Oct 2009
• 1

 

[kevplumb]

open the taps on the silver pipe and watch the pressure gauge

fill to 2

vent system

fill to 1.5

vent system

etc

might have helped if you had mentioned this last night

 

[gas_man_gaz]

theres no water in the system, wen ya remove a rad or bleed the sys ya have to check the pressure (should be 1 - 1.5 bar wen the sys is cold).
open the two black valves at either side of the chrome hose until the pressure is about 1.5bar and ya should be ok

 

[linkyplumb]

There lies your problem.
You have a pressurised sealed heating system.The pressure gauge is showing 0.This should be around 1.2 bar when cold.You need to open the two little black valves either side of the metallic flexible filling loop.

Open one fully then open the second SLOWLY until the pressure gauge reads 1.5bar,then close.Then go round and bleed all you rads.You may need to top this pressure up a few times during the bleeding process.

Once all rads are bled,check pressure on gauge then everything should be ok.Fire up the heating and see how you get on.

Graham


edit too slow gas man gaz and kevplumb beat me!!
Have to learn to type faster!!