Central heating water seams to be leaking into hot water sys

[dwyerkca]

Hi. Let me start off by saying that I know nothing about plumbing except the basics, or so I thought. Today I decided to drain the central heating to clean out the radiators. I did not shut off the water supply just turned off the central heating.
We have an "Indirect combination tank with header tank". I have always had to use a cup to fill up the central heating part of the tank (I don't know if this is normal) and it has been fine in the past. The only thing that I did differently this time was to not close the main water supply.
Blead the rads no problem untill I ran the kids a bath and the bath water looked the same colour as the central heating water.
I have ran the taps for ages but the colour does not seem to be going, so I shut off the main water supply then ran the taps until the water stopped coming out, switched the water back on and ran them again and again the colour is the same.
I have not got a clue what could be up with it but I have four young children so I can not be without hot water for long. I need some help

 

[Agile]

All I can say is that there is some incorrect coupling between the hot water and the heating water.

That is potentially dangerous particularly to the kids.

I would recommend that you get a competent plumber to examine and diagnose the fault.

The simplest cause would be a holed heating coil in your cylinder. However, they are usually only a very small leak and not usually enough to discolour water.

Tony

 

[kevplumb]

the terms fortic and primatic come to mind

 

[John M]

Ya've lost ya bubble mate

Drain it all down again & Fill the system slowly ...... This may take a goodly while ........ If that doesn't work, you could be looking at new cylinder time ..... It comes to us all in the end

 

[dwyerkca]

Thanks alot for the replys. I have been running the hot water taps for ages and the water seems to be getting clearer. I will drain the water again (sonds like the cheapest option). I do'nt know how the water went like that though.

 

[John M]

Read up on Primatic cylinder ...... Basically its possible for the heating circuit water to mix with the DHW..... Granted it isn't supposed to ...... But it can

 

[Agile]

We have an "Indirect combination tank with header tank".

I have always had to use a cup to fill up the central heating part of the tank (I don't know if this is normal) and it has been fine in the past.

This is a clear description of a system with a standard indirect cylinder.

I also guess that its one of those incorporating a feed cistern with a seperate small header for the heating circuit.

We only know what he has told us but I can see no evidence from what he has said so far that its a primatic and the header he fills with a cup would mitigate against a primatic.

Tony

 

[Bahco]

I can see no evidence from what he has said so far that its a primatic and the header he fills with a cup would mitigate against a primatic.

I've seen a Primatic that is filled up (via an urn) manually.

 

[Agile]

I suppose if you work long enough you can see everything!

Difficult to know why it would still need to be filled up by an earn if it was a primatic. Unless the cylinder had been replaced with the wrong type?

However he said he has an "indirect" cylinder so I still expect thats what he has until he tells us something different.

Can the OP look all over his cylinder and see if the word "primatic" is stamped anywhere ??? Often along the top seam but usually round the back as installed. Pity they did not stamp it all round the cylinder.

Tony

 

[John M]

From a un experienced pov .... two pipes about a foot or so goin in the side would bend your mind towards indirect ..... I guess

Mind you the absence of teh word primatic anywhere on the cyl doesn't, mean it ain't ........ One of the wonders of the plumbing world I guess....... Wiered man wiered

 

[Bahco]

THIS thread might shed some light Tony.

 

[Agile]

It doesn't shed any light at all! You explained it was a primatic with an earn and Chris R replied that a primatic does not need an earn ( as I would have done! ). That does not stop anyone fitting one though!

Both of you failed to realise that a primatic does not need a vent pipe because the heating water will vent through the HW cylinder vent.

Tony

 

[bobthebender]

It won't be a primatic with a seperate header tank.
Someone needs to sit on the gallows next to the monkey

 

[John M]

It won't be a primatic with a seperate header tank.

You know this how ?

 

[Agile]

It won't be a primatic with a seperate header tank.
Someone needs to sit on the gallows next to the monkey

Bahco went to one though!!!