Drain and refill system ?

[mcdermottc]

This is a probably a silly question .....

Moved into house and no instructions on how to operate boiler (Worcester green star utility 32/50 oil boiler). Some of the radiators in house are hot at top but only like warm or cold at bottom, so I suspected sludge buildup. The pipes can also be quite noisy in areas (clicking) and I'm sure I can hear tricking water in some parts (no leaks).

I've bled some of the radiators and the water coming out is fairly clear (would of expected black if sludge?).

My next thought was drain the system take a few radiators out and hose them through to see what they are like (will need to YouTube how to do this). My question is how do I top up the system with water after ? And where would I put an inhibitor into system ?

My old house had a much smaller boiler (combo boiler) and whenever I bled radiator and needed to top up pressure I just turned a knob on braided wire under boiler until it got to 1 bar (or red needle)

Any advice how to do this or if I am barking up wrong tree would be helpful

Thanks

 

[dilalio]

Page 12...

https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/support/literature/download/release/6720813304/12480

Ideally the system should be sealed with a filling loop and gauge located 'somewhere' that is practical.

Or, it may be open-vented, in which case you should have a small tank in the loft that keeps the system topped up and needs to provide enough head (height) to maintain the pressure required by the boiler.

Have a look for either and report back.

 

[mcdermottc]

Thanks for reply. I've attached three photos.

When I turn the black knob on the braided cable I don't hear any water going in, or do I need to do this when the boiler is on ?

Is the Tap at the bottom of the boiler in third picture where I would drain it ?

Finally the red electrical part on the second component is always quite hot even when the boiler isn't on - is this normal ?

We do not have heating on at the moment but thought I'd get this fixed before the winter lol

 

[Madrab]

You have 2 taps on the fill loop in pic 5605, one at each end. Both need to be inline with the valve to fill the system. Once you know that will fill the system then isolate the smallest rad with cold spots, drain and hose out whilst tapping with rubber mallet along bottom edge, see how much sludge comes out. That'll give you an idea of the system condition.

You can use one of the cleaned rads to introduce the system inhibitor. Fill with a ltr or 2 via the top rad blank and then fill the system again and run for 20 - 30mins to circulate/dilute.

Please remember that heavily sludged rads may pinhole once cleaned out if the corrosion was excessive.

 

[dilalio]

Thanks for stepping in Madrab - I've been at work all bloody day. Should've only been a couple of hours out and back.

Cartridge change on this tap...

No MI's with the new cartridge on how to remove anything and it was in a cloakroom that was all black with glittery walls and floors and a massive mirror wall behind the basin forty lights on the ceiling that were each as bright as a match! I ended up having to remove the tap body to take it back to my workshop as the whole thing was seized up with limescale and had very shallow flats on which to get a wrench on... one slip and the mirror wall would've been toast!

Bloody Sunday morning jobs