Dripping Overflow Pipe

[Smithsc]

Hi,
Can someone please help. In my loft I have 3 tanks. 1 small one which i think is the central heating overflow tank and 2 larger ones that hold the cold water and which are linked together. I think I have 2 large tanks due to the loft being quite low and it needing to supply water to a 4 bedroom house with 2 bathrooms.
The overflow pipe from one of the large tanks is constantly dripping (sometimes pouring) water and only stops when I flush the toilets or run the shower / bath. It's not the ball valve as I've replaced this and water is not coming from there.

What could be wrong, how do I check and how do I fix it.

Many thanks for any help.

Stuart.

 

[stem]

If it's not entering via the ball valve, then it must be coming from somewhere else, the following are the usual suspects.

1. Shower mixer 'letting by' thus allowing cold water to enter the hot water system

2. The coil inside the hot water cylinder has a leak transferring water from one system to the other. - I think this is unlikely in your case because it wouldn't normally develop a hole big enough to result in the overflow "pouring" and the heating F&E tank would need a higher water level than the overflowing tank to generate sufficient pressure for the transfer.

3. Some washing machines I believe have some sort of mixer that can 'let by', but I've never seen it personally.

The only way I can think of that you can test it is by removing / isolating any suspect items until the problem stops.

 

[Agile]

Its usually a problem for a DIYer to diagnose and a good professional may be needed!

Tony

 

[HERTS P&D]

Does the cold water tank have a 'dip tube' from the overflow?

If so turn off the mains and run the bath taps until the water in the cold water tanks are half way, fit new float vale and turn water back on.

Andy