F&E tank question have I got a leak?

[scoobydo123]

Guys,

Working on a house that I plan to rent out and have been putting in 3 ensuites. As I am only round at weekends and no ones lives in the house I have had the mains switched off at the stopcock. I have recently flushed (x400)and refilled the central heating system (x100). Have bled the system and left it running whilst not there (3 days). Got round there today and the house was toasty warm.Turned the thermostat right down and got on with some tiling. Put the water mains back on and the F&E tank started to fill up (system temperature was now cold as there had been no call for heat for a couple of hours). Does this mean I have got a leak somewhere? Was planning on laying Amtico this weekend but now I think I have a leak under the floor.

Does it take a few days for the system to settle down after a full drain refill or is it due to expansion and contraction. I guess I could just let it settle down and turn the feed to the F&E off and see how it goes but would prefer something a bit more scientific. Perhaps I could pressure test with my water pressure gauge somehow?

PS have been screwing floor down but thought I had been very careful with screw postioning.

Cheers

 

[seco services]

is it still filling or only run for a short time as it might only be replacing water that has evaporated or where the system is settling down and maybe released air and you had the mains off.

 

[scoobydo123]

No stopped filling in seconds, it couldn't have got that low as the boiler was still working ok. Had been left with no mains to the F&E for a couple of days but system was left on so guess it had expanded then I turned the CH off when I stated tiling so had cooled down and contracted. Turned the mains on to have a toilet break,thats when I noticed the F&E had asked for some water. Could I rig something up by taking a radiator off and doing a pressure test with mains water somehow. Dont facing taking all the floor up everywhere to visually check.

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly

 

[seco services]

you can do a pressure check but it sounds like the system has just settled in and any air in the system has come out and the water has just replaced it if it only run for seconds.
air in a refilled system can take quite abit of space.
if it doesn't go anymore from now to you go home i wouldn't worry.

 

[scoobydo123]

Ok I really do hope that it isn't anything more sinister. Will go back round there tonight and turn off the ballfix to the F&E tank and leave it a couple of days. Trouble is the type of floor I am putting down means that once it is down then it wont come back up so really want some peace of mind. If I was to do a pressure test what would be the best way? Have 2 diverter valves (1 heating circuit, 1 for the cylinder). A gate valve on one of the returns I believe and also some sort of PRV. Can take a photo tonight.

Many thanks for your help really appreciate

 

[scoobydo123]

Right just got back from finishing the floor tiling and have now turned off the feed to the F&E tank to establish if I am loosing water. However just before I left I turned the thermostat up the boiler fired normally and started to heat up (although not at full tilt) and switched off within 30 seconds. The status display shows S.53 which means "Appliance is within waiting period of the operation block function due to water shortage VL-RL spread to big". Obviously the mention of water shortage worries me. The rads do heat although very slowly.

PS boiler is an ecotec plus condensing boiler

Cheers

 

[scoobydo123]

Ok update for anyone who stumbles across this thread. S53 seems to be cured by turning down the KW ratting of the boiler. I have added the wattage of the rads (9) and added 3 KW for the megaflo. Now the boiler quickly reaches the target flow temperature (65) and then throttles down to very low gas usage until all external controls do not call for heat. This is rather than how it was working before by reaching 65c then cycling. How it is working now, is this the correct operation?( I would imagine less gas is being used). Radiators now heat in no time at all. Have had the feed to the F&E tank isolated and the system has run for 3 days so will check the level in the F&E and report back.