i have currently looked at a job, its a 5 terraced house conversion... so lots of radiators. in the morning it gushes water out, it looks like a standard size f and e tank could this be too small for such a sized house (5 in 1) the f and e should only have a couple inches in am i right, trust me there are alot of rads in this building. 21 rooms with average of 3 rads, plus corridors and kitchen and comunial room... lets say 80 rads, should the f and e tank be bigger, massive boiler and cylinder.. i know the coil could be gone but is this a possibillity
f & E tank too small
- Thread starter macmain
- Start date
well whats the total volume of water
and needs to take minmum of 4% of that for expansion purposes
and needs to take minmum of 4% of that for expansion purposes
Get the system up to its maximum working temperature; if the water level gets near the overflow, the F&E tank is too small.
When I was starting out, I had to survey a district heating system on a school site; one F&E tank, the size of a Transit van in the roof space of the tallest building. It had been set up incorrectly, like a water storage tank, with no space to accomodate the expansion, 30+ years previously. The system heated up every morning, the water over-flowed, the system cooled down every night and the tank re-filled. The damage that had been caused by the accumulated lime-scale and corrosion products was mind-boggling. cast-iron sectional radiators with 30 or 40 sections of which 10 or 12 got hot. Five or 6 buildings, 3 or 4 floors in each, everywhere the same problems. I wrote a report and heard no more; I'm glad i didn't have to fix it.
When I was starting out, I had to survey a district heating system on a school site; one F&E tank, the size of a Transit van in the roof space of the tallest building. It had been set up incorrectly, like a water storage tank, with no space to accomodate the expansion, 30+ years previously. The system heated up every morning, the water over-flowed, the system cooled down every night and the tank re-filled. The damage that had been caused by the accumulated lime-scale and corrosion products was mind-boggling. cast-iron sectional radiators with 30 or 40 sections of which 10 or 12 got hot. Five or 6 buildings, 3 or 4 floors in each, everywhere the same problems. I wrote a report and heard no more; I'm glad i didn't have to fix it.
like 5 terraced in Royal Crescent , Bath - or 5 in Coronation St.
Assuming you mean my school project Tony, they got me. I think it had been a persistent problem and they sent me to see what I could make of it.
The past history had been a saga of false economies, which had resulted in the system being in the state I found it in. They'd saved money by not employing qualified maintenance staff and saved more money on the water treatment contractors, who should have realized that there was a fault from the dilution of the inhibitors. That's what happens when budgets are set, or cut, by unqualified managers; they save money on system maintenance and later find they need a new system. It happens a lot.
I spotted the fault with the float valve as soon as I looked into the tank. It was, in those day (and possibly still is) a perenial job interview question.
Q. Where should the float be on a F&E tank with the system at its operating temperature?
like 5 terraced in Royal Crescent , Bath - or 5 in Coronation St.
Asylum seekers hostel?
Wow, I did not know that job questions could ever be so simple! But of course I have never met any of the people who have to work for the likes of Homeserve.
When I worked for the BBC, one of the job interview questions I was asked was "What can you tell us about nits?".
Tony
Surely the more appropriate question is: Where should the water level be when the system is cold?
Ooh!
Simple to you, but that particular one was from a selection for junior /graduate design engineers. Judging from the number of F&E tanks I've seen that are installed to be full when cold, it's too advanced for many of the UK's 'heating engineeers'.
There was a separate maintenance department at the education authority, which is why I wasn't involved in the remedial work.
I would agree with D Hailsham, but remember those questions are probably being asked by those whose calibre makes them think thats a skill testing question.
Unfortunately, whatever the format of the question, I have an uncomfortable feeling that many working for Homeserve would still get it wrong. There are many in the industry who go to domestic gas assessments and talk about gas pressures in Bar.
There is also a train of thought that asking difficultly worded or impossible questions also tests the candidates capability.
I suppose it must be mildly amusing watching people flounder under interview pressure trying to make up an answer to an impossible question!
Unfortunately, whatever the format of the question, I have an uncomfortable feeling that many working for Homeserve would still get it wrong. There are many in the industry who go to domestic gas assessments and talk about gas pressures in Bar.
There is also a train of thought that asking difficultly worded or impossible questions also tests the candidates capability.
I suppose it must be mildly amusing watching people flounder under interview pressure trying to make up an answer to an impossible question!
I never thought it was badly worded. Either question would gauge the candidate's understanding of how the F&E tank should be set up.
F&E tanks were fairly standard in those days, sealed systems and expansion vessels were unusual. If they couldn't manage the F&E tank, they'd have NO chance with expansion vessels.
F&E tanks were fairly standard in those days, sealed systems and expansion vessels were unusual. If they couldn't manage the F&E tank, they'd have NO chance with expansion vessels.
OK, I thought you meant its a common question now. Could well be.
I would have thought it was more suitable for a second year apprentice than for recruiting a fully experienced engineer.
That exposes that I have never been to any heating engineer recruitment interview so dont have any exposure to the standards of questions or the techniques used.
In the BBC you could expect some very difficult technical questions!
Tony
I would have thought it was more suitable for a second year apprentice than for recruiting a fully experienced engineer.
That exposes that I have never been to any heating engineer recruitment interview so dont have any exposure to the standards of questions or the techniques used.
In the BBC you could expect some very difficult technical questions!
Tony
I remembered that question because it was in a list of 10 that had been in a letter printed in the CIBSE journal. The author (Chief Engineer at London Transport) had been complaining about the standard of graduate engineers, as compared with a school leaver who had completed several years of day release and on-the-job training.
I still have a copy; how sad is that? The actual wording was;
" Where is the float on a long-arm pattern, in relation to the water level for a LPHW system when in operation?"
My memory of the question was badly worded.
They asked me to point out Cyprus on a world map. Apparently I was the only one who had any idea where it was; I got the job.
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