Hi, Can anyone help, the vent pipe above my f & e tank is letting boiling water into the f&e tank and oveflowing at a high rate. As a matter of course I have changed the p2 float valve to no avail. as soon as the c/h is switched on the water commeth. This does not happen when the h/w is on and the c/h off. The boiler is a potterton.Nothing has been changed or added to any of the plumbing.Forgot to mention that the water in the F&E tank is rather hot! thanks
F&E vent pipe
- Thread starter klps
- Start date
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D
dextrous
System sludged up
if the system used to work properly and the fault did not arise after you changed something (e.g. the radiators setting, or the pump speed) then we have to think of a gradually-occurring fault.
As yours is an open-vented system, and sounds quite old, it almost certainly has a lot of sludge and sediment in it. This causes constriction and partial or complete blockages. Another symptom of this sludge is that radiators tend to be hot at the top and sides but cold in the middle.
If this is the case, and the radiators are still getting warm, then you have got a partial, but not yet a complete blockage. You can simply and cheaply attack this by adding Sentinel X400 to the circulating water. It is a mild, non-aggressive chemical which loosens sludge so that it can be washed away by the circulating water. You leave it in for 4 weeks, after which you drain out the water and the sludge it is carrying, rinse, and finally fill with a corrosion-inhibiting chemical such as Sentinel X100 which prevents future sludge.
The chemicals will cost you £15 each at any plumbers merchant and many DIY sheds. A typical house needs 1 litre. If yours is larger than average, use 2 litres.
If you can afford an extra £100 and can do basic plumbing, fit a Magnaclean as well. This traps circulating black sludge before it can form into new blockages, and will continue cleaning the system for years to come.
If you don't do anything, the sediment and corrosion will increase (much faster now that it is pumping over). Once you have a total blockage, chemical cleaners will not work and you will need some real plumbing to cut out and replace the blocked pipes, and probably a powerflush as well. This will cost hundreds of pounds.
BTW turn the pump speed down to "1" NOW as this will reduce pumping over.
edit:
a longer but slower answer!
As yours is an open-vented system, and sounds quite old, it almost certainly has a lot of sludge and sediment in it. This causes constriction and partial or complete blockages. Another symptom of this sludge is that radiators tend to be hot at the top and sides but cold in the middle.
If this is the case, and the radiators are still getting warm, then you have got a partial, but not yet a complete blockage. You can simply and cheaply attack this by adding Sentinel X400 to the circulating water. It is a mild, non-aggressive chemical which loosens sludge so that it can be washed away by the circulating water. You leave it in for 4 weeks, after which you drain out the water and the sludge it is carrying, rinse, and finally fill with a corrosion-inhibiting chemical such as Sentinel X100 which prevents future sludge.
The chemicals will cost you £15 each at any plumbers merchant and many DIY sheds. A typical house needs 1 litre. If yours is larger than average, use 2 litres.
If you can afford an extra £100 and can do basic plumbing, fit a Magnaclean as well. This traps circulating black sludge before it can form into new blockages, and will continue cleaning the system for years to come.
If you don't do anything, the sediment and corrosion will increase (much faster now that it is pumping over). Once you have a total blockage, chemical cleaners will not work and you will need some real plumbing to cut out and replace the blocked pipes, and probably a powerflush as well. This will cost hundreds of pounds.
BTW turn the pump speed down to "1" NOW as this will reduce pumping over.
edit:
a longer but slower answer!
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doesn't matter. Once loosened the particles will be suspended in the water like drinking chocolate in hot milk.
You drain it out after 4 weeks before the chemical loses its power and the particles can setttle again.
If you fit a Magnaclean (or hold a strong magnet in the black water) you will find the particles are attracted and captured from the water.
You drain it out after 4 weeks before the chemical loses its power and the particles can setttle again.
If you fit a Magnaclean (or hold a strong magnet in the black water) you will find the particles are attracted and captured from the water.
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