fitting a new h/w cylinder

[billozz]

hey guys,
my daughters h/w cylinder seems to have sprung a leak and i think it will have to be replaced.its the type that has the cold water tank attached to the top of it and it is heated via the c/h system (think this is known as an indirect cylinder but i am sure someone will tell me if im wrong) anyway what i need to know is would it be a job to attempt to do myself, i have done a few little plumbing things around the house but am not sure how big a job changing one of these is. also if i do decide to give it a go anythings that i should be aware of or look out for when doing it.
all help gratefully received
thanks
bill osborne

 

[Newboy]

First the most obvious question - where has it sprung a leak from?

2nd obvious question - does it definitely need replacing?

Next - the cold water tank isn't connected to the top of the cylinder - it's connected to the bottom of it! (the pipe coming out of the top of the cylinder is the hot water feed/expansion pipe).

The replacement of the cylinder is a fairly simple operation but if you get it wrong then you are going to have a lot of water in places you don't want it!

 

[DarkInferno]

and indirect with a cold water storage tank attached to the top is a combi cylinder, does it currently have an indirect cylinder fitted? (fed with two heating pipes a pipe from the water tank up in the loft and a pipe on the top to your taps)

A direct replacement isn't too hard as long as your a fairly practical guy,
Changing to a combi from a similar non-combi model is a bit harder, removing the old tank, rerouting the pipework to feed the combi. etc...

check you can run the overflow from the new tank, and with a bit of luck and judgment you should come out of the other end no worse for wear (and if you run into troubles you can always ask )

 

[wilhelm]

if youve got 2 arms and 2 legs, and some ill fitting trousers. chances are, you can do it.

 

[doitall]

One question that should be asked, is it a fortic indirect or a fortic primatic.

Do you have a seperate header tank for the heating or is the heating a sealed system.

Job as the boys say is reasonably easy, but you need the right cylinder or you could be in trouble before you start.

 

[billozz]

First the most obvious question - where has it sprung a leak from?

not sure about this...it looks like it might actually be from the cold water tank rather than the cylinder itself.

2nd obvious question - does it definitely need replacing?

again im not sure... i thought about using fernox lsx to try to seal the leak..have to find out exactly where the leak is first tho. is there another way to repair the leak??

Next - the cold water tank isn't connected to the top of the cylinder - it's connected to the bottom of it! (the pipe coming out of the top of the cylinder is the hot water feed/expansion pipe).

yeah i didnt word this too well....when i said connected to ...i meant sits on top of the cylinder...i wasnt referring to the pipework layout...i think its called a combination cylinder. actually the leak seems to be very close to the brackets which support the cold water tank..maybe this is a known weakspot????

if anyoe has any ideas please let me know also welcome feedback on the idea of using the lsx...has anyone used it b4 in this type of situ


thanks again guys


Bill