Gledhill Boilermate II - how does it work ?

[Leaking]

When I was sold this (about 9 years ago) they explained how "magical" it was and how it was not like a hot water storage tank. (How gullible was I... )

It was along the lines of....main tank is kept constantly full of hot water and has a large coil inside it. Through this coil a supply of cold water runs and by the time this water has gone round and round this coil this water has heated up.

The Gledhill comes with a smaller tank atop the large unit (smaller tank is called the feeder/expansion tank or the f/e tank for short).

I have also noticed the cold water pipe that feeds the f/e tank is split in two and feeds the large tank as well.

My question is can I get the Gledhill filled from this and bypass the f/e tank altogether ? I ONLY need the Gledhill filling to use the immersion heater for some hot water (to get a bath!). I know I cannot run the radiators from it (have 4 jumpers on and can't wait to get back to work).

The Gledhill has a 3KW immersion heater but daren't turn it on because if there is no water in the main unit it will cut out forever no doubt.

Oh for some hot water......

 

[Agile]

Very nice explanation of how it works but....

You have not explained what the problem is! If the F&E tank is full then why do you think the main body of the store is empty???

Whats happened to the boiler that used to heat everything?

Tony

 

[nickso]

use the expansion pipe on the left hand side to temporarily fill it if you want....there is no danger in doing that.....however you have to remember that you may have a burst heat exchanger on your suprima so all the water you put in may pour out at the boiler. on the other hand it may have come through the flue and there will be no leak.

do it slowly and check the suprima constantly

 

[Leaking]

The bolier - Potterton Suprima - has been totally ruined with water damage I'm afraid - there is no chance of repair (cost more than a replacement Potterton).

The f/e tank is full of thick green/brown "silt" and this has got into the f/e tank feed pipe (15mm) to the main tank and so is totally clogged.

The cold supply splits in two - one goes to the f/e tank (unusable because of the silt blockage) and the other goes to the main tank.

I am GUESSING the water from the f/e tank is the one that feeds the "coil" inside the main tank.

I am also GUESSING that water can be supplied to the main tank via the split supply pipe.

I am hoping there is water in the Gledhill and I can switch on the immersion (probably take many hours to heat a tank that size from cold).

Please don't laugh at the next bit....

When I flush my toilet there is a sound of cold water filling in the main tank of the boilermate......so is the cold water supply for the toilet ciustern drawn from the Gledhill. Sorry if that sounds totally stupid but I know nothing (that's how I got sold the Gledhill in the first place )

 

[nickso]

The bolier - Potterton Suprima - has been totally ruined with water damage I'm afraid - there is no chance of repair (cost more than a replacement Potterton).

The f/e tank is full of thick green/brown "silt" and this has got into the f/e tank feed pipe (15mm) to the main tank and so is totally clogged.

The cold supply splits in two - one goes to the f/e tank (unusable because of the silt blockage) and the other goes to the main tank.

I am GUESSING the water from the f/e tank is the one that feeds the "coil" inside the main tank.

I am also GUESSING that water can be supplied to the main tank via the split supply pipe.

I am hoping there is water in the Gledhill and I can switch on the immersion (probably take many hours to heat a tank that size from cold).

Please don't laugh at the next bit....

When I flush my toilet there is a sound of cold water filling in the main tank of the boilermate......so is the cold water supply for the toilet ciustern drawn from the Gledhill. Sorry if that sounds totally stupid but I know nothing (that's how I got sold the Gledhill in the first place )

right read this carefully.

ignore the mains supply pipe....the one you say is split two ways.

look at the f+e tank. pull off the white cover on top. look inside. near the bottom on the right side nearest the mains entry to the f+e is a small pipe roughly 15mm in diameter. you can also see it on the outside of the f+e tank as a 90 degree bend. that one is blocked.

look on the left side of the f+e tank...there will be another pipe connected to the f+e tank...slightly larger in diameter. should also be able to see this on the outside of the tank. this is not blocked....you need to stuff a hose connected to the mains a little way down this and refill the main tank.

for gods sake make sure you are doing it slowly and that the suprima is not leaking it all out as fast as you are filling it. when its finished filling that hose is going to want to shoot out so be careful.

if you are not confident then dont do it.

 

[nickso]

oh yeh....this goes without saying but just in case.....

do not leave anything in the pipe you have just used to refill the tank. its needed for expansion in case of overheating

 

[Agile]

This situation is a very common one that I get called to on a thermal store. They give so much trouble that the customer often wants them removed and replaced with a combi boiler.

Whilst I suppose if there were worked on every year to keep them clean and filled with inhibitor then they might work OK but with the "ignore until it fails" attitude of most users I would not recommend them to anyone.

Tony

 

[nickso]

This situation is a very common one that I get called to on a thermal store. They give so much trouble that the customer often wants them removed and replaced with a combi boiler.

Whilst I suppose if there were worked on every year to keep them clean and filled with inhibitor then they might work OK but with the "ignore until it fails" attitude of most users I would not recommend them to anyone.

Tony

and amazingly the other problem is some engineers treat them like a primatic cylinder and insist i cant put inhibitor in it. no wonder they are in such poor condition.

having said that i had one and my mate now owns that flat and its still going strong with only a small leak at the mixer.

ive no idea if the boilermate 2000 is any better but ive quite like the ones ive worked on so far.....only time will tell i guess

 

[Leaking]

Wow Nickso !!

I never saw the other pipe - it is at the back (!)

YES there is the 15mm pipe (I can feel clogged with silt) and then this other (22mm?) pipe (not clogged as above silt level).

I am guessing the 15mm feeds the coil, the 22mm feeds the main tank - is that right ???

You are also right - I am not confident about filling the tank via a hose because it might come flying out the Potterton

The split pipe I was telling you about which I thought supplies cold water to main tank actually merges with the "hot water to taps" pipe - is this some kind of mixer to control the hot water temperature to the taps. I.E feeds some cold water to counteract the mega boiling water running from Gledhill.

Wow - thanks Nickso - you are bloody good at this !!!

Do you think there is another pipe I have not identified that draws in cold water and then supplies it to the toilet cistern. I did say I was totally new to this

 

[Leaking]

Hey Agile !!!

Thanks for your replies. You are so right.

They guy who came yesterday more or less said "get rid of that thing" - the Boilermate II - because its failure has caused the destruction of the Potterton Suprima.

He too recommended a Combi - I could then free up the amount of room the Gledhill takes up.

 

[nickso]

Wow Nickso !!

I never saw the other pipe - it is at the back (!)

YES there is the 15mm pipe (I can feel clogged with silt) and then this other (22mm?) pipe (not clogged as above silt level).

I am guessing the 15mm feeds the coil, the 22mm feeds the main tank - is that right ???

You are also right - I am not confident about filling the tank via a hose because it might come flying out the Potterton

The split pipe I was telling you about which I thought supplies cold water to main tank actually merges with the "hot water to taps" pipe - is this some kind of mixer to control the hot water temperature to the taps. I.E feeds some cold water to counteract the mega boiling water running from Gledhill.

Wow - thanks Nickso - you are b****y good at this !!!

Do you think there is another pipe I have not identified that draws in cold water and then supplies it to the toilet cistern. I did say I was totally new to this

both pipes are for the main tank. the mixer is connected to the coil which is mains fed.

you have three choices.

1) get both appliances ripped out and get a combi or a conventional boiler and normal cylinder.....expensive

2) get suprima replaced (even with another suprima) and repair the boilermate per the other thread....not so expensive

3) same as 2 but remove the boilermate and replace it with the new version....very expensive

the boilermate shouldnt be connected to your toilet in any way other than they are both connected to the mains

 

[Water Systems]

This situation is a very common one that I get called to on a thermal store. They give so much trouble that the customer often wants them removed and replaced with a combi boiler.

I don't find that at all. You made that up?

Whilst I suppose if there were worked on every year to keep them clean and filled with inhibitor

Inhibiter changed every 4 years only. No yearly attention needed.

This mans problem is that he has a Poxi/Batterton boiler.

 

[HarrogateGas]

Personally id repiar the Gledhill and get the boiler replaced, if maintained the Boilermate system is a fantastic way of delivering mains pressure hot water and giving almost instant heat to the radiators.

You have just been unlucky, if well inhibited and topped up ever 4 years with 4 litres of inhibitor, they cause very little trouble at all.

 

[Water Systems]

use the expansion pipe
.

 

[Water Systems]

Personally id repiar the Gledhill and get the boiler replaced, if maintained the Boilermate system is a fantastic way of delivering mains pressure hot water and giving almost instant heat to the radiators.

You have just been unlucky, if well inhibited and topped up ever 4 years with 4 litres of inhibitor, they cause very little trouble at all.

Yep. Totally correct. The Boilermates are very reliable and deliver great DHW flowrates. DO NOT replace a Suprima with another Suprima - one of the worst boilers ever made.

Fit a Glow Worm HXi, great boiler, which has a dry fire stat in it. for protection. In hindsidht getting the Boilermate fixed and a Glow Worm installed may be a blessing in diguise.