HE Tribune 150 Cylinder Leak and Buzzing Port Valve?

[tigers999]

Evening all,

You will have to firstly excuse me, I know nothing about boilers etc I am more posting to see just how expensive this could be and what plan of action to take.....if indeed there is one ofcourse.

Long story short...boiler is 6 years old...brand new barratt house. Lastnight my wife came running downstairs saying the cylinder was buzzing. I went upstairs and noticed it was coming from a silver box, which I now know to be the 2 port valve. What is does I havent a clue however it was extremely hot and buzzing loudly. To stop the buzzing I just turned the heating thermostat off and this did the trick. It doesnt appear to buzz when running hot water.

Upon closer inspection tonight it appears more damage is on or around pipes. Whether this was related to something lastnight I really dont know but I do fear something has gone wrong somewhere.

I have taken pictures below showing the damage I mean along with the offending part. I would be really grateful if someone could offer a dumb mans explanation along with abit of advice. I am thinking and hoping just get a plumber in to fit a new 2 port valve but the extra damage is what concerns me the most.

First is a pic of the cylinder -

Next the offending part (also note the pipe in the background with all water damage)

Next is what appears to be an old leak from the cylinder

The rest are just water damage which I am pretty sure shouldnt be there surely?

I cant feel any damp or water anywhere so I would have thought if this water damage was anything to do with lastnight it would still be wet somewhere? Maybe it is normal and I do infact just need a new 2 port valve (I hope so) but like I said, I know nothing lol

Thanks in advance

 

[dcawkwell]

The two port valve you say is buzzing needs replacing. Not a big job.

Looks like your cylinder has been releasing pressure so expansion vessel
need to be checked it has probably lost it's air charge.

There appears to be an air vent that has leaked a bit so just need a new
washer.

Get someone in should be able to sort the problems out.
Make sure they have the proper unvented hot water tank qualification.

Don't like the mark around the tank but that could be just rust on the
outer skin due to damp rather than the stainless steel tank inside leaking.

 

[tigers999]

Cheers mate, thats was really appreciated

Guess its a few jobs in one then! Time to ring some friends up who know plumbers with that qualification! Will many of them have this?

I do always seem to have to pressurise the system every couple of months as the pressure drops from 1.5 bar to about 0.75 but tbh as I know nothing I have just been doing it.......obviously this could be down to a release of pressure somewhere then.

All fun eh lol

Thanks again mate, really helpful

 

[dcawkwell]

Cheers mate, thats was really appreciated

Guess its a few jobs in one then! Time to ring some friends up who know plumbers with that qualification! Will many of them have this?

I do always seem to have to pressurise the system every couple of months as the pressure drops from 1.5 bar to about 0.75 but tbh as I know nothing I have just been doing it.......obviously this could be down to a release of pressure somewhere then.

All fun eh lol

Thanks again mate, really helpful

If you are topping up the boiler due to pressure sounds like expansion vessel in boiler needs some attention too. Could be due to that leak near
on the flow pipe of the hot water tank. Best to get these looked
at regularly like a once a year check if you can find a good plumber.
Leaving things and that is when little problems turn into expensive
big problems.

 

[ChrisR]

The cruston the COld Inlet pipe (5) is mains. Pretty normal, but if you have someone ion let them check it's in properly/tight.


The stain round the seam inthe cylinder is not something I remember seeing. CLean it off and monitor it.
The crust round the black funnel thing (tundish) is where water has splashed a bit when the pressure has bult up and escaped. If the pressure vessel for the hot water cylinder were pumped up it should stay dry.

The leaks around the pump valves are annoying. That type of pump valve is almost always terrible. They're worth changing for better valves, which means draining the system to that point.
You need "screw down" or "gate" valves, not "quarter turn".

That would make your boiler pressure drop too.
(The cold water inlet one wouldn't..)

Some of the green marks are from the initial plumber's solder flux round the joints - scotchbrite pad will clean those off.

 

[tigers999]

Thanks again for the great replies, really helpful.

I have a guy coming out tomorrow who has the unvented hot water qualification to take a look at the problems.....hopefully it wont be too bad! Although I did notice tonight when cleaning out the cupboard ready for him that the top of the cylinder (what I think would be the hot water outlet) has also leaked at some point and is really crusty....I am hoping this is normal too? but not holding my breath!

Will the plumber need access to the radiators to possibly bleed them or something after any work? I ask because a couple of them (particularly ours in our bedroom) was turned off at the radiator and wardrobes put infront. Or does it not matter if they are turned off? (hopefully not and save me some work moving the wardrobes ha lol)

Thanks again

 

[Dan Robinson]

Surprised no one has mentioned the shocker that is the safety discharge pipe on the TPV?

Can't see the pressure reducing valve or where the expansion relief valve connects in either?

 

[tigers999]

Surprised no one has mentioned the shocker that is the safety discharge pipe on the TPV?

Can't see the pressure reducing valve or where the expansion relief valve connects in either?

I guess the safety discharge pipe isnt too clever then? I also guess this is the pipe infront of the TPV? Is this a big problem then?

I would take a pic of the reducing valve or the expansion relief valve but honestly I wouldnt know what I am looking for.

Thanks again pal

 

[tigers999]

Ive just read up about the safety discharge pipe...........hmm guess this will need replacing aswell then

Looking at the piece of information I have just read, it says

"ONCE THE SAFETY VALVE OPENS IT RARELY CLOSES AGAIN, WHICH MEANS THAT THE PRESSURE WILL DROP AND YOU WILL HAVE TO CONSTANTLY TOP UP THE PRESSURE"

That might explain why I have been topping up the pressure every month or so?

 

[tigers999]

Afternoon all,

It would appear I am going to be let down by my friends recommended guy tonight and to be honest I am abit anxious about the cylinder. Is it safe as it is? Nothing is actually leaking and the hot water is working. I currently have the heating turned off to stop the buzzing from the two port valve mind.

I did notice just then after getting out of a bath that the tundish was dripping aswell. This has stopped now so maybe it was normal....just thought it was worth mentioning.

Do I need this looking at as a matter of urgency? Or will it wait a few days for my friends recommended guy?

Thanks again

 

[tigers999]

Just while I am here aswell I just thought I would post a quick pic of the hot water outlet damage....what could have caused this? It isnt leaking or anything now but clearly has done

Also the expansion vessel which has no visual damage or anything.

Upon reading up alot more on these systems I dont think I have a leak in the system anywhere as the pressure doesnt drop as often as what literature states it would if there was a leak. What I have experienced is normal pressure loss I think. Have I just over pressurised the system or something to cause all of these apparent leaks?

How urgent is this?

Thanks again

 

[Jim P]

Morning all

I have a Range Turbine Boiler and have noticed this rust patch in the lower seal. I have scraped some of the paint off. My water is also always boiling hot so on advice I removed the cap to the lower thermostat and it was set to max so I reduced the temperature but its still hot, this is when I noticed the rust. Do I need a new stat and more importantly do I need a new boiler. This was in a new build, it is 11 years old.

Many thanks.