Help! Boiler won't heat rads after fixing pipe damage

[BritishBeef]

Hi there.
I managed to drill through the plastic pipework that feeds one of my radiators. I have fixed the pipework (pushfit joint) and refilled the radiators (by bleeding them from downstairs upwards). Now the boiler won't stay on to heat the radiators when I ask it to via the thermostat. It was all working up until the the drilling incident. If I turn the thermostat up to force the boiler to fire up, it only comes on for a few seconds then shuts off. Almost like an emergency shutdown of some sort.

Is there something I've missed?

My central heating details:

Boiler is an Ideal Classic FF350.[/b]

 

[electronicsuk]

You may have bled the radiators, but did you actually refill them via the filling loop?

 

[stardanny]

What system have you got?

Try switch on hot water only and see if that work:

If no, air in pump ( try bleed on centre screw on front of pump ) or air in boiler primary pipes ( flow or return pipe)

If yes, air in radiators pipes.

Dan.

 

[BritishBeef]

What system have you got?

Try switch on hot water only and see if that work:

If no, air in pump ( try bleed on centre screw on front of pump ) or air in boiler primary pipes ( flow or return pipe)

If yes, air in radiators pipes.

Dan.

Hi danny, thanks for your reply.
A friend of mine just suggested air in the pump. I just loosened the centre screw and a load of air blew out then water so I closed it again. The pump kicked in and now the boiler has fired up. The upstairs rads are now hot but the downstairs are stone cold?

 

[stardanny]

Air in radiator pipes.

Turn off radiator valve on all hot radiators upstair, wait till any radiator downstair start to get hot then turn off that hot radiator and keep checking for other downstair radiator, repeat as before till the last radiator to get hot then open all radiators.

This will shift air in pipes to radiators and after opening all radiators, bleed them if need.

It will take time to get all air out of system.

Dan

 

[BritishBeef]

You may have bled the radiators, but did you actually refill them via the filling loop?

Not sure what that is but my radiators are mains water fed (water tank in loft).

 

[BritishBeef]

Air in radiator pipes.

Turn off radiator valve on all hot radiators upstair, wait till any radiator downstair start to get hot then turn off that hot radiator and keep checking for other downstair radiator, repeat as before till the last radiator to get hot then open all radiators.

This will shift air in pipes to radiators and after opening all radiators, bleed them if need.

It will take time to get all air out of system.

Dan

Thanks Dan, I thought it may be air. I now have a few random hot radiators. We have 3 floors. None of the ground floor are hot. A couple on first floor and most of 2nd floor. Am trying what you suggested and have shut off all the hot ones.

 

[BritishBeef]

One more thing (sorry). After bleeding the pump valve, it is now rather noisy. I bled it with the system running - was that right? If I bleed the valve again, air seems to escape a little then some drips of water then a little air, then drips and so on. Whilst the valve is open the pump noise diminishes but when I tighten it again it becomes noisy again.

Is it just more air? Should I leave the valve open for a long time or something?

 

[Whitespirit66]

You may have bled the radiators, but did you actually refill them via the filling loop?

Not sure what that is but my radiators are mains water fed (water tank in loft).

Don't worry about this. Filling loops are only normally found on combis.

 

[stardanny]

One more thing (sorry). After bleeding the pump valve, it is now rather noisy. I bled it with the system running - was that right? If I bleed the valve again, air seems to escape a little then some drips of water then a little air, then drips and so on. Whilst the valve is open the pump noise diminishes but when I tighten it again it becomes noisy again.

Is it just more air? Should I leave the valve open for a long time or something?

Keep the pump bleed valve shut for now and do what I explained above. When all radiators is hot, bleed the pump. It will clear up in time.

Also make sure the small F&E tank ballvalve is not stuck. Make sure there is water in it. As the air is coming out of bleed valves, the ballvalve will open a little and fill up.

Like I say, it will take time.

Once I had to drain down to repair a broken pipe on a 28 radiators system with over 200m of copper pipes, it took me 2 days to get it back to working order.

Dan.

 

[BritishBeef]

One more thing (sorry). After bleeding the pump valve, it is now rather noisy. I bled it with the system running - was that right? If I bleed the valve again, air seems to escape a little then some drips of water then a little air, then drips and so on. Whilst the valve is open the pump noise diminishes but when I tighten it again it becomes noisy again.

Is it just more air? Should I leave the valve open for a long time or something?

Keep the pump bleed valve shut for now and do what I explained above. When all radiators is hot, bleed the pump. It will clear up in time.

Also make sure the small F&E tank ballvalve is not stuck. Make sure there is water in it. As the air is coming out of bleed valves, the ballvalve will open a little and fill up.

Like I say, it will take time.

Once I had to drain down to repair a broken pipe on a 28 radiators system with over 200m of copper pipes, it took me 2 days to get it back to working order.

Dan.

Thanks for your help Dan.
All the radiators have finally successfully heated up and the pump is quiet now too. Thanks again!

Geoff.