How to refill my Boiler?!

[picasso]

Its not an automatic bypass, its expensive gate valve the way its been used it should be used for balancing but it looks like it was just set to pass (a fixed flow) back to the return.

 

[Phill Peck]

So what does the auto bypass do?

When the 2 blue valves shut it allows the pump to remove heat from the boiler

 

[Phill Peck]

Its not an automatic bypass, its expensive gate valve the way its been used it should be used for balancing but it looks like it was just set to pass (a fixed flow) back to the return.

They are ****e and can't be set to 0 unless closed but the flow rate does change if the zone valves shut.
You can see the flow rate change through the window.

It may not have been designed as an auto bypass but it works as one. Al be it not very well or not for very long.

 

[picasso]

Hardly surprising as they are not doing the job they were designed for .

 

[Phill Peck]

Hardly surprising as they are not doing the job they were designed for .

That's British gas for you.

 

[TheFew]

So how does it work? How does water passing into a hot water cylinder via the fillong loop (or vice versa) find its way into the radiators to replace the missing water? I thought the water in the radiators was separate. Sorry

It's connected to the hot water primaries/coil.
That is the same as what's in the rads, not the same as what comes out the taps.

Open the black valve at the end of the silver hose.
I can't see in the picture but it may have a valve at either end.
There a gauge there too.
Fill it to about 1 bar bleed all the rads and re check the pressure.

Hi, I am just trying to understand that you mean by "Hot water primaries/coil"? So I understand how an electric heating element works From the gas boiler however, are you saying that inside the hot water cylinder there is a coiled pipe through which the boiler passes heated water to heat the water in the cylinder? Or is it something else? Presumably this can be isolated form the water feeding the rads so that the boiler can heat the rads and leave the water cool and vice versa? I had never thought how the gas boiler heats the water in the cylinder, so I am struggling to visualise it.

The other thing I have noted is that the pressure gauge in the airing cupboard (upstairs) is a 0 bar and the one in the boiler room (downstairs) is around 0.1 to 0.2 bar. Why would they be different?

I have been using the boiler and the heating with the pressure at this low value. Presumably it is not doing my bills any favours!

Thanks

 

[TheFew]

Ah ok. I think I understand now. You are saying that I have an "indirect" system, so the water is heated by a coil inside the cylinder that is fed by the boiler.

 

[picasso]

yes you got it.

 

[rules&rulers]

The other thing I have noted is that the pressure gauge in the airing cupboard (upstairs) is a 0 bar and the one in the boiler room (downstairs) is around 0.1 to 0.2 bar. Why would they be different?

weight of water in upstairs radiators,pipework is creating a force on the downstairs gauge.
When you top up the pressure to 1.5 bar on the upper gauge,then the lower gauge will read higher.
As long as the gauges are not out of calibration but it wont matter for this case.

 

[TheFew]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will try re-installing a rad tonight and topping the system back up.

 

[TheFew]

Rad re-installed, bled and boiler back at 1.5bar. Only 3 more rads to replace.

Thanks to all for the advice. I have learnt a lot!

 

[AGAS]

rules&rulers as in your avatar , is your glass half full or half empty ? and why ??

 

[rules&rulers]

The airing cupboard is an interesting place... you are looking at two hot water tanks that are heated from the gas boiler, and also from solar panels. But with electric heating back up. The filling loop in the picture is connected to the second hot water tank.

So you just discovered this room in your property,how long have you lived there ?.

Is it some sort of secret annex ?