Ideal Response 120 dripping water

[nbee101]

Hi
I will try to describe the problem well...
The boiler is leaking some cold water from the back - it is dripping next to the far left pipe, which seems to be marked DHW In. I can't tell if it is actually coming from this pipe or from somewhere else in the boiler and just dripping out from this location.
Everything seems to be working fine - the hot water and central heating. The pressure is currently just a bit under 1.5 and the central heating just came on and switched off ok.
Is the pressure too high? Is there something I can check / adjust easily before I call someone out to look?
I'm not sure exactly how fast this drip is.. not too fast. I will leave a bowl there and see how much water i catch tonight. In any case, there's something clearly not right.
Thanks so much for any advice you can give!
natalie

 

[vicvapour]

Sounds like the pipe needs replacing that goes into the heat exchanger.

How long has it been like this, how old is the boiler?

 

[nbee101]

The boiler is quite old now.. getting on for 9 years.

I have noticed the problem over the last couple of weeks, but it seemed to have stopped. Now it's started again. As I said, I'm not sure that it is actually this pipe, it's just this is where the water is dripping down from.

Thanks again

 

[vicvapour]

It more than likely will be the pipe, they are pretty inexpensive too.

 

[DP]

Vicvapour, do you know this boiler?

OP, if the pressure has not dropped, it will be the hot water side that is leaking. Almost certain it will not be the pipe but a union or seal. Turn the water off at the main stop valve and see if the leak stops..

You will need someone who knows his way round this boiler. Part changing brigade will will be ga ga when they clap their eyes on this beastie. Not enough room to swing a cat inside

 

[craig51]

Response
120
Leak from bottom

CRACKED HEAT EXCHANGER

Time to dig into your pockets.

 

[nbee101]

Hi thanks for the comments
This morning I switched the boiler off, took the bottom panel off and managed to take this photo (see below).
I might add that the gold pipe leading into the black plastic looks dusty, so the water could be coming from the black plastic - I also note the limescale build up there.
What do you reckon?
Looking for some s!! but you can be honest! Is this the heat exchanger?
Or do you think the water is coming from somewhere else and then just ending up there?
thanks again!

 

[nbee101]

has the image been posted - i can't tell?
thanks

 

[vicvapour]

has the image been posted - i can't tell?
thanks

no, sorry m8, cant see it

 

[nbee101]

Untitled

• nbee101
• 19 Feb 2012
• 1

and now?

 

[twgas]

that pic is the domestic hot water flow switch, use some tissue paper to dry it, then watch to see whether the drip appears from the pic or further up.

 

[nbee101]

ok i think the drip is coming from there. I don't see any water coming from anywhere else. Water just seems to be slowly forming in exactly that place and not running down from the gold pipe or even from the top of the black plastic.

 

[twgas]

If that is the case a new washer is probably required.

 

[nbee101]

if that's the case, then i'm guessing it shouldn't be very expensive to fix?

can anyone recommend who I should contact to do it? (someone who isn't going to try and sell me an expensive bogus problem as well?

I could probably do with it being serviced at the same time I guess?

I live in London, Balham, SW12.

Thanks so much!

 

[vicvapour]

a new fibre washer may do the trick, or as i mentioned previously you may hace to replace that small piece of pipe, a little tricky to get to but worth it to cure the leak.