Is it ok to open the taps to increase the pressure of my boiler while its running?

[funtins]

I have a vaillant combi boiler and it seems to show low pressure every now and then so i need to fill the tank up sometimes. do i need to turn the boiler off when i do this?

thanks!

 

[Dan Robinson]

No

 

[funtins]

brilliant lol, thanks

 

[Dan Robinson]

No worries .

 

[Doggit]

But you need to find out why it's leaking, and you'll need to add some more inhibitor soon, as it's being watered down every time you add more water.

 

[funtins]

But you need to find out why it's leaking, and you'll need to add some more inhibitor soon, as it's being watered down every time you add more water.

how do i find the leak? and how do i add the inhibitor?

Thanks for your help

 

[terryplumb]

How often do you need to top up system pressure ?

 

[funtins]

How often do you need to top up system pressure ?

so far i have done it once when it was below the minimum pressure and about 6-7 times when it was within the ideal range because i thought it would help my low shower pressure (found out later that i was wrong about this). so i guess, in reality, i should have only topped it up once in the last 3 weeks

 

[terryplumb]

As you have only been in the property for a few weeks ,and you have been " messing about " with boiler pressure ,in an effort to resolve a problem with an electric shower , I suggest you do the following. Boiler pressure when COLD should be ,1 bar ( ish ). When central heating is on this will increase ,and go back to what it was once off and cooled. Monitor it ,and see how you go. After such a short time in the property you don't really know if its losing pressure because of a leak. If you bleed air out if a radiator ,the pressure will drop. Did you bleed any radiators ?

 

[funtins]

As you have only been in the property for a few weeks ,and you have been " messing about " with boiler pressure ,in an effort to resolve a problem with an electric shower , I suggest you do the following. Boiler pressure when COLD should be ,1 bar ( ish ). When central heating is on this will increase ,and go back to what it was once off and cooled. Monitor it ,and see how you go. After such a short time in the property you don't really know if its losing pressure because of a leak. If you bleed air out if a radiator ,the pressure will drop. Did you bleed any radiators ?

yes, bled them all when i moved in.

 

[terryplumb]

Well that would have required your first top up, the other 6 or 7 times ,you increased pressure ,when it was in the " normal " range in an effort to improve your shower. So you had no reason to. No evidence at this stage that you have any leak .

 

[funtins]

Well that would have required your first top up, the other 6 or 7 times ,you increased pressure ,when it was in the " normal " range in an effort to improve your shower. So you had no reason to. No evidence at this stage that you have any leak .

ok thanks. will see how it goes over the next week or so. i wont top it up and see what happens.

 

[dilalio]

Do you have an electric shower?
@terryplumb mentions you do but can’t see where you refer to it!
If it’s run from the combi then what model Vaillant do you have? There are things you can check to see if your shower “flow” can be improved or if it’s performing as it should.

 

[funtins]

Do you have an electric shower?
@terryplumb mentions you do but can’t see where you refer to it!
If it’s run from the combi then what model Vaillant do you have? There are things you can check to see if your shower “flow” can be improved or if it’s performing as it should.

hi mate. yes its an electric shower but apparently it's just used as a temp control type of thing for the water. it doesnt actually heat the water itself.

about what i couldnt see, i didnt know where the mains on/off switch for it was (although i think 'e found it now in the loft).

the combi is a vaillant ecotec plus 837

please do tell me what else i can check in order to get the shower pressure up as its not great. its "ok-ish" now and i know it has been a lot more powerful before.

 

[funtins]

Well that would have required your first top up, the other 6 or 7 times ,you increased pressure ,when it was in the " normal " range in an effort to improve your shower. So you had no reason to. No evidence at this stage that you have any leak .

by the way. the boiler pressure is now at the minimum within the ideal zone. approx 0.9 bar although it was showing around 1.3 bar yesterday.