Jaguar boiler losing pressure/replace expansion vessel?

[Polly1]

Hi there,

Hopefully someone can help me with an independant opinion on this. I have a Jaguar boiler, 5 years old. It's been releasing pressure & requiring topping up too often recently. At first I thought it was the pressure release valve being faulty & needing replacing which I did, but my plumber says the expansion vessel needs replacing and that he needs to remove the boiler from the wall to do it at considerable expense to me.

Now my plumber is the type of guy who tends to want to replace the whole boiler if he thinks I'll say yes, so I'm wondering if he's having me on & could just charge the expansion vessel with air instead.

He didn't have a pump today so couldn't try it. Do you think I should insist on trying this first or that the vessel needs changing?

Or with very limited experience I'm also wondering if just part of the vessel needs changing, I hear they have tyre type valves fitted to them.

Thanks.

 

[ChrisR]

Get a better plumber.
Yes they do have tyre-type valves but they rarely leak - they don't hit kerbs very often.
Absolutely you should get the expansion/pressure vessel repressurised before you go buying a new one. You only need a new one if water comes out.
And new ones can be fitted just about anywhere on the pipes- not just inside the boiler.
WHen the pressure is pumped up it's important that the water being displaced is allowed to flow out somewhere. Plonkers often have a go at doing it without.

 

[Polly1]

Thanks. He did say water came out of it, so it may have had it. But did you mean it's only had it if water comes out after the attempt to re-pressurise?

But I like the idea of generic one fitted to the pipes to save time & money. I guess I can install that myself as well as it's not a gas job requiring a CORGI plumber right?

 

[chrishutt]

Yes, you can DIY. Do a search and you'll find some advice on doing it. BES sell expansion vessels (8 litre - £20 inc. bracket).

 

[Polly1]

Thanks. But I can't help notice the flag on your post. Are you in the UK & aware of the rules re CORGI registered plumbers?

 

[chrishutt]

Did you see where ChrisR is posting from? What you got against cuba?

 

[Polly1]

Nothing against Cuba. I used to live in Key West myself and admire the sign that I was only 80 miles from there.

But I don't want to fall foul of UK laws as I'm renting the place to people and face prosecution if I do work that requires a qualified person by law.

 

[chrishutt]

Key West is a world away, especially for the Cubans either side of the straits. So near yet so far.

Anyway, rest assured that you'll be OK with respect to Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998. However there is also a load of stuff relating to Landlords obligations and tenants' rights that you probably should be worrying about.

 

[kevplumb]

jeeeeeeezus
she honestly belives your in cuba
and chris is in antartica



bless

 

[gasgeezer]

If you have enough height you can remove the expansion vessel without taking the boiler from the wall

 

[Polly1]

If you have enough height you can remove the expansion vessel without taking the boiler from the wall

Thanks, there is loads of height above this boiler. So are you talking probably can be done that way or definitely?

 

[Polly1]

jeeeeeeezus
she honestly belives your in cuba
and chris is in antartica



bless

Polly is the name of my dog, my own name is of the male variety.

 

[kevplumb]

i apologise sir

 

[Polly1]

No big deal. I just didn't want bigger estimates because I was assumed to be female.

 

[kevplumb]

twit
you get smaller estimates if you are female
and wear short skirts