Lack of Hot Water

[K412]

Hello all,
Have a very old Ideal Concord WRS boiler with two tanks in the loft and a cylinder in the airing cupboard. Lately the hot water has been getting progressively cooler while the Central heating remains toasty.
The bathroom radiator is always hot even when water only is called for and lately a bedroom radiator is doing the same.
Any ideas ?. Any help gratefully recieved.

JD

 

[corgiman]

the rad is a bypass one and will always come on no matter what is called for

as for the hot water cooling down, does it start nice and hot and tail off or is it luke warm staright away?

 

[K412]

Thanks for the reply. Bathroom radiator has always been hot when water only is demanded, but lately a bedroom radiator is getting hot also without the heating being on.
Hot water is very slow to get up to temperature and even with the boiler at max does not seem to get as hot as it was a while ago. Radiators get hot very quickly though.

JD

 

[corgiman]

thats a rum one

is there water in the small tank in the loft? is the boiler making any nasty noises (hissing and stuff like that)

 

[K412]

There is water in both the tanks in the loft. Boiler is not making any more noise than before when it was operating normally. Bathroom radiator is HOT when hot water only is demanded.
Hot water at taps is decidedly cooler than I can remember.
Tank is only warm at top and cold at the bottom.
Pipe in the middle of the Copper cylinder is HOT.
Pipe out of the top of the copper cylinder is HOT.
Pipe going up to the small tank is hot within the airing cupboard but not in the loft.
Do I need a new cylinder? or have I got a blockage/scale??

Cheers JD

 

[corgiman]

There is water in both the tanks in the loft. Boiler is not making any more noise than before when it was operating normally. Bathroom radiator is HOT when hot water only is demanded.
Hot water at taps is decidedly cooler than I can remember.
Tank is only warm at top and cold at the bottom.
Pipe in the middle of the Copper cylinder is HOT.
Pipe out of the top of the copper cylinder is HOT.
Pipe going up to the small tank is hot within the airing cupboard but not in the loft.
Do I need a new cylinder? or have I got a blockage/scale??

Cheers JD

my guess, and it is only that, is that the cylinder is full of scale that is denying the full power of the coil.

So i would say a new cylinder, but if I am wrong dont blame me

 

[K412]

Will try to descale using the instructions I have found on the Fernox site and will let you know of any improvement.
Cheers

 

[corgiman]

no i did not say its in the flow and return I meant that its in the cylinder, scale can, and does, build up in a cylinder and starts to fill it up.

I dont know if other than replacement there is anything you can do

Again I dont think its the central heating as the flow and return are getting piping hot.

 

[K412]

Hooray.

Have descaled the cylinder as per instructions on the Fernox site using DS-3. Also though I might have a blockage and tried a trick reccommended by a friend. Hose pipe connecting cold water and hot water tap and then both taps opened. All now perfect. Hot water is now very hot and heating working as normal.

Cheers

 

[corgiman]

i am rubbish glad you sorted it though