loss of CH pressure? 5 - 8 times in 12 months? advise please

[JayHS]

hi all

question for you

we replaced our old BIASI ( lol ) combi over 12 moths ago due to it being pants

and so we fitted a nice n new Glow Worm Ultracom 2 CXI 30.

so anyway.. over the last 12 months or so it has lost pressure about 8 or so times over this period of time. so i have to open the valves and re fill the unit known as "Topping Up"

how do i find the fault and in essence how to cure the problem

do I have a leak somewhere? as I can not find one!

but guessing from the times i have had to re top up, i would think there is a rather large lake under my house right about now?

i have concrete ground floor.. with the pipe work buried into it and also under some old lam flooring. so know obvious signs to be seen re damp or leaking areas.

any ideas how to find or solve or simply cure the problem.

 

[libby lou lou]

Phone the fitter. is it under guarantee?

 

[JayHS]

hi there

many thanks for your thoughts on my problem! i had not thought of doing that as it only just popped into my mind as i was on here anyway

but i may just do that.

but i would still like some ideas and any thoughts one might have on the matter so i can shove these down his throat when i see him. lol

 

[libby lou lou]

If the machine was correctly fitted, you should'nt be having these problems.

 

[andytw]

Hi,

I think your most likely problem is that the expansion vessel has lost its pressure. It is there to absorb the increase in pressure in the system when the water gets hot and expands. When it is non functional the expanding water gets forced out of the pressure relief valve. When it is all cooled down you have lost water and hence pressure.
A good indication of this is to fill your system to 1 Bar, or whatever is prescribed for your system, when cold. Then watch the pressure gauge when it gets hot. It really should not be going much above 1.5 Bar, 2 Bar at the most. Pressure relief valves are designed to open at 2.5 Bar or 3 Bar.

You need to get the expansion vessel checked or check it yourself, it is not difficult, but if system is under warranty then do as suggested. Word of warning... the guy who put the system in may be fully qualified but loves doing installs and really has little experience of troubleshooting.

andytw

 

[JayHS]

hi there again..

ok it was around 5bar.. when it failed, so it was stone cold.. i primed it back to 1.2bar.. and when it became hot it went upto 1.5bar or so.. only 2- 3bar higher! on max temp. so I am not sure

but I shall look into it

i think there is something else like a slow leak somewhere.. under the lam flooring, in the concrete

i shall let you know what i find out

cheers again

 

[andytw]

ok it was around 5bar.. when it failed, so it was stone cold.. i primed it back to 1.2bar.. and when it became hot it went upto 1.5bar or so.. only 2- 3bar higher! on max temp.

Can you make this a bit clearer... you've got 1.2, 1.5, 2-3 and 5 Bar all in there. I am guessing the 5 is really 0.5 but dont understand the 2-3

andytw

 

[JayHS]

hi there again..

ok it was around 5bar.. when it failed, so it was stone cold.. i primed it back to 1.2bar.. and when it became hot it went upto 1.5bar or so.. only 0.2- 0.3bar higher! on max temp.

cheers again

 

[warmadmax]

sounds more like a leak than expansion failure then to me.

 

[JayHS]

hi all for so far replying back on this OP, I had just thought of something!

we had replaced our ol BIASI as it had a similar fault, where i would have to re top up on that combi also..

but i had not thought of this until now.

so either it is a leak at the source of the installation! or a leak on the CH somewhere within the house. either way there is no water leaking from anywhere i can see.

if this is the problem.. i shall maybe try a few things first?

1. call the plumber back to have a look.. or someone else instead
2. put in some pipe leak type fluid to cure the possible leak?
3. stick bananas in me ears and laugh like a crazy person whilst dribbling baked beans out me nose?
4. spend the rest of my life trying to figure out a fourth idea, and never look at the combi problem i have? ever again
5. try options 1. or 2.