Low Pressure on Boiler - Shower goes Hot & Cold HELP!!!!

[mattjenkins]

Hi, I rent a flat in London and the boiler looks fairly old, it is a E.L.M. Leblanc GVM 5.20 (apparently!) and basically ever since I moved in the shower has gone hot then cold then hot then cold every few seconds which is obviously very annoying. I looked at the boiler and the pressure gauge is constantly on 0. Is this why? How would I change it? I really don't know a thing about boilers so please tell me in Laymans terms!

Thanks very much for any help!!

 

[corgiman]

ELM Leblanc \(shiver shiver) these boilers take me back to me SERVOWARM days ah memories

you need to top up the system mate thats why you are getting intermittent hot water, you should have a filling loop to do this (two taps connected by a silver hose) turn them on top it up to one and you should be grand

 

[MANDATE]

Hi Matt,
When you have fitted the filling loop, take care not to introduce too large a pressure. Open the valve a bit at at time until you see the pressure gauge begin to rise.
If you go too high, a pressure relief valve will operate but you will be faced with having to lower the pressure.

 

[mattjenkins]

Hi, thanks for answering but I just looked at the back of the boiler and cant find two taps or a silver hose? Any suggestions?

 

[MANDATE]

The filling loop is not normally left in position on the boiler, it is usually removed and stored in drawer or cupboard. You can of course buy one!
On the boiler, you need to trace the cold water mains going to the boiler.
Somewhere near the boiler it will divide and there will be a branch off which will end with a valve/tap. (manually operated)
Also there will be a projecting pipe from the boiler within 12 ins of the valve/tap, this pipe will have a spring loaded valve (automatically operated) on the end so water passing to the boiler can not leak back and will hold the pressure when the filling loop is removed between the two valves