Hi all,
I have a new build house with a new central heating system. Its a sealed system based on the Kingspan Tribune XE tank, and a Ideal Logic system boiler. The system has 3 heating circuits, one for the H/W and two central heating circuits one for upstairs and one for downstairs.
I seem to be getting air in the central heating system and am not sure why or where from. There does not seem to be any leaks but it only appears to be in the downstairs heating circuit. The three circuits are as follows;
1. H/W heating circuit from the feed to the boiler, with a 2 way valve to either open of close the H/W heating circuit, run from a timer in the airing cupboard.
2. C/H for the upstairs circuit from the feed to the boiler, with another 2 way valve to either open or close this heating circuit (run off a digital thermostat upstairs).
3. C/H for the downstairs circuit from the feed to the boiler, with another 2 way valve to either open of close this heating circuit (run off a digital thermostat downstairs).
I had been getting air accumulating in the hallway radiator (no TRV fitted), nearest the thermostat. So I have bled that a number of times and rechecked the system pressure (had to top system pressure slightly the first time I bled it). I have also bled the nipple located on the link pipe between the 3 circuits at the tank in the airing cupboard but, got hardly any air from this point.
When the heating is running I get intermittent air noises (like a trickling noise) in the feed or return to the boiler itself in the wall behind the boiler. When the C/H circuit downstairs is running on its own, there is a whooshing (running water) noise in the airing cupboard pipework. I can’t actually tell which pipe (all the 3 circuits are actually joined together anyway). This sounds like air in the system to me.
Oddly, if either of the other two circuits are running at the same time as the downstairs heating, the pipes in the airing cupboard are silent. Yet I can still hear the intermittent air noises (trickling) in the feed or return to the boiler downstairs (this cannot be heard in the airing cupboard itself). If the H/W circuit or the C/H circuit for upstairs are running without the downstairs circuit there is no noise in the airing cupboard.
When the system demand is removed (from any circuit) I get whooshing (running water) noise in the airing cupboard pipework again until the boiler runs down.
My theory is I am getting air in the downstairs circuit somehow, from somewhere (although system pressure does not seem to fluctuate only by around ½ a bar from cold to hot and its steady over a longer period). What confuses me is all three circuits are connected together so I don’t understand why I only get whooshing in the airing cupboard is a) the downstairs circuit is the only circuit running or b) when the system demand is removed and the boiler is on its overrun). If air is accumulating or getting introduced to the system this will not be great for the long term future of the system as it could lead to premature corrosion in the system.
The system actually works fine with respect to good heat output, all the radiators work well. Most are fitted with TRVs except the towel rails in the bathrooms and the radiator in each room where the thermostats are (downstairs hallway, upstairs main bedroom). The H/W performance is also very good.
I also don't see where the pumps are for the system. Is it just a pump in the boiler? There are no pumps in the airing cupboard, just the 3x 2-way valves.
I will probably speak to the builder but wondered what peoples thoughts were.
Cheers,
I have a new build house with a new central heating system. Its a sealed system based on the Kingspan Tribune XE tank, and a Ideal Logic system boiler. The system has 3 heating circuits, one for the H/W and two central heating circuits one for upstairs and one for downstairs.
I seem to be getting air in the central heating system and am not sure why or where from. There does not seem to be any leaks but it only appears to be in the downstairs heating circuit. The three circuits are as follows;
1. H/W heating circuit from the feed to the boiler, with a 2 way valve to either open of close the H/W heating circuit, run from a timer in the airing cupboard.
2. C/H for the upstairs circuit from the feed to the boiler, with another 2 way valve to either open or close this heating circuit (run off a digital thermostat upstairs).
3. C/H for the downstairs circuit from the feed to the boiler, with another 2 way valve to either open of close this heating circuit (run off a digital thermostat downstairs).
I had been getting air accumulating in the hallway radiator (no TRV fitted), nearest the thermostat. So I have bled that a number of times and rechecked the system pressure (had to top system pressure slightly the first time I bled it). I have also bled the nipple located on the link pipe between the 3 circuits at the tank in the airing cupboard but, got hardly any air from this point.
When the heating is running I get intermittent air noises (like a trickling noise) in the feed or return to the boiler itself in the wall behind the boiler. When the C/H circuit downstairs is running on its own, there is a whooshing (running water) noise in the airing cupboard pipework. I can’t actually tell which pipe (all the 3 circuits are actually joined together anyway). This sounds like air in the system to me.
Oddly, if either of the other two circuits are running at the same time as the downstairs heating, the pipes in the airing cupboard are silent. Yet I can still hear the intermittent air noises (trickling) in the feed or return to the boiler downstairs (this cannot be heard in the airing cupboard itself). If the H/W circuit or the C/H circuit for upstairs are running without the downstairs circuit there is no noise in the airing cupboard.
When the system demand is removed (from any circuit) I get whooshing (running water) noise in the airing cupboard pipework again until the boiler runs down.
My theory is I am getting air in the downstairs circuit somehow, from somewhere (although system pressure does not seem to fluctuate only by around ½ a bar from cold to hot and its steady over a longer period). What confuses me is all three circuits are connected together so I don’t understand why I only get whooshing in the airing cupboard is a) the downstairs circuit is the only circuit running or b) when the system demand is removed and the boiler is on its overrun). If air is accumulating or getting introduced to the system this will not be great for the long term future of the system as it could lead to premature corrosion in the system.
The system actually works fine with respect to good heat output, all the radiators work well. Most are fitted with TRVs except the towel rails in the bathrooms and the radiator in each room where the thermostats are (downstairs hallway, upstairs main bedroom). The H/W performance is also very good.
I also don't see where the pumps are for the system. Is it just a pump in the boiler? There are no pumps in the airing cupboard, just the 3x 2-way valves.
I will probably speak to the builder but wondered what peoples thoughts were.
Cheers,
