L
longdogs
Did anyone hear what the problem was that could affect 3.5M homes. I just caught the last of the story on the news yesterday. All I heard was that something plastic had melted 
yeah i read it in phpi a while ago, i think the jist of it was the cylinder stat had failed and boiling water was venting into the cw storage tank, which wasn't properly supported. the tank started to melt, thus leak. long and short of it, water damage to ceiling whic brought it down followed by boiling water. correct me if im wrong anyone as its a bit hazy. really tragic story.
The plastic water tank wouldn't "melt" at 100°C, but would soften. The real fault was that the tank wasn't properly supported which could result in a distortion of it's shape when softened and spillage of very hot water. So are those responsible for the shoddy tank installation going to be held responsible?
N
namsag
Chris so how are the sides of the tank supposed to be supported the amount of heat that went into this tank would just collapse the sides and not just the bottom if it was not on a tank stand
N
namsag
The stat was set at 80 but it was not working so it didn`t matter what it was set at
I'm assuming that the tank wasn't supported by a level, continuous base as it should be. Perhaps it was resting on a couple of battens. That makes a lot of difference to how the tank behaves when full of very hot water.
N
namsag
Yes i know but this had been going for hours and hours sides would have easily collapsed no matter what sort of base was fitted.
I think you may be confusing this with an accident in 2002, (in Portsmouth?) in which a woman was killed and her partner seriously burnt. That was a modern tank, but wasn't continuously supported on a WBP plywood. That tank collapsed, but would probably have remained intact if it had been correctly installed.
This one was a 30 year old tank which I don't think would have withstood the hot water.
Both were caused by the thermostat contacts sticking or arc-welding themselves closed. The requirement for a secondary reset thermostat was introduced after the 2002 accident.
I wonder how they didn't notice it was happening? When mine overheated the noise was terryfying! The way to cool it down was not to run the hot water, but the cold 
You're right. I'm assuming it was a similar scenario. Possum-jenkins said that the tank wasn't properly supported too. Anyway it all goes to show that it's foolish to comment without first getting your facts right.
Are CW tanks any better than they used to be? You can still get the round ones you distort to get into a loft, I think. Wouldn't be surprised if they'd split, maybe from the tappings.
Some of the rectangular ones have metal frames round.
Not something I try to get involved with!
F&E's are the same material I think (polyethylene?) and they regularly withstand 80º water during pumping-over.
Some of the rectangular ones have metal frames round.
Not something I try to get involved with!
F&E's are the same material I think (polyethylene?) and they regularly withstand 80º water during pumping-over.
That sounds like a bunch of nonsense.bpowell555 said:The way to cool it down was not to run the hot water, but the cold
Running off cold water will cool only the CSS, whereas running off hot water will cool both the cylinder and the CSS.
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Similar threads
