primatic cylinder

[naebothernoo]

can anyone tell me how to refill a primatic cylinder so as to keep this air bubble? I have tried to fill it but the domestic hot water goes up to the cylinder but i can't get any hot water at the taps. Cold shaves are murder for my complexion. can anyone help please

 

[Nige F]

empty the cyl down @ the boiler....cold feed valve from roof cistern off........ then refill Slowly- valve half open or less. all with boiler off or cold( coal fire?)

 

[naebothernoo]

thanks it is a gas boiler not coal. should i drain the central heating as well

 

[Nige F]

Yep, the whole lot and open the rad air vents..get it all oot But don`t let the refilling cold water hit the boiler until it`s cold too Who puts primatics in gas htg consider changing it for a proper indirect

 

[naebothernoo]

Thanks for the adviceNigef We are getting there now No I did n't open the valve manually when I drained the system or when I filled it. is that a problem? Followed your advice ,opened up the bleed valves on the rads upstairs should I have opened the downstairs ones I didn;t as I thought as they were below the boiler levelit wouldn't make any difference. I now have DHW ( I 'm even talking like a plumber now} which is running clean and hot (obviously) so I assume the bubble has reformed correctly. The problem noe is the C.H. the upstairs rads are warm but not hot and the dowmstairs ones are cold I have bled them. I think this could be either the pump or the feed pipes to the rads being choked. The pump is working, well it is moving when the DHW is switched on and the hot water from the boiler circulates through the pipes quickly. I am thinking of one more go at draining and filling before I shoot myself. When I fill the system should i leave the rad bleed valves open or closed? Please forgive my longwindedness( is that a word) but I want to do this correctly this time. By the way I did get my usual plumber in when this problem started and he told me the motorized valve needed replacing but he was going away for three weeks holiday (plumbing pays well) but he thought I was competent enough to do the job myself. He obviously forgot about what he originally called a bubble tank. By the way the system is about 18 years old and this is thefirst problem so it is not too bad. this should be the last time I bother you thanks for helping.

 

[ricarbo]

Howsabout prolixity instead of longwindedness?

 

[naebothernoo]

please forgive my prolixity then cheers

 

[Nige F]

Usually shut air bleeds after water is out and then go round one @ a time bleeding air out.try bleeding pump aswell via large screw on end. and set the motorised valve open

 

[naebothernoo]

Thanks Nige F your help has saved my life and my marriage. Everything is working better than ever now. You are a hero and a gentleman. Just out of curiosity what would happen to this bubble if I drained a radiator to remove and flush, as I don't want this hassle again. Your help was invaluable and much appreciated. thanks again

 

[Nige F]

Pleasd to have helped I thought I was a dinosaur here, what with all the high tech boiler questions ( never been corgi).as long as water is introduced slowly it`s OK ....it usually runs out s.l.o.w.ly when you drain anyway