Pumping over prob

[Rob]

Not very good at these. System config is as picture shows. System been fine last 5 years but last week started pumping over (constant trickle) the OV and overflowing to outside.

Drained system to check Cold Feed and seems ok started to refill.

However once refilled and turned on it was ok. For a few days. Has now started again. Hw and htg work fine and turn on and off when supposed to.

If you look at pic id imagine its better practice to put CF before OV however has been fine for atleast 5 years as i said.

Any good if i were to keep the same config but put a link half way up cold feed and OV?

Could a faulty pump be causing it and how? Currently on speed 2. Didnt want to just turn it down.

Also why is it overflowing. Shouldnt the water just re-enter system after coming out of OV.


Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

what is the blue square in your picture?

Very likely you have a partial blockage (this is very common). If not, you soon will have as the pumping over causes corrosion.

Do you know when it last had inhibitor added?

Is there brown mud at the bottom of the F&E?

As you appear to have flow through the system, start by adding Sentinel X400 or similar, which breaks down sludge and sediment so that it can be carried away in the flow of water. If you have reasonable luck this will cure the problem and you will not have to cut out blocked pipes. Even if it does not give you a complete cure it will do no harm, and will loosen some of the sediment so you can drain it out.

Adjust the ball valve in the F&E so the water level is only a couple of inches above the feed pipe near the bottom. This gives you maximum room for expansion. Observe the level in the F&E for any sign of leakage, which will cause inhibitor to be lost and cause an entry of fresh water which speeds corrosion.

Bale out any mud from the F&E first and sponge it clean. After adding the chemical you have to drain a bucket of water out of the system so that the chemical is drawn down from the F&E.

Buy some X100 Corrosion Inhibitor which you will add in a few weeks after you have drained out the loosened sediment.

You will know the X400 is starting to work if the circulating water goes jet black within a few minutes of adding it. this is the loosened sediment being picked up by the water.

the chemicals will cost you about £15 each.

If the system is old, or you have any other reason to suppose it holds a lot of black sediment, you can add a Magnaclean to the Return pipe, it will cost you about £100 if you can do basic plumbing and fit it yourself. It will trap circulating black material and defend against future blockage.

EDITED: My mistake, I did not absorb that you said it was overflowing as well. Start by checking that the ball valve is not allowing water to travel through. If you have any doubt, fit a new one (this is easier than re-washering the old one in a dark and cramped loft). However you may have a problem with you cylinder. How old is it?

 

[sambotc]

Hi,

So you have changed nothing in 5 years and all of a sudden you notice the overflow dripping outside?

Try turning the pump down although my first guess would be that the ball valve is passing which has increased the water level in the system, which may have caused the system to expand over?

How much higher does the expansion rise over the f&e tank?

Sam

 

[seco services]

Hi,

So you have changed nothing in 5 years and all of a sudden you notice the overflow dripping outside?

Try turning the pump down although my first guess would be that the ball valve is passing which has increased the water level in the system, which may have caused the system to expand over?

How much higher does the expansion rise over the f&e tank?

Sam

i didn't know vent pipes trickle when ball valve is passing

 

[sambotc]

My thought was that if the vent pipe is only just over the tank top, then if the water level increased then the room for expansion would be reduced, therefore allowing it to 'escape' via the expansion. This would also explain the overflowing.

Sam

 

[seco services]

i see where your coming from.

op has not told us anymore info yet on the vent pipe height etc.
or if ball valve checked

 

[WillsNana]

what is the blue square in your picture?

Very likely you have a partial blockage (this is very common). If not, you soon will have as the pumping over causes corrosion.



EDITED: My mistake, I did not absorb that you said it was overflowing as well. Start by checking that the ball valve is not allowing water to travel through. If you have any doubt, fit a new one (this is easier than re-washering the old one in a dark and cramped loft). However you may have a problem with you cylinder. How old is it?

Butting in here. What sort of problems can you have with cylinders John?

 

[Gasguru]

Bale out and wash out muck from F&E cistern.
Check float not punctured.
Set float 50mm above feed outlet.
Check float valve not leaking.
Cut out and clear conection between feed and vent (on flow pipework)...almost certainly a partial blockage.
If posible relocate pump between cold feed and blue mid-position valve to put most of the system under positive presure and reduce air ingress.
Dose with inhibitor etc.

 

[DP]

I was about to echo what Gasguru wrote.

 

[JohnD]

Butting in here. What sort of problems can you have with cylinders John?

you're asking a question on someone else's two-year old thread?

the coil in the cylinder can crack and leak, allowing hot tapwater out of the cylinder to leak into the primary circuit.

If the F&E is lower than the CWSC as it should be, the water will leak that way and cause the F&E to overflow.

 

[WillsNana]

Sorry, should have put my specs on...must have come up on search... but thanks for the reply.

 

[Homesafe]

Sorry, should have put my specs on...must have come up on search... but thanks for the reply.

Yes but are they from specsaver's?

 

[WillsNana]

No, I only buy cheapies as I lose them!