refilling sealed system with glow worm 30cxi

[francois]

i drained my heating system to move a radiator. The combi boiler is a glow worm 30cxi.

when i came to refill it i found that there is no fill loop, just a blue filling tap, which the manual says is to re-pressurise the system if it drops below 0.7 bar. It then says this tap is not intended for filling the system, though it can be used but will take a long time.

i opened the tap about 4 hours ago and it's still reading 0.0 bar. how long should it take?

 

[gas4you]

If it's a fairly recent CXi it will have a built in filling loop under the boiler.

There will be 2 isolating taps, one each end on the small silver braided loop.

Turn both on and you should hear the water fill the boiler.

 

[francois]

i would guess it's about 8-10 years old.

There's no braided fill loop anywhere, only this blue tap. The manual says an external fill loop can be fitted but obviously that hasn't been done.

 

[dextrous]

They must have filled it somehow - follow the pipes down to see if there's a loop elsewhere.
If not (very odd!), then if one of the radiator valevs has a drain off, you can attach a hose to this and fill it via this route.

 

[kevindgas]

put a waterproof coat on
then turn on the blue tap it is an auto air gap filling (crap) mechanism
dont be surprised if it piisses all over the floor as it fills.

****e design on a ****e boiler

 

[francois]

Very odd mate. i have actually used the tap before to increase the pressure so it must let water in, but it's been at open at least 5 hours now and still 0 bar.

So i can just fill it through a hose from the kitchen tap to the drain valve?

 

[francois]

Kev i turned the blue tap on hours ago but nothing's happened. Maybe the mechanism's f**ked?

 

[kevplumb]

mebee the plastic top is

 

[dextrous]

Very odd mate. i have actually used the tap before to increase the pressure so it must let water in, but it's been at open at least 5 hours now and still 0 bar.

So i can just fill it through a hose from the kitchen tap to the drain valve?

Sounds like the only realistic way to get it as close to full as possible, before using the top-up valve on the boiler. Can't believe the installers did it this way though

 

[kevplumb]

ive known it

 

[francois]

Right well I'll try that tomorrow then. Thanks for the help people

 

[kevplumb]

get a filling loop and do it right fella

 

[mickyg]

Your knobs broken. Very common fault on CIs and CXIs. The blue knob has a plastic shaft, this shears off, but the knob will still turn as normal but do nothing. You have 2 options.
A, buy a new filling knob, you'll find some on ebay etc.. the new ones have a brass shaft which doesn't break, so shouldn't get the problem again.
B Fit a standard external filling loop

 

[francois]

Micky, i just took the plastic cover off the tap and had a look, it seems to be ok. Can't see anything sheared. The tap will only turn so far and then stops- it's not just spinning, actually moves down as the valve opens.

 

[mickyg]

Micky, i just took the plastic cover off the tap and had a look, it seems to be ok. Can't see anything sheared. The tap will only turn so far and then stops- it's not just spinning, actually moves down as the valve opens.

trust me its broken. If you isolate the water, remove the tap, then have a look inside when you turn it you will see. its very deceptive.