Suprima 60, rad bleed, water/pressure problem

[Nulty]

Good evening folks. My first thread has been encouraged by the fact that pervious threads lead to dead ends for my problem. Nothing seems to be fully explained. Maybe I'm wrong, thats why im here. I look forward to posting more, I'm getting into the thick of this DIY stuff (attic conversion, just doing the insulation now)


Ok for the real post.

What: Potterton Suprima 60
Problem: Rads wont bleed upstairs
Tried: turning off system, bleeding, air for30 secs then nothing
Guess: Pressure problem.


Ok so theres combi, system and heat boilers.

I'm not sure which I have but there certainly is no pressure gauge on the Boiler.

It has been suggested to top up the system using the fill line. I dont have the typical steel covered tube with lever. There is a pipe that seems it crosses from one pipe system to another. I've opened this hoping it will increase the water/pressure in the system allowing the upstairs rads to bleed.

Can any tell me am I on the right track or am I going to blow us up?

 

[LUNAT]

HI

need more details
boiler make model type etc.

 

[Nulty]

Its a Potterton Suprima 60 Boiler, 10 years old i think.

The system/rads hadnt been bled for the first 9 and a half years. Pure ignorance id say.

The downstairs rads are fully heated, upstairs ones half-half. They never filled up i dont think.

I have accidentally tried to bleed them while the system was on, which might have made the problem worse.

Any other info required?

Thanks

 

[gas4you]

With a suprima you will have to have a red expansion vessel fitted somewhere that is making the system sealed.

Where this is will probably find the filling loop as well.

If you don't have one of these then you have a standard open vent system.

If by the upstairs rads you mean your new attic, then it could be you have an open vented system, but now you have converted the attic to living space the existing CH header tank is now lower than your new rads up there.

If this is the case they will never fill with water and you will have to convert to a sealed system.

I wonder if the 'linking' pipe you mention is an old manual by-pass.

 

[Nulty]

Thanks for the reply

As it goes, I have not found the red expansiion vessel. Should it be near the boiler? I'll keep looking although I think it might be the open vent system.

If it is, where do i go from here? can i increase the pressure in an open vent system. How do I get more water into the rads upstairs?

The attic has no bearing on the topic, I thought I'd just introduce myself thats all. no plumbing up there, apart from the main tank.

Thanks again for the help gas4u

 

[gas4you]

If it is open vent, you will never get any radiators to fill above the level of your expansion tank, A physical impossibility.

If this is the case then you're only option is to convert to a sealed system.

 

[Nulty]

Gas4u

Thanks mate. I was looking for the expansion vessel in the wrong place. It was upstairs beside my imersion tank. Its hidden by towels and sheets so I never see it.
Anyways, sure enough there was the filling loop. I turned it on, though I still have to say I got no pressure gauge so I let it run for about a minute. I then bled the upstairs rads and i got water after about a minute and a half.

Success!

All the rads will be bled today, Thanks for your help!

P.S.
So Its a sealed system after all, but should there be a pressure gauge somewhere near the vessel and loop so as not to over fill?

 

[gas4you]

Yes there should be one somewhere. You need to fill the system to just over 1 Bar cold.

 

[Nulty]

ill keep looking,

whats the pressure gauge reading? the pressure of the water in the system?

in that case should it be beside the expansion vessel?

 

[gas4you]

ill keep looking,

whats the pressure gauge reading? the pressure of the water in the system?

in that case should it be beside the expansion vessel?

Usually next to the filling loop.

 

[Nulty]

nope, its not there. its guess work. Judging by the rest of the plumbing in the house im not surprised.

Ive got a mate whose a plumber, he could intall one.

cheers gasman