Titan unvented

[r.bartlett]

Hi guy's

My Uncle called today to say he's got water pouring through his ceiling. I went and had a look and found it was leaking out of the main tank.

He had it put in about 4 years ago and I was slightly surprised to see it fail so soon.However on the side I noticed the label says that the anode should be checked yearly.



What's the procedure as it was put in by his neighbour who was a builder -he subbed it to a plumber..I doubt if he was told of the annual inspection etc

Any thoughts on this. I shall get a plumber in to change it but I don't want the new one to fail again so soon..

Cheers

Richard

 

[simond]

I would make absolutely certain that the cylinder itself is leaking, as even without an anode in domestic use it would be unusual for a glass lined unit to fail in this time.

However, in light commercial applications or large families you could have run a lot of water through, depleting the anode. The better glass lined units are double or triple coated, as a single application does not give good coverage.

Having checked that the various temp and pressure reliefs are properly connected to drain safely, you may need a new cylinder. A stainless unit will last longer, good makes are Vaillant, Viessmann, OSO, and at the budget end, Ariston.

 

[WDIK]

odd, where is it actually leaking from?
to my eye it appears to be around the thermal releif? or is that the combination valve?
i dont see a tundish
the drain from said tundish has to be many times the diameter of the releif and piped correctly to external.
If the thermal releif is blowing, then it could indicate a over heat situation, combine that with a wrongly installed drain and it could be what you have, unfourtunately its hard to make out from your pictures.
what did note is that the thing wasnt commisioned as all the details wernt recorded.
it needs to be checked by a competent fitter with an unvented ticket.
said only yesterday these things are potential bombs in the hands of the diyer

 

[simond]

This bomb thing is a bit overstated.

Most modern boilers are physically incapable of producing the sort of temperatures needed to drive an unvented into boiling territory, their own safety devices prevent this, since they contain so many plastic components

Most DIY and professional installers who are cutting corners leave off the tundish drain. I have done the same myself in my barn, put an unvented in there when the house was being rebuilt (due to an unvented explosion ).

Still haven't got round to fitting the drain. Worst result, wet floor.

Not so funny in a loft, though......

 

[WDIK]

scroll down

http://www.plumbingpages.com/featurepages/HWT&P.cfm

 

[r.bartlett]

I would make absolutely certain that the cylinder itself is leaking, as even without an anode in domestic use it would be unusual for a glass lined unit to fail in this time.

However, in light commercial applications or large families you could have run a lot of water through, depleting the anode. The better glass lined units are double or triple coated, as a single application does not give good coverage.

Having checked that the various temp and pressure reliefs are properly connected to drain safely, you may need a new cylinder. A stainless unit will last longer, good makes are Vaillant, Viessmann, OSO, and at the budget end, Ariston.

When I looked it was clear the water was leaking from the rear of the cylinder and running out of the bottom. No pipes were on that side so I don't think it could be a pipe. I tried to snip the case to see but it's rivitted on well..

As regards useage a couple in their mid eighties could be considered light users

Cheers

Richard

 

[r.bartlett]

odd, where is it actually leaking from?
to my eye it appears to be around the thermal relief? or is that the combination valve?
i dont see a tundish
the drain from said tundish has to be many times the diameter of the relief and piped correctly to external.
If the thermal relief is blowing, then it could indicate a over heat situation, combine that with a wrongly installed drain and it could be what you have, unfortunately its hard to make out from your pictures.
what did note is that the thing wasn't commissioned as all the details wernt recorded.
it needs to be checked by a competent fitter with an unvented ticket.
said only yesterday these things are potential bombs in the hands of the diyer

As I say the leak was clearly seen out of the bottom of the unit to the rear of it. I did also notice slight rusting up to 1/3rd way on the outer shell where it had been pop riveted. I assume this is where it was leaking from as I only drained off some of the water before it stopped leaking

I noticed the lack of writing on the label. As I say it was done by a plumber for the builder. I don't want to get involved past checking it's done properly etc

There was/is a tundish -it's behind the l/d pipe. I was a bit miffed that he'd fitted a simple drain off point so I had to rig up something using the old overflow pipe from the tank (which is the white pipe) rather than a proper plumbed one etc
Already mentioned I am not out to DIY -rather just to safe gaurd my Uncles interest(s)

Cheers

Richard

 

[oilman]

The problem with these things that have an anode, is the anode MUST be checked/replaced as specified. If it isn't done, you risk corrosion, and attending to the anode afterwards will never repair the corrosion. Then you may get leaks. Hmmmmm..............

 

[r.bartlett]

Just to update

Spoke to my Uncle the heating guy confirmed it was a pinhole in the tank.-new tank

However he also said Titan no longer make these so are unavailable. He now has to have a different make along with the re-plumbing and increasing the loft hatch (bill now nearer 2k

Are they no longer made etc?

Cheers

Richard