Vokera combi dropping .5 bar a week. -Update

[ashtons99]

My daughter has just moved into house. The place has a Vokera boiler which looks fairly new. I am having to switch the filling loop about once a week as it is dropping anything up to half a bar.
I have done the obvious and been around all the visible pipe joints with a tissue but can find no trace of a leak. The piping seems to be all above floor level and there are no damp patches on ceilings or walls.

Obviously it's losing pressure somewhere but I've reached the limit of my knowledge. Before I call a plumber are there any other checks I can make

 

[just pumps]

Expansion vessel faulty?

 

[picasso]

Is the pipe outside leaking ? it is most probably on the outside wall just under the boiler.

 

[ashtons99]

Thanks. Something else to consider

 

[vulcancontinental]

What model? Get the serial number from the data badge usually beneath the boiler and ring Vokera, they'll tell you how old and if in warranty. The Benchmark page at the back of the instruction booklet should also have this information.

 

[ashtons99]

Thanks for that. I will have a look for that info.

 

[Gas2Air]

Looks fairly new

 

[ashtons99]

Just to get things back under one thread here goes.
I put a pot under the pressure pipe outlet and after a day found an egg cup full of water in it. The heating hadn't been run at all so the discharge had happened under hot water only conditions.

The gauge had shown some pressure loss so I topped it up to about 1.4bar and then ran the heating. The gauge went beyond 3 bar.

Today I have done the pressure vessel recharge ie let the air out of the Schrader valve on top....it was completely free of any moisture. I then opened a rad bleed valve and let it run until the gauge showed 0bar.
I then put 1bar of pressure back into the vessel and shut off the bleed valve. Then slowly filled the system back up to just under 1.5bar

I ran the heating and again it went up to around 3 bar, there appeared to be a small discharge of water into the outside pot.

I'm going to see how it goes over then next couple of days but I think if it still loses pressure I've reached the extent of what I should be doing as a none qualified person so I will be ringing the engineer.

If the system is still building up too much pressure having recharged the pressure vessel sufficient to open the PRV what is the likely diagnosis from an engineer ie what can we expect to be paying for.

What should the general operating pressure be on the boiler when running heating (Vokera Compact 29)

I noted the boiler was fitted in 2012 and has only had one service recorded at the end of 2013.

There is a comment from the service engineer stating "leaking auto air vent - closed manually, Vokera informed"

Any info would be appreciated

 

[Agile]

You seem to have correctly repressurised the EXV. Something many pros don't seem very good at.

But the EXV may well be connected to the rest of the boiler by a thin tube and its quite likely that has become blocked based on what you have described.

They can often be cleared by poking with bike brake wire.

But if you do that always let the air out first otherwise you will get wet ( and probably dirty too).

Tony

 

[DP]

I then put 1bar of pressure back into the vessel and shut off the bleed valve. Then slowly filled the system back up to just under 1.5bar

Did you ensure the pressure on boiler gauge stayed at 0 while you pumped up the vessel to 1 bar?

 

[picasso]

You seem to have correctly repressurised the EXV. Something many pros don't seem very good at.

Tony

I do wonder if you have a mild form of touretts syndrome as you seem incapable of posting without a " comment" on how bad other workmen are or is it just another form of advertising you services again?

 

[DP]

I see it as a complex.

When you are good at what you do, others praise your skill. There is no need to sing your own praise as your clients are doing it for you

This "others workers are c5ap" comment is getting so tiring that posters who would not say boo to a ghost are beginning to leave negative comments now

 

[ashtons99]

I then put 1bar of pressure back into the vessel and shut off the bleed valve. Then slowly filled the system back up to just under 1.5bar

Did you ensure the pressure on boiler gauge stayed at 0 while you pumped up the vessel to 1 bar?

Hi yes, I left the bleed valve open on the rad which kept the pressure at zero

 

[DP]

I then put 1bar of pressure back into the vessel and shut off the bleed valve. Then slowly filled the system back up to just under 1.5bar

Did you ensure the pressure on boiler gauge stayed at 0 while you pumped up the vessel to 1 bar?

Hi yes, I left the bleed valve open on the rad which kept the pressure at zero

Good. Well done
If pressure still rising, the flexy pipe is blocked.

 

[ashtons99]

Is that the braided hose which feeds into the exp vessel