Water heats up but rapidly cools

[Woody10]

Hello,

I am having work done in Bathroom at present. I have a Horstman BX90 boiler for hot water. Indication lights show that it is working and the water does get heated however the boiler is not holding the heat and it rapidly cools (eg around two hours).

Anyone got any ideas? Not too good on this stuff so don't get too scientific.

Cheers! Appreciate your help.

 

[Agile]

Neither myself nor Google have ever heard of this "boiler".

Is it really a hot water cylinder?

Tony

 

[corgiman]

or maybe a programmer???

 

[Woody10]

Sorry it was read out by missus!

Its an every day electric water boiler.

Cheers

 

[chrishutt]

What insulation have you got on the cylinder?

 

[Nige F]

Looks like Hercule Poirot is needed It`s an old copper cyl. with a jacket on it and the immersion is on the way out

 

[JohnD]

About how big is it? is it wall-hung or in a cupboard? And would you say it looks less than 5 years old, or more than 10 (a more modern one should have better insulation).


I think "Horstmann" would have two "n"s there is a company of this name but I haven't found that model.

 

[Woody10]

There is insulation covering the boiler, it is in a red plastic covering and covers the entire boiler. There are gaps at top but not major.

 

[Woody10]

Its about a metre high and is on the ground in a cupboard of a one bed ground floor flat.

 

[chrishutt]

So it's a copper cylinder. If it's cooling down very quickly the water must be running somewhere. Have you a dripping tap or leaking pipe?

 

[JohnD]

I have found a HorstmaNN immersion heater control beginning BX...

The water heater controller (Horstmann BX2000)

so I am beginning to think you have a hot water cylinder with an immersion heater. tell us the dimensions, also the thickness of the jacket, and if it appears to be a copper hot-water cylinder, we will know if you just need additional insulation in it.


(Sorry, but this is not what we call a Boiler)

 

[Woody10]

No leaking tapes. Cant see or feel any leaking pipes.

In terms of insulation didn't have problem until a couple of days ago.

You are right about the Horstman bit that is the immersion heat controller - (Women!!).

Have bled a persistent rad that keeps getting air lock a few times recently, would that be it?

 

[JohnD]

If you have radiators, then you must have a gas (or oil, or coal) boiler as well. Doesn't this heat the hot water cylinder?

It may be that the control valve or thermostat is not feeding enough heat to it.

Have a look and see what pipes you have going into the cylinder, especially at the bottom and half way up, and how hot they are.

Also look for a thermostat taped onto the side of the cylinder, and an elctric valve on some pipes near the cylinder, or the gas boiler.

Tell us what you can find.

 

[Agile]

An eclectic valve?

 

[Nige F]

An eclectic valve?

Ah Agile, another of your many-sided and wide ranging posts