Water pouring from overflow of Ideal Mini C32

[sherees]

Hi, would be very grateful if anyone out there could give me some advice on my boiler problem. I have water pouring out of the overflow constantly. It started pouring about a week ago and since then I've been too afraid to put the heating on. Last night I gave it a go and hot water was pouring out of the overflow.
About 6 months ago, water was dripping from a pipe under the boiler which a plumber came and fixed and said something about a valve that I did not understand. It has been fine from then until I noticed the overflow last week.
A new boiler is not an option at the moment so fingers crossed it will get warmer and I will just need it for a shower, if this is the case will it do any harm to turn the tap off to stop the water going into the boiler (and therefore out of the overflow) while I'm not using it- or is that a bit daft??

 

[keen2learn]

Although not a plumber the most likely suspect is your pressure relief valve or your fill loop could be letting by or not correctly turned of whats the pressure reading on the dial ideal should be 1-1.5 bar

 

[xr4x4]

Where is this overflow pipe, where does it come from, can you trace it?

What does the pressure gauge on the boiler say.

Do you know where the filling loop is and if the tap is fully off?

 

[sherees]

Hi Thanks a lot for your reply(s).

There is a tap on top of the filler loop which has always been turned on (even before the overflow started leaking). When a plumber fixed the leaking pipe below the boiler 6 months ago it was left on so I assumed this should be left on? I have turned this off now to stop water going out of the over flow pipe but I turn it on when I need to use the boiler for a shower. Not sure if this is correct or not.

The pressure guage is usually at 3 whether the boiler is in use or not. It has been since I moved in nearly 2 years ago. When the tap on the filler loop is turned off it goes down to just above zero.

The overflow pipe comes out of the wall below the boiler, although I can't see the exact point where it enters the wall.

Thanks again

 

[bengasman]

Your filling loop is letting by.
Either close it, or if you can't do that, replace it.

 

[sherees]

Hi Thanks for that but can I ask what do you mean by close it. The only thing I can think you mean is turn the plastic tap to stop the water going in to the boiler but will this not just mean the boiler will be empty? Or am I completely misunderstanding?

 

[bengasman]

Closing it should do the trick. If it doesn't, it's broken.

 

[xr4x4]

The valve you speak of is the main water inlet, there should be another felixable pipe teeing off this main water pipe that should have a separate tap on it.

This is the filling loop. The other pipe is your main cold water in for your hot water.

The actual filling loop should be turned off.

Having 3 bar on your gauge isn't good and is why your pipe is overflowing. It's the pressure relief dumping the system pressure for safety reasons.

The gauage should sit at around 1 bar cold and rise to about 2 bar when running.

 

[sherees]

Thanks xr4x4, I think I understand now. Tonight I have turned the tap on the filling loop off and it seemed to work ok at first with the pressure hovering between 1 and 2. The overflow outside stopped dripping, so far so good.

However after about 20 minutes it started making an odd noise as though the boiler was empty (kind of a rattling sound) so I had to turn the tap back on to stop the noise and I could hear water flowing back in the system. The pressure went back up to 3. Since turning the tap back on about half an hour ago though, it is only dripping and no pouring out of the overflow.

Really appreciate you taking the time to help. Sheree.

 

[xr4x4]

Thanks xr4x4, I think I understand now. Tonight I have turned the tap on the filling loop off and it seemed to work ok at first with the pressure hovering between 1 and 2. The overflow outside stopped dripping, so far so good.

However after about 20 minutes it started making an odd noise as though the boiler was empty (kind of a rattling sound) so I had to turn the tap back on to stop the noise and I could hear water flowing back in the system. The pressure went back up to 3. Since turning the tap back on about half an hour ago though, it is only dripping and no pouring out of the overflow.

Really appreciate you taking the time to help. Sheree.

What was the pressure gauge reading when it was making the noises?

If the system is losing the pressure with the filling loop off then you have a leak and a serious problem.

The filling loop should not be left on, it is a service valve and should only be used for maintenance.

 

[jasongates]

I would guess that as the pressure relief has been running for a week or so, it is not closing 100% when the pressure has been returned to normal, your best bet is to get an engineer to check the pressure relief valve and either stop it letting by or replace it.

Having the boiler running at 3 bar is not recommended as it's putting unwanted pressure on all the other fittings on the heating system, by leaving it will eventually cause more leaks to appear around radiator valves, compression joints etc...

 

[sherees]

Hi guys, Thanks for all the replies. I realise now that it is a serious problem and will probably need a new boiler.

As the boiler empties when I turn the filling loop off I can now see why it has been left on all the time.

Also explains why I have lots of leaking radiator valves too.

Spent the day trying to get someone to come and have a look. Easier said than done though.

Thanks again, wasn't good news but on the bright side at least I can try and limit the damage already done.

 

[xr4x4]

You probaly don't need a new boiler, just a few new parts.

 

[Agile]

It may well be your leaking rad valves causing the pressure to go down!

The danger from leaving the filling loop open is causing rusting on the inside of your rads and dirt blocking the plate heat exchanger.

Tony

 

[sherees]

Well I've managed to get someone to come tomorrow and give me a quote for a new boiler but I'll ask them to see if it can repaired.

I can't close the filling loop because the boiler just empties and sounds like its going to blow up. I can remember that my ex said something about leaving the filling loop thing open because it wouldn't work otherwise. Went straight over my head tho! The filling loop has been open constantly since I bought the house 2 years ago. I've got 2 badly leaking radiator valves and just hope that there isn't more damage that I'm not aware of as yet!

Thanks again