Air locks in system after draining - please can anyone help!

[gmx]

Hi all

This is my first post on the forums so please be gentle

I am wondering if anyone can help with an issue I've got.

I'm willing to call in the professionals but would like to see if this is an issue I could sort myself, and learn in the process.

We have a open-vented system with an Ideal Icos boiler.

I had to remove a radiator for decorating but unfortunately the TRV was faulty and wouldn't shut off the flow.

I tied up to ball cock in the tank, drained the system at the drain just above the boiler, and fitted the new TRV.

On refilling the system, I went around and bled all radiators and the pump, until no air was escaping.

It's worth noting that all radiators in the house are currently turned off due to an anomaly in the setup of the system whereby we only get hot water via the heating. We have inherited this "feature" and it's on the to do list.

Anyway, on firing the system back up the boiler kicks in and the burner light goes solid, but then pretty soon (ie: 5-10 seconds) there are loud clunking noises from the pipes above the boiler and shows status code "H A".

I have tried re-bleeding everywhere and there is no air coming out of any radiator or the pump.

However, if I open the drain above the boiler (where I drained the system from), there seems to be air mixed with the water which I can feel in the hosepipe attached and see if I put the end of the hose underwater in a bucket.

It's worth noting the radiator I removed is still off, with the new TRV in the closed position.

Can anyone please assist in troubleshooting this issue?

Many thanks in advance

Greg


(p.s the system was working before the drain so please don't just tell me to scrap the Icos boiler! )

 

[Howsie]

Try searching on the forum, you'll find lots of threads about this. You will probably need to back fill it via a drain off.

Good luck.

 

[clarky101]

Any manual air vents in cylinder cupboard.???

 

[gmx]

Hi guys.

Thanks for the quick replies.

I have to admit I did search quite a bit but perhaps being a novice I didn't find anything to specifically get me on the right track.

Regarding the back-fill, I think that's where my confidence goes and I will have to call in a plumber.

Regarding the air vents in the cylinder cupboard, I will go and have a look.

Thanks again!

Greg

 

[gmx]

At clarky101: the only thing I can see in the cylinder cupboard is a valve at the base of the cylinder identical to the one above the boiler that I used to drain the system.

It's a spur with a hose attachment and a knurled-nut/square nut. Is this what you mean or is this just used to drain the cylinder?

Can send a pic if that helps?

Many thanks

Greg

 

[supper plumb]

have you tried flushing it ???

 

[clarky101]

That's just a drain off for the cylinder, so it's of no purpose for this job...

 

[clarky101]

You could pull the water thro the drainoff on the boiler until the air is out....

 

[clarky101]

Dodgy phone...big fingers. ..

 

[Crinkmeister]

Pipes leading to your missing rad could have trapped air.

 

[gmx]

Thanks for the responses guys.

So, if I understand you correctly clarky101, I can drain from the point I used before (this time letting the system continually refill from above) to remove the air?

I suppose I need to make sure that the header tank doesn't empty out and suck more air in from the top but I guess that can't happen as the water will come out at the same rate it goes in?

I have tried doing this and removed about 3 buckets of airy-water. Should I just keep going until the drained water has no air in it?

Also good point about the missing rad. Perhaps I should wait until I have re-instated the rad and re-bleed everywhere?

For now I don't need heating and am ok to use the immersion for a few days until we get the room finished with the absent rad.

Thanks once again to everyone for all the help and advice, I really appreciate it.

Greg

 

[Howsie]

It won't be airy water, just water not at full flow.

Where are you based?

 

[Centralheatking]

All you need to do is shoot it up with mains water pressure.

1. connect mainswater hose to drain off(mt cock)
2. close all bleeds on rads
3. open mt cock and turn on mains water GENTLY
4. go around hse and bleed rads TOP 1 1ST
5 . WATCH out if o/flow from F&e tank shows - turn mains off
for a while

This method removes all air locks - centralheatking

Hi all

This is my first post on the forums so please be gentle

I am wondering if anyone can help with an issue I've got.

I'm willing to call in the professionals but would like to see if this is an issue I could sort myself, and learn in the process.

We have a open-vented system with an Ideal Icos boiler.

I had to remove a radiator for decorating but unfortunately the TRV was faulty and wouldn't shut off the flow.

I tied up to ball cock in the tank, drained the system at the drain just above the boiler, and fitted the new TRV.

On refilling the system, I went around and bled all radiators and the pump, until no air was escaping.

It's worth noting that all radiators in the house are currently turned off due to an anomaly in the setup of the system whereby we only get hot water via the heating. We have inherited this "feature" and it's on the to do list.

Anyway, on firing the system back up the boiler kicks in and the burner light goes solid, but then pretty soon (ie: 5-10 seconds) there are loud clunking noises from the pipes above the boiler and shows status code "H A".

I have tried re-bleeding everywhere and there is no air coming out of any radiator or the pump.

However, if I open the drain above the boiler (where I drained the system from), there seems to be air mixed with the water which I can feel in the hosepipe attached and see if I put the end of the hose underwater in a bucket.

It's worth noting the radiator I removed is still off, with the new TRV in the closed position.

Can anyone please assist in troubleshooting this issue?

Many thanks in advance

Greg


(p.s the system was working before the drain so please don't just tell me to scrap the Icos boiler! )

 

[oz-plumber]

Is the pump running?
Sounds like and overheat issue to me.
If the boiler kettles after 5 - 10 seconds, I would assume the pump is not circulating water.
Mind you, this could also happen if the system isn't filled properly.

 

[breakdown]

You said in your your first post you had all rad valves shut off. I would open them up and let the water circulate might be overheating due to all rads in off position. Worth a try.