DIY project may have been the wrong choice

[OneLooseCrank]

Hi guys,
After two heating engineers never got back to me with a quote to replace our rotting immersion heater tank, and a series of major let-downs from our builder, I decided to install a new tank myself. I was unable to find anything out about the existing tank but it essentially had the cold water store and ball-float valve at the top, immersion heater at the bottom. Pretty simple. Seeing as it seemed only to be a case fitting cold water in, hot water out and overflow pipe, I figured it should be fairly simple.
The issue is, now that it is installed, no water is coming from the hot water taps. I'm beginning the think that because the hot water out is near the top of the hot water tank, there isn't any pressure to push it down the pipes. I've tried to supply the link to the tank, but the site is denying links in new posts.
So, I can see two options, is there a way to feed water into the pipe to create the draw needed, or do I need to get a hot water outlet drilled in lower down?
(And, I'm sure that the obvious answer is to get a plumber in... but I've had nothing but let-downs. If it's complex, I'll try again for a new tradesman. I'm hoping for something I can remedy).

 

[Dotty]

It is complex, as you've unfortunately discovered.

Whereabouts are you?

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Sounds like a fortic cylinder??



Could just be air?

 

[chris watkins]

Hi
So long as the water level in the small cistern on top of the cylinder (tank) is still higher than the hot water taps then it will work (don't go drilling anything).

Most likely you have an air lock in the hot water pipework, taking it that all the valves are open!!

Plumbers trick - use the cold main water pressure to back feed the hot pipework & push out the air, there are a number of ways to achieve this but the easiest is if you have a kitchen mixer tap is to open up the hot tap, cup your hand over the end of the spout (if you know how the spout comes off then remove it & cover the hole) slowly turn the cold on, you are trying to allow the cold water to pass up the hot side without too much spraying out. You normally have to wiggle your hand around a bit until this happens, let it flow for a good minute or so. Then (important if you don't want to get wet) turn off the cold tap first, remove your hand & let the water flow back out of the hot tap or turn off the hot as well & open the hot bath tap.

If it doesn't continue to flow then try it again for a little longer this time.

 

[Best]

As Chris has said, probably an air lock as you don't have much head of water.
But if you are trying to clear the airlock from the kitchen sink mixer, - take note that all modern kitchen mixers DO NOT mix in their spout. The spout keeps the two waters seperate at its base. It's for to stop water contamination. You will have to remove the spout and cup your hand over the mixer body opening before opening hot & then mains.

 

[OneLooseCrank]

Croppie: Newark on Trent.
Chris Watkins + Best: Thanks - it is a small head of water as the majority is just the cold water tank above. The hot water draws from the top of the hot water storage (on reflection, the old steel tank had hot water out at the base iirc). I've just watched a youtube video about removing an airlock with the technique you've mentioned - I'm going to give it a go now. Is the aim to fill the ho****er pipe with cold water, pushing the air into the tank to vent? As we don't have a kitchen right now either, I may be able to connect the cold water pipe to the hot water to remove the air that way.
Thanks guys,

 

[joni os]

It would be unusual for the hot water to come out the base of any DHW cylinder. Most likely a drain off pipe with gate valve in line. This questions if pipes have been properly identified.
Do not trust gate valves to be open just because it turns anti clockwise. If valve continues to turn then spindle could be broken and valve left in closed position.
There will be a vent pipe from top of hot part of cylinder to cold fill part, make sure this is not blocked, a cable tie or similar will confirm water level, which should be same as in cold tank.
If you have hot and cold washing machine valves then linking these will back flush your hot water pipework.

 

[joni os]

I add a caution to the method of linking hot and cold washing machine valves. If vent is blocked pressure could exceed tank design. This method should only be used with open vent and with cold opened for minimum period.

 

[jtsplumbing]

An old steel hot water Tank ? How old was it ? some photos would have been nice ! explains why some less experienced plumbers would walk away . Think it was mentioned B4 it could be an air lock or if you have kept any of the old valves on the system its Proberly stuck closed , old gate valves are known for failing

 

[OneLooseCrank]

Well, air lock removed, water flowing free from the hot water taps! I really thought I'd ballsed up there for a minute. Thanks for your help guys. I know my limit though, leaving the electrics to sosomeone qualified!

 

[OneLooseCrank]

An old steel hot water Tank ? How old was it ? some photos would have been nice ! explains why some less experienced plumbers would walk away . Think it was mentioned B4 it could be an air lock or if you have kept any of the old valves on the system its Proberly stuck closed , old gate valves are known for failing

It was a rectangular unit, cold water store in the top, immersion at the bottom, steel casing. Wasn't free standing like my new copper cylinder but bolted to the wall. The steel had rusted and it was just seeping water out all over.