I need a 15" x 60" indirect hot water cylinder that stands vertically plumb.

[Sean Mckinney]

Hello.
The old hot water cylinder is leaking, it's around 40 years old so I can't complain. I have had one attempt at getting a custom made cylinder but I returned that as it imitated the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I was given a refund but I was told that the new cylinder met the current standards and that I may struggle to find a spot on plumb cylinder.

My old man would "turn in his grave" if I don't match the standards he set when we built this house 40 years ago and I am as "do it right" as he was so I do not want to bodge the job by, as has been suggested, wedging the base of an errant cylinder. Aside from that there isn't the clearance in the cylinder's alcove to use anything but a plumb cylinder and I'd have to rip at least one room apart to change the alcove's size.

Comparing the old cylinder with my recollection of the new-returned cylinder, different methods of construction have been used. In the old cylinder the sleeve which forms the parallel section of the hot water cylinder comes down to the 'ground' and the bottom end-cap fits inside the bottom of the sleeve like an upside down bowl. Aside from any brazing of the joint between the sleeve and the bottom end-cap the joint has also been rolled-over. The top end-cap of the old cylinder is again like an upside down bowl with the joint between the sleeve and top end-cap also being rolled over. In the new cylinder I recollect that the "sleeve" fitted inside the end-caps with the bottom end-cap having a "W" like cross section.

To be perfectly honest I'd now be wary of trusting the new method of production and would prefer to get a cylinder that was manufactured in the same way as the old cylinder but given that I live in Belfast I guess I'll have to take what I can get from the mainland via one of the UK plumbers' merchant chains.

Any advice is welcomed.
Thanks
Sean Mckinney

 

[oldplumber]

if the cylinders 40 years old isnt it time to change the whole sytem? combi maybe, why not empoy a plumber who knows what he's about?

 

[Blackcatgas]

Who made you the cylinder? Ive had a few "replicas" made and theyve been fine, try a different company.

 

[REDSAW]

personally, i think to re-new what you allready have is a backward step justifying it by saying at least it will fit the exsisting installation. time for upgrade me thinks, beside, the cost of custom built will set you part-way to any additional cost to upgrade.

 

[justlead1]

Sean, I am assuming that when placed on level ground the cylinder was not upright? Surly is just a case of slamming it down on a flat surface to rectify the problem?

 

[Sean Mckinney]

I plain and simple can't afford to replumb the entire house so that is out of the question, besides which as far as I am aware the rest of the system works fine and doesn't leak so...
As a genuine question why would I want or need to replumb?
I can see the sense in replumbing the heating system if and when I change the heat source but that will be a major job for a few years down the line if and when I have the money.
I don't know who made the old cylinder and will not say who made the new cylinder. Would slamming a cylinder down to true off the base not risk damaging the brazed joints?

 

[justlead1]

Hi Sean, Its probably already happened when delivered by the sound of it. The material is quite soft and will conform if teased a bit and should not affect the brazing. Good Luck