Identifying hot water cylinder valve and why is it leaking!

[Ian Anderson]

Hiya,

Having a strange intermittent leak from a valve, or rather a pair of valves on the side of my hot water cylinder. It is doesn't leak all the time, usually after nothing has been used for a while and the mains pressure climbs.

I am wondering whether to drain the tank and then "dismantle" the valves to see if anything is amiss. Trouble is I am not sure of their function!

e.g. why are they a pair? Why do they both seem to be fully tightened? Are they for safeguarding against excessive pressure or temperature?

So many questions! Any help would be gratefully received and faithfully applied :laugh3:.View attachment 7928

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

can you post the picture again?

 

[Ian Anderson]

trying again.....

 

[AWheating]

never seen that valve before, but im sure somebody on the forum will have seen and fitted one before and will be able to give you some more details. In the mean time can you post a picture of the whole cylinder to give us an idea of what its fitted to and where it positioned.

welcome to the forum

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

Same as AWheating, I never seen it either. :/

 

[Ray Stafford]

Nor me, but could you also post a picture of the writing on the white handle (or just type the text). Hoping there is a makers name, or logo.

 

[petercj]

What does it look like if you remove the white knob - if it's the spindle leaking maybe you can pack it or replace a seal.

 

[Skelly87]

Possible pressure reducing valve maybe??? Pure guess though

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

to me it looked different. but hard to say when can't see whole cylinder.

 

[Noxer]

Ive never seen this valve before. Do you guys reckon it could be a double reg valve but a really old type :laugh3:

 

[b.lynch plum]

Is it an old diverter vale as it looks like another conection can be madte at the bottom? Just a thought (I'm sure you will be able to re pack it)

 

[stevetheplumber]

have you got a photo that shows where it is in relation to the cylinder

 

[jam1979]

just a guess it could be a balancing valve if its on the flow side to ur coil fron the boiler like i said just a guess

 

[glenno1]

Some sort of drain off mebee

 

[b.lynch plum]

Don't look like any1 is coming out to say yes it is " " lol

 

[Ian Anderson]

Thanks guys, I managed to get in there and have a good look yesterday. Once the white valve tops were unscrewed a little I found words related to pressure around the tops indicating that they are a pressure release safety thing, set at 9bar.

(They are mounted mid way up the tank and on the cold inlet pipe)

The one that is not leaking, when unscrewed lifts a valve and dumps water out of the bottom outlet. The one that is leaking doesn't do that, when unscrewed it leaks from around the spindle etc.

Googled the words on the top of the valves and they are German, and by an amazing coincidence the first owner and builder of this house was a German.......... Looks like he brought more than a suitcase over lol!

Anyhoo, now that we know what they are, it should be easy enough to remove the leaking one and clean it up and refit it with some fresh stuff, although initial testing of the joint finds it incredibly tight in the base! A 'first thing in the morning' job, methinks!

Fingers crossed and thanks again.

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

Good to hear you've sorted this puzzle . Just one thing, bear in mind that only competent person with G3 ticket should work on unvented. Also, what is below the outlet of that valve? Looks like incomplete installation, but hard to say without seeing it. :chillpill:

 

[mountainman]

All clever stuff this google malarky