Is hot water without central heating possible?

[jhoward]

A radiator valve was leaking so I took it out and am now waiting for a new part.

In the meantime I was hoping we would still be able to use the hot water system but it is not working.

More details:

• I have capped off the pipe ends where the radiator valve was so this means the heating system is no longer a complete loop.
• We have a normal (not combi boiler) with a cold water and a header tank.
• The immersion heater was decomissioned last year when we changed from economy 7 (not sure what all that was about but that is what we were told.
• I have filled the heating system and bled the radiators.

There is still hot water coming out of the taps which, I assume is left over from the heating last night.

When I switch the hot water (and/or heating) on the boiler does not fire up. It is switched on has an automatic pilot light.

What am i missing???

many thanks.

p.s. as you must have gathered, I am not a plumber but am pretty handy. I can run pipes, bleed systems, change radiators etc- I just don't under stand the theory.

Cheers for any advice.

John

 

[secret squirrel]

sounds like you've got an airlock

 

[jhoward]

thanks secret squirrel - any tips on removing it?

 

[jhoward]

All hot water taps have good pressure which I think is a good sign...

 

[secret squirrel]

All hot water taps have good pressure which I think is a good sign...

Not really different system. Bleed radiators, check airing cupboard for air vents and vent the air there if you can.

There are loads of posts on the forum about clearing air locks if you just search on air locks you'll have loads pop up.....

 

[SimonG]

As secret squirrel said sounds like an air lock in the circs from boiler to your hot water cylinder. Does it have a manual air vent on it?

 

[jhoward]

Thanks for the replies guys. I have now reached my limit, what does a manual hot air vent look like? There is a valve above the boiler just like the ones below the radiators, when I undo it water comes out which must be a good thing.

Not sure what a manual air vent will look like though.

 

[SimonG]

 

[jhoward]

Thanks Simon, manual air vent found in the airing cupboard and tiny amount of air came out and the boiler is not firing up.

I will search the forum for ways of removing an air lock.

 

[jase158]

did you bleed the pipes where the valves were?

 

[derek hunter]

hi
you mentioned that you where getting hot water from taps its maybe just a case of water within cylinder being hot enough and stat preventing boiler from firing.

 

[jase158]

• I have capped off the pipe ends where the radiator valve was so this means the heating system is no longer a complete loop.

John

how have you done this? why is it no longer a loop, have you disconnected just the radiator or have you disconnected something else? you need a full loop to circulate. although sounds more like you have just capped off where the valve used to be.

 

[jase158]

hi
you mentioned that you where getting hot water from taps its maybe just a case of water within cylinder being hot enough and stat preventing boiler from firing.

I was thinking same thing but heating would still work

 

[derek hunter]

have you tried the heating ,is it an open or sealed system

 

[gas mann]

if you drained down the system and didnt turn the boiler off i would check if the boiler has gone on lock out (boiler fires up with no water in it or circulation and over heats )when you drained the system normally theres a reset button