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Leaking hot water cylinder

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Winston

Hi gents been to one of my customers this morning said he's got a leak. Obviously has been leaking for some time! Tank 35 years old so seen better days leaking at top where it meets the side.

To save the old boy some money drained it down cleaned fluxed and tried to solder but no joy. So my thought is new cylinder, but I want to know do you think its up to a newbie to do?

The house has a Arga for its heating all the pipe is goind to need some replacing gate valves and so on. And its a big tank 130 cm high circumfrence 147cm. The flow and return for the Aga are 28mm :(

And currently I am knackered after spending 2 hours in a cupboard with my blow torch at full pelt, do I do it or pass it on?
 
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Do it, as long as you think out the pipe routes before hand you'll be fine.
In the meantime you could make a temp repair to the cylinder with a 2 part epoxy paste until you source the new cylinder.
 
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thjis is a tough one because of your desire to help the old boy out
tbh cost of replacing a cylinder and pipework has got to be in the 150.00 bracket plus cylinder cost/pipe and valves so not much change out of 400.00
i have gone to jobs where the person is crying as i leave and you feel like a swine for taking their money but you have to treat the customer the same and remember your in business much as you want to help them you have allready spent 2 hours on the job
 
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Winston - I think we've been going about the same time as each other. I did my first one about a month ago for some people I see most weeks. It's not that difficult as long as you think it through carefully.

The customers I helped are still talking to me and happy I did it despite my problems.

It started as replacing the hot water cylinder immersion heater. I couldn't get it out and the customers suggested changing the cylinder. Then, with advice, I bought the wrong cylinder! After that I took it upon myself to order a different cylinder. It took me a very long day and a couple of hours the next day to empty and remove the old one and replace it with a new one and new immersion heater and the final bill came to £800.

Removing the young fledgling that fell down from the airing cupboard during the process was done F.O.C. of course!
 
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I dont think cost is a issue I would imagine he is very wealthy. What my concern is am I up to it and to do a good job for him. I dont want to take on more than I can deal with, thats all.

I will call him, and see what he wants but I think a days labour plus parts easily be £500-600.
 
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If it was me I'd try the 2 part epoxy resin first, if its been recommended.

I test things like this at home, I have an old plastic water tank that i drilled a 6mm hole in the bottom and repaired it with LSX, filled it with water the next day. 6 months or so later its still watertight.

Wouldn't use LSX on a hot cylinder though, nor would a repair a customers water tank with it but its good to know its capabilities.
 
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Winston said:
Hi gents been to one of my customers this morning said he's got a leak. Obviously has been leaking for some time! Tank 35 years old so seen better days leaking at top where it meets the side.

To save the old boy some money drained it down cleaned fluxed and tried to solder but no joy. So my thought is new cylinder, but I want to know do you think its up to a newbie to do?

The house has a Arga for its heating all the pipe is goind to need some replacing gate valves and so on. And its a big tank 130 cm high circumfrence 147cm. The flow and return for the Aga are 28mm :(

And currently I am knackered after spending 2 hours in a cupboard with my blow torch at full pelt, do I do it or pass it on?
Click to expand...

Winston,

Only you can say for sure that you are capable of doing the job, but saying that if you stuck things that you know you can do easily you will never progress, if you think that you can manage the job go for it

A few things to look out for see if you can see what grade the cylinder is, and get the same, also make a sketch of where all the tappings are, with measurements if needs be get one made up by some one like Gledhill if they still make to order

Check the pipe sizes, 35 years ago and it could be old imperial copper tube, get a couple of the old 1" compression rings, if the vent is 3/4" get an adaptor for this as well just in case

Make sure that you have rags and a couple of dust sheets when the cylinder comes out so that you do not spill any dirty water, on some priceless antique carpet etc

Good luck with what ever you decide to do
 
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Well wont get to change it, customer managed to find someone who sealed it :confused: A bit upset really as done a few jobs for this guy and really gone out of my way finding a matching pink cistern to replace the cracked one and so on.

Now some guys has come in and slagged me off and customer wont pay for my time on sunday.
 
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the public only care about one thing
getting the job done as quickly as possible and for as little as possible while still moaning they cant get a plumber and when they do they charge too much
present the guy with an invoice for your time on sunday
 
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Sorry about that mate.

The saving grace is, at least he has a pink bathroom suite! :eek:

You say the leak was on the seem of the cylinder?

This was praying on my mind about repairing a copper cylider and I've actually just phoned Telford Copper Cylinders and asked if a copper cylinder could be repaired.
Welcome to Telford Copper Cylinders

He said any repair on an oldish cylinder (over 5 years) will fail.
The weld seem is a brazing containing silver etc but cylinders obviously contain scale inside which will find its way into the flux and coupleld with expansion and contraction the repair will fail.
I mentioned 2 part epoxy resin and he said the same, it will seal but the expansion and contraction will cause it to fail sooner rarther than later.

So I bet you'd like to be a fly on the wall Winston when you're customer phones that guy up to say his repair has failed. Maybe you should resubmit your quote (for new cylinder) with this new found information.

Phil.
 
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Well at the time I said if I can get it seal it would only be as a temp, and that a new cylinder is required. My concern is ok my invoice yes £70 for 2 hours sunday morning. but more worrying is the floors rotten due to a prolonged leak, and what if the cylinder fails big time hot water everywhere. To me that sounds dangerous :mad:.
 
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Winston said:
Well at the time I said if I can get it seal it would only be as a temp, and that a new cylinder is required. My concern is ok my invoice yes £70 for 2 hours sunday morning. but more worrying is the floors rotten due to a prolonged leak, and what if the cylinder fails big time hot water everywhere. To me that sounds dangerous :mad:.
Click to expand...

To which I can only say, do not worry your self, too much about this because

1) Its only your time you lost

2) Its not your problem now, if you have told him about your concern

3) Tough, he has been told about the condition of the floor, and now its down to him to decide on what to do
 
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Got a letter today from the customer saying he isnt paying and that I made the leak worse! As all the gate valves were seized up as no one had been in this airing cupboard for 30+ years I told him the mains was off!

As I was going to be off on Monday I asked if he wanted me to organise for another plumber to sort situation out. Sunday afternoon the guy rings me to tell me he has turned the mains on.

I am sorry as I give a great deal of time and respect to my elders but He is going to pay for my time on Sunday and at £70 I think he is lucky. This has really got to me.:mad:
 
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