Please identify this fitting for me.

[orangepeel]

Hi,
My CH and HW system won't refill from the F&E tank and no air comes out of the radiators or pump bleed valve 🙁. I used a magnet as recommended on this forum in another thread 😀 and I have identified some pipe work that is probably blocked and needs replacing. some of this pipework includes a fitting I've not seen before and can't find in any catalogues 😕. It's a cylinder about 50mm diameter and 80mm high.
There are 3x22mm pipes out of it as follows:

One 22mm comes from the boiler into the side of the fitting near the top.

One 22mm exits the opposite side of the fitting near the bottom this then feeds into the pump (and is also joined by a 15mm feed from the F&E tank which also needs replacing)

And the last 22mm pipe exits on the top of the fitting which runs up to discharge into the F&E tank as the expansion pipe.

What does this thing do? I'm guessing that it might be something to stop the pump overpumping into the F&E tank or perhaps it seperates air from the system?

Also is it essential and where would I get a replacement from?

Edit: i have attached a photo, the fitting is shown right above the CH programmer.


Many thanks.

-Neil

 

[Puddle]

You can get a replacement here,or clean out the one you have if possible

[DLMURL="http://www.tfc-group.co.uk/_sa_webapp/runc3e9.html?page=200"]AIR SEPARATOR - TFC Group[/DLMURL]

 

[kirkgas]

it is called an air seperator, check out BES catalogue they are still readily available

 

[Alanka]

It's an air separator. Its function is to allow any air trapped in the central heating water (that flows via the boiler, hot water cylinder coil, and rads) to escape up the vent pipe. Air in the system is bad because it aids corrosion and can cause air-locks that can block or impede flow.

It's usually not absolutely ESSENTIAL, but it is highly desirable. You can get them anywhere.

 

[REDSAW]

yup, had a breakdown couple of months ago, it was the a.s blocked solid. rip it out and ask the scrappy advertiseing on the forum to come and collect f.o.c.

 

[orangepeel]

Thankyou very much for your replies.
I'm going to replace it this weekend if I can get hold of one.
If not, how do you clean them?
Is the blockage solid that needs chemicals to disolve it or can it just be jetted out with a hose?
Is it a mostly empty chamber or does it contain some kind of filter etc?

Thanks again for your help.

-Neil

 

[Chrisgy]

It's empty but you would be better off just to get a new one. These always get blocked up over time. If it was me doing the job I'd re-pipe it so it wasn't required

 

[orangepeel]

Well I got a new air separator from Toolstation £11.99 or something like.
Unfortunately these things are solder joints only so I purchased a blow torch, flux, solder and a few fittings as well 🙂.

Having never soldered before I watched a few 'how to' videos on youtube first 😕.

I thought I'd blown it on my first joint because it didn't get a nice ring of solder around the top edge 😱. The other two joints however turned out to be much easier because I used solder ring fittings. Everything held up Ok without leaks when I connected it up to the outside tap to test for leaks.

I then cut out the section of suspect pipework. I then had to cut some more out from the F&E feed because it was blocked up so heavily. Luckily my 22x15x22 reducing 'T' was a compression so it was easy to add a bit longer pipe.
Everything went in well and the radiators filled beautifully.😀

I am now a convert to soldered plumbing. But not yet confident enough to use end feed unless I really have to.

One question however, if you are soldering a complicated fitting like a reducing 'T' do you attempt to do it all in one go or do you solder each arm individually and run the risk of unsoldering a previously soldered arm by conduction through the fitting?


Thanks again to all those who gave advice.

-Neil

 

[PlumbBobBob]

hi neil
yes you solder all connections on a tee at once for exactly the reason you say. same with elbows and straight couplers.

steve

 

[Puddle]

Another string to your bow,well done 🙂

Best usually to do all at once when soldering a tee
Do the small fitting first on the reducer,when solder runs,move to next joint and so on,just adding a bit of solder to each if fittings solder ringed,use a low flame,you do not require a real strong fame,many have torch to high and over heat,with todays high temp fluxes ,it does make easier,when you start,solder all fitting,then if you wish, warm each joint again and wipe round to make tidy,thus concentrating on one thing at a time,try end feed,don't forget the solder is sucked into joint with heat,so easier than many think

 

[stevetheplumber]

Another string to your bow,well done 🙂

Best usually to do all at once when soldering a tee
Do the small fitting first on the reducer,when solder runs,move to next joint and so on,just adding a bit of solder to each if fittings solder ringed,use a low flame,you do not require a real strong fame,many have torch to high and over heat,with todays high temp fluxes ,it does make easier,when you start,solder all fitting,then if you wish, warm each joint again and wipe round to make tidy,thus concentrating on one thing at a time,try end feed,don't forget the solder is sucked into joint with heat,so easier than many think

not stricctly true puddle the solder is sucked in by capillary atraction the heat just liquifys the solder feed a stick of ice onto a cold fitting and the moisture will still pull in
the classic example is stand two sheets of glass in a bowl of water and watch the liquid move up between them

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

i thought it worked through magic???

I woukld solder it all in one go as it its quicker as the pipe work is already heated when you move on to the second joint

doubtful you will iunsolder it unless you pull apart the pipe work

solder ring fittings or yorkshire are easy as you fit, a monkey could do it, heat till see ring of solder. there done