Warm Air Systems

[PlumbersMate]

Anyone know much about these? Went to a customers today, and the flow and return on cylinder werent getting hot so no hot water unless they use immersion. Cracked nut on the pipe and it was bone dry, thing that really got me was that there is no cold feed, f & e tank or vent pipe for the heating on their system, whole street is the same?! Do these systems not require them? If so what feeds the heating pipes?

Sorry if im being dumb here but ive never come across this in my life

 

[Mike Jackson]

Probably direct fired or on a primatic.

 

[diamondgas]

They're usually direct cylinders heated from a circulator in the warm air unit! What pipe was bone dry?

 

[PlumbersMate]

The flow n return were both dry

 

[diamondgas]

was it a replacement cylinder? I'm thinking someone has maybe fit an indirect cylinder and done a runner . Do you know the model w/air or its circulator?

 

[PlumbersMate]

Think you're spot on mate. Her existing cylinder was leaking, so a fencer who also apparenty does plumbing replaced it with an indirect cylinder that is meant for pumped heating, I did say the cylinder is wrong type and that's when she dropped that bombshell and said she can't get hold of the bloke! Lol

 

[diamondgas]

ID...!!! if there's any water in the heater/pipework and it's turned on you've got a sealed time bomb !!!! I'd be back making sure the heater is disconnected or the cylinder is replaced!

 

[tamz]

Problem solved. Another fk up by a wanna be plumber who knows nothing. No more than she deserves as she knew he was a fencer (probably a ganger). Like going to the fishmonger to get a tooth out :lol:

 

[PlumbersMate]

Yeh I switched the boiler off before I left and told her not to use it until she called out her boiler manufacture engineer as the boiler has been declared at risk by British Gas anyway but scary thought is she has had that switched on all week!

 

[diamondgas]

Is it possible to remove the coil and fit a couple of essex flanges? Never done it myself or even know if it's possible?

 

[PlumbersMate]

Also to answer you before the model is a Johnson amd Starley j25-32 mk 3 . She showed me first plumbers business card and it said fencing and gardening, and then on the back it said I'm also a water qualified plumber??!! I asked her why on earth you would use someone like that and she said I've learnt my lesson now!

 

[PlumbersMate]

Is it possible to remove the coil and fit a couple of essex flanges? Never done it myself or even know if it's possible?

really don't know mate, I'm trying to convince her to do a full upgrade to a combi surely the most efficient route in the long run

 

[diamondgas]

If ever there was a potential RIDDOR reportable job I'd imagine HSE would be interested in this one?

 

[diamondgas]

really don't know mate, I'm trying to convince her to do a full upgrade to a combi surely the most efficient route in the long run

I'd agree the w/air must be some age

 

[PlumbersMate]

If ever there was a potential RIDDOR reportable job I'd imagine HSE would be interested in this one?

Yeh good shout actually I will look into it tomorrow, thanks diamondgas and everyone else can sleep a little easier now. Scary thought how dangerous that can potentially be

 

[diamondgas]

Hope you get the system replacement mate

 

[tamz]

If ever there was a potential RIDDOR reportable job I'd imagine HSE would be interested in this one?

+

I doubt it Diamond. Worst case scenario a split pipe. Not enough volume of water.

Warm air units are simple to work on if you are qualified (a full 4 questions and another £80 on your acs) and they work very well. Just not to everyone's taste or liking. The guy changing the cylinder doesn't need to be qualified or registered with anyone. Nothing to do with gas safe. No amount of regulation can cover the idiots tho.
When they started putting qualified for vented cylinders on the gas cards ( i wonder how they knew i was, i certainly never told them???) i thought what is this all about. Basic stuff learned from day 1 but how times have changed when even the basics are not understood. Sometimes the way the trade is going actually depresses me!
Time for a wee JW green labelarty3:

 

[diamondgas]

your most likely right tamz regards the RIDDOR! Are folk not taught about the simplest of system designs such as direct cylinders though!

I'm joining you mate, I'm on something a bit softer though Red Wine

 

[tamz]

Now on the Dalmore 15 but the green label was better. Might break out my last alligator later. The bride has retired for the night full of the sangria but she has an early rise making my sunday fry up in the morning:lol:

I think they are taught very little about anything these days. My apprentice is in his final year doing svq3 and is absolutely clueless regards systems. It does my t!ts in. God knows what the future holds when all the "old school" rap it in.

 

[diamondgas]

Aye!! It would irritate me if i had to explain gravity circulation or open systems ... One pipe and two pipe design etc ... I think its in the best interest of all in this industry to grow in knowledge of the things we work with! I'll never work on solar thermal but still feel the need to understand its concepts for example

 

[AWheating]

" dam, i need a new cylinder. I know ill phone that guy i know who does fencing"

what goes through some custards minds???????

 

[Kev the gas]

A bit late replying to this one, but have come across it before.

As long as the water heater and warm air can be safely used, you can install an expansion tank in the loft and connect open vent and cold feed as in old gravity system to the cylinder flow and return.

Kev.