water coming from f&e overflow

[jase158]

I went to a job and there is water coming from overflow, firstly it came from water tank ball valve was faulty, replaced this and still overflowing, I then found it to be f&e tank, replaced this ball valve but still overflowing,

I went and made sure the water was at the correct level in f & e but still overflowing,

I suggested to customer to turn down pump, i have not heard anything else so far, hopefully this has fixed it,

Although if not i am a bit puzzled unless it is cylinder that is broken?

can anybody help on a way to test if the cylinder is broken please, the customer says that she is getting heating when the hot water is on only.

she has a vented system with a back boiler.

is there something else that could be causing it, boiler, i.e.

 

[Gray0689]

but next ting he will be having his feet for diner

With a nice souce of rusty copper ;-)

 

[doitmyself]

anybody know if 28mm flow and return is standard

28mm flow and return are normally a sign of a pumped heating/gravity hot water installation. The standard HW cylinder is only suitable for a fully pumped installation. Cylinders suitable for gravity circulation may be special order (i.e expensive) items, so converting to a fully pumped system may be more cost-effective.

 

[Ultimate P & H]

IF the system is a gravity hot water system, then now is the ideal time to upgrade it. Not much to it, will need zone valve(s), cylinder thermostat, some pipe alteration and a rewire. The system will be more economical and controllable though and I'd sell it to the customer on that basis.

 

[Ultimate P & H]

I have never in 35 odd years came across a split coil. It can happen but is definately not a common fault.

What water conditions have you got where you are fella?

I ask as on the South Coast where I am we have very hard water, I see 3 or 4 split coils every year. A cheap immersion heater (ie not chromoloy) will last about 18 months here with everyday use if you're lucky. Where I was previously in South London it wasn't much better and once again split coils and pin holed cylinders weren't uncommon. It's got me wondering if it's just a water hardness issue?

 

[washer]

I work down south, and change several cylinders a year due to the coils being pinholed.

 

[tamz]

What water conditions have you got where you are fella?

The water is soft here (Scotland) so it could be related to the hardness of the water. Never really thought about it much. Split coils are definately very uncommon here.

 

[HHP Ed]

Im down south aswell and diagnosed and replaced 3 split coils in the past 2 weeks. See a hell of a lot of pin holed and split coils round this way. Most definitely the hardness of the water. Yet no-one wants to put a water-softner in when its suggested.

 

[jase158]

now go and explain that to tom aka tamz

sorry dad,

 

[SafeGasInstall]

u did not eat your feet ,did you

 

[SimonG]

Just as a point if anybody interested. The plumb center center cyl 900 x 450, although it states pumped only,it does work on gravity. They gauranteed it to the exent if it hadn't worked they where paying me to put a pump in!

 

[jase158]

Just as a point if anybody interested. The plumb center center cyl 900 x 450, although it states pumped only,it does work on gravity. They gauranteed it to the exent if it hadn't worked they where paying me to put a pump in!

was it 1" connections?

 

[SimonG]

was it 1" connections?

Aye, 1" female for hot and cold feed 1" male for circs.

 

[jase158]

ok, will give it a go

 

[TTB]

I would really question if the PC cylinder would work on gravity as the coil centres should be larger due, to the cylinder changes back in 2002 as all vented units had to be specified with larger coils to conform to the new British Standard. Easiest way to check is the pop a 22mm ball bearing or marble in the top coil connection and see if it rolls all the way down and fails out of the return connection.
On another point could the cylinder be a thermalstore unit with a split coil , cold water feeding the coil , passing through the hole and filling the F&E tank up.

TTB

 

[SimonG]

I would really question if the PC cylinder would work on gravity as the coil centres should be larger due, to the cylinder changes back in 2002 as all vented units had to be specified with larger coils to conform to the new British Standard. Easiest way to check is the pop a 22mm ball bearing or marble in the top coil connection and see if it rolls all the way down and fails out of the return connection.
On another point could the cylinder be a thermalstore unit with a split coil , cold water feeding the coil , passing through the hole and filling the F&E tank up.

TTB

You dont have to question wether it will work on gravity because it does. Installed and tested last week. Wouldn't have said it was ok for gravity if it wasn't

 

[washer]

I would really question if the PC cylinder would work on gravity as the coil centres should be larger due, to the cylinder changes back in 2002 as all vented units had to be specified with larger coils to conform to the new British Standard. Easiest way to check is the pop a 22mm ball bearing or marble in the top coil connection and see if it rolls all the way down and fails out of the return connection.
On another point could the cylinder be a thermalstore unit with a split coil , cold water feeding the coil , passing through the hole and filling the F&E tank up.

TTB

And what if your ball bearing gets stuck part way through the coil?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

then you're up the creek without a paddle.

 

[kay-jay]

And what if your ball bearing gets stuck part way through the coil?

if your balls are too big then you need a good blow