Cheers not reaching temp. F and E overflows.

[armyash]

One of my neighbours came to me about 8 weeks ago and said the "small tank" was overflowing. I jumped in the loft and ball valve was running. Assumed just letting by, replaced ball valve. Heard nothing assumed all sorted.

Neighbour came back to me a couple of weeks later and said it's still happening. It doesn't overflow all the time just occasionally. I said if you want me to investigate I will, he said not urgent. (I think he is after a freebie). Told him to turn the pump down to see what happens, he said this has helped but not cured. Said the water level in the F and E goes up and down.

His wife called me yesterday, said its still intermittently overflowing but also the radiators are not reaching temperature. She said she changed the batteries in the stat but still the same. I said I'd need to have a look and it likely will not be a 5 minute job.

What does this sound like? Split coil or blocked cold feed or dodgy pump or something else?

I'm going over tomorrow to investigate so hoping to go armed with a few ideas.

Thanks for any info.

 

[Darren Jackson]

have they got any mixer taps or shower with no check valves fitted?

 

[armyash]

Possibly, will find out tomorrow, I didn't think about that. Only seen that on cwst.

Is that the most likely? Would it affect the ch?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Won't have that on a f and e tank Darren

Could be a blockage on the feed / blockage

 

[jtsplumbing]

Is the F&E lower than Cold storage tank ? is it getting warm ? how old is cylinder ? Hard water area ? likely pin hole in coil.

 

[Darren Jackson]

Won't have that on a f and e tank Darren

My mistake didn't read it through properly! CH header not CWS. forget my previous post. Not Applicable lol.

Pin hole in coil could be the culprit though as suggested by others.

 

[armyash]

Didn't think that could happen on f and E.

I'm sure the 2 tanks are sitting on the same support.

 

[armyash]

Water in tank is cold.

Cylinder is pretty old.

It is a hard water area.

What is the quickest way to check if its the coil?

 

[jtsplumbing]

Didn't think that could happen on f and E.

I'm sure the 2 tanks are sitting on the same support.

If F&E water level is lower that Cold storage it will back fill , water is trying to reach same level.

 

[armyash]

OK thanks so if sitting on the same support I can raise the F and E and see if that solves it.

How can this only start happening if its been this way for years.

This won't affect the rads getting hot though will it.

 

[mfgs]

Blocked cold feed sounds most likely. A pin hole in the coil would mean it would constantly overflow and wouldn't be intermittent.

 

[SavageW]

OK thanks so if sitting on the same support I can raise the F and E and see if that solves it.

How can this only start happening if its been this way for years.

This won't affect the rads getting hot though will it.

That’s if the coil has split,check cold feed an vent for blockages.If your happy that there is no restriction there,cap cylinder flow an return if they have an immersion heater on the cylinder an leave it couple days.I can’t say I know a quick way of proving the coil is split,others may

* re read what you said about rads not getting hot now,I’d definately go with blocked cold feed first.

 

[armyash]

Thanks for the replies, I said to him likely to be blocked cold feed or if unlucky a split coil.

Will update once looked and job is done (if I get it).

 

[Darren Jackson]

Quickest way I check for a coil leak is to isolate the coil, disconnect the feed and return from the cylinder & make sure it is empty and dry then cap or bung the lower tapping & go for a cuppa. Come back to it 10-15 mins later and take off the cap to see if the coil has filled up again.

 

[townfanjon]

Jonnys method ... disconnect coil and use a pressure tester .
Never found a leak on a coil ever , mind you , we have decent water in “gods own”.

 

[armyash]

I'm heading over to have a look in 20 minutes, taking a magnet with me to check the cold feed.

Will look at tanks in loft to see if f and e water level is lower than cwst.

I doubt they will want me draining down tonight to check the coil (if it's not the cold feed). I'm free Saturday to do that if needed. Plus I can still check the coil if it's the cold feed once it's drained.

Hoping it's the cold feed because I know they won't want to pay the going rate for a new cylinder and I don't want to be labelled a rip off in my own street.

 

[armyash]

Just been to have a look.

Front room rad (middle floor - town house) wasn't getting hot, needed bleeding.

There was a call for heat when I got there but boiler/pump etc was doing nothing, rads lukewarm on 30. Customer said hw has been really hot, and a couple of weeks ago rads started to warm up with hw turned on.

Switched ch off.

Set hw to on, pump kicked in. Double checked cyl stat working. All OK.

Switched hw off.

Lever on 3 port slack and moving with no demand on.

Switched ch on. Nothing. Gave lever a nudge, all fired up rads now getting nice and hot.

A few compression fittings on cold feed arrangement, magnet not sticking so looks like cold feed was an issue before but has been sorted.

Poked my finger in vent pipe, it was wet, saw the odd drip.

Putting it down to a faulty 3port, I have left hw switched off and told them they should still be getting hw as the valve is stuck and letting by. I'm thinking with the 3 port the way it was it was acting as a restriction on the ch. Rads have likely been getting warm when the hw demand comes on and turning off once cyl stat is satisfied.

Have told them to text me tomorrow evening about the o/f whether it has stopped dripping. They said ch normally comes on at 1630 and they notice the o/f around 1900.

Does that all sound about right to you pro's?

Thanks

 

[armyash]

Can the title of this thread be changed to CH from Cheers please, I don't seem to be able to change it. Thanks to predictive text on my phone.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

@Lou

 

[armyash]

How does my diagnosis sound?

 

[armyash]

Anyone had a chance to read what I found?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yea sounds like it's boiling over best if you can convert to s plan

 

[armyash]

Will replacing the 3 port not solve the issue?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Will replacing the 3 port not solve the issue?

if its suck with the micro switch always on yes

did you do any elec testing?

 

[mfgs]

Is it just the head? or the spindle sticking?

 

[armyash]

Getting 240 on the white when calling for heat. 240 goes when demand is turned off. That's what I should be getting?

 

[armyash]

I usually change the entire thing if I can.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

white one is heating

are you getting anything on grey and orange (when hot water off?)

 

[armyash]

Nothing with hw off.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Nothing with hw off.

grey ?

 

[armyash]

240 hw off. Correct?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

240 hw off. Correct?

yes

 

[armyash]

So, do you reckon change 3 port and problem solved?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

So, do you reckon change 3 port and problem solved?

should be

 

[armyash]

Thank you for taking the time to read the thread and reply ShaunCorbs.

Thanks for everyone else's replies.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Thank you for taking the time to read the thread and reply ShaunCorbs.

Thanks for everyone else's replies.

i always re wire the wiring centre unless ive wired it as well

 

[armyash]

I do that on a boiler change, as I change components also. Good idea to so more often though to make sure it's correct.

 

[armyash]

OK have changed the 3 port this morning. Its now doing what it should, on and off for each demand.

Rads getting nice and hot.

HW getting through coil OK. Didn't get any water from the coil when disconnected and capped.

Hoping thats solved it.

Will find out today.

 

[armyash]

Don't know what else it could be if not.

The ball valve that time changed on the F and E a few weeks ago has been getting sprayed with water from vent at some point as theres dirty ch water marks all over the shiny brass.

 

[armyash]

Thanks for all the replies, I received a text this morning to say heating working a lot better and no running overflow.

Perfick.