Single feed primatic cylinders

[Reg Man]

My 19 year old son, who is NVQ level 2 plumbing with 3 years experience, called me tonight. Had a customers heating system not working, could not work out why there was no F & E cistern. Asked if it was a sealed heating system, he said "no". I said "oh it's probably a Primatic". he said "a what". "A single feed hot water cylinder". still blank. 200 mile round trip to confirm the situation tomorrow, then we can find a way forward as why the system has failed, cold radiators on most of the system. So water deficiency in the heating circuit, hard water area too. Already advised customer that this is not an ideal system arrangement as there is a risk that the radiator water can contaminate the domestic and it does not work. So looks like an indirect cylinder replacement with either a F & E cistern or a sealed system.

 

[Rickster123]

I'd go with the f&e. Wouldnt want to pressurise a system of that age. It's a shame they don't cover this kind of thing in the nvq. Great experience tho and lucky to have you to call on. I still occasionally ring the guy I did my apprenticeship with 15 years ago. He's full of info.

 

[Ollieg]

Guy i worked with couldn't find the F&E tank so decided to snatch a pump (didn't want to turn off Ball 'o' fix pump valves). Flooded 2 stories of a town house in Camden.
Social Housing, the good old days.

 

[tamz]

200 mile round trip to confirm the situation tomorrow

You'll love the nostalgia trip Steve :lol:
Btw i'd seal it if i was changing it but i'd check the pump first

 

[sonray ltd]

Already advised customer that this is not an ideal system arrangement as there is a risk that the radiator water can contaminate the domestic and it does not work. So looks like an indirect cylinder replacement with either a F & E cistern or a sealed system.

So your going to charge the customer to change all the system just cause the rads don't heat up ?

 

[Niallmat]

It's a shame they don't cover this kind of thing in the nvq.

We looked at them when we did are 6129, maybe different instructors teach you a little extra if they can?

 

[Reg Man]

Yes F & E preferable. sealed system not out of the question as 1 bar water pressure is equal to about 30ft head of pressure which is not that more than an average town house.

 

[sonray ltd]

What are you going to gain ?

 

[Reg Man]

What are you talking about?

So your going to charge the customer to change all the system just cause the rads don't heat up ?

 

[sonray ltd]

A primatic maybe old but they work well.
Changing to f/e or sealed system is a better system yes, but alot of cost to a customer just cause the rads are cold and nothing to do with it being a primatic..

 

[Rickster123]

A primatic maybe old but they work well.
Changing to f/e or sealed system is a better system yes, but alot of cost to a customer just cause the rads are cold and nothing to do with it being a primatic..

Hes not even looked at it yet.

 

[Reg Man]

Labour cost less with sealed system, not open to atmosphere, so less corrosion to component parts including the expensive boiler.

What are you going to gain ?

 

[Reg Man]

I don't know yet, because I have not seen the system, but this installation is an extremely hard water area, where customers expect to change their hot water vessels every 10 to 15 years if not sooner. The history of this installation, apparently has been a problem for a long while. Customer reported that the last guy back filled the heating circuit through the mains water, so from that I think that the system is not able to fill its self up through the primatic if that is what it is.

A primatic maybe old but they work well.
Changing to f/e or sealed system is a better system yes, but alot of cost to a customer just cause the rads are cold and nothing to do with it being a primatic..

 

[CES]

Not to mention you can't dose with inhibitor on a primatic.

 

[b.lynch plum]

A primatic maybe old but they work well.
.

Don't you have to watch out you don't load to many rads on these as they can't take many and start to lose ch water to hw mixing and that's how the rads lose there heat cuz there is to many rads for that system? Not very good to me

 

[aplombier]

Be carefull, There's some clown around our way changing these primatics and replacing with standard twin feed cylinders and thinking they are the same until nothing works, there's going to be a Big Bang some where soon.

 

[Reg Man]

Update is getting my son to take his blinkers off and look harder, Looked in the garage and found all the controls for the sealed system. Turned out the decorators had been and taken radiators off not refilled the system properly, so been running with no pressure and lots of air. Resulting damage, was popped pump valves (Cheap rubbish) and seized actuator. The system had been updated a few years ago by BG and was actually very good standard of work.