I have a Ferroli Optima Combi boiler and sealed CH system that's been running pretty well for at least 6 years. However, on start up after this summer's shut down I have a pressure problem (hot or cold, on or off) which means having to top up twice a day. Now, I've cured a few minor valve joint leaks, and there's no water being expelled out of the pressure relief valve and no water that I can trace anywhere else, but I'm still having to top up. The situation's driving me nuts.

Any ideas please before I pull all my hair out? I can't see a problem with the expansion vessel - although I have taken a couple of rads off for decorating. Could this be the problem?

Agrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Thanks in anticipation

"kafkaian" wrote in message
...

I have a Ferroli Optima Combi boiler and sealed CH system that's been
running pretty well for at least 6 years. However, on start up after
this summer's shut down I have a pressure problem (hot or cold, on or
off) which means having to top up twice a day. Now, I've cured a few
minor valve joint leaks, and there's no water being expelled out of the
pressure relief valve and no water that I can trace anywhere else, but
I'm still having to top up. The situation's driving me nuts.

Any ideas please before I pull all my hair out? I can't see a problem
with the expansion vessel - although I have taken a couple of rads off
for decorating. Could this be the problem?

Agrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Check the vessel charge pressure first.
..

kafkaian wrote:

Agrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Assuming the system is cold and topped up to the right pressure, watch
the pressure gauge as the boiler starts up and the system comes up to
temperature. If it shoots up to a high pressure (i.e. more than 3 bar)
then that might indicate the pressure vessle has either failed, or needs
pumping up again.

--
Cheers,

John.

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Thanks for the replies so far. The system pressure never increases appreciably (hot or cold) just gradually decreases over a day.

I'll check the vessel though anyway

kafkaian wrote:

Thanks for the replies so far. The system pressure never increases
appreciably (hot or cold) just gradually decreases over a day.

I'll check the vessel though anyway

Worth doing, just to be sure. One way of testing this quickly is to find
where the pressure release blow off pipe exits the house (typically its
taken through a wall in 15mm pipe and then pointed down at the ground),
and tie a plastic sandwidch bag or similar over the pipe so that it will
catch any water coming out of the pipe (but not collect rainwater).
Look at this at the end of a day. If it is empty then you know it is not
a problem caused by excess pressure due to exapansion, or due to a
leaking pressure release valve.

Assuming you eliminate those possibilities, you are back on the trail of
a leak.



--
Cheers,

John.

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Cheers John. Appreciated

Ian

Still a problem and no sign of any prv leak. Ugh. Back to the drawing board and a search for leaks that I can't find

kafkaian wrote:
Still a problem and no sign of any prv leak. Ugh. Back to the drawing
board and a search for leaks that I can't find

How much water are you adding a day?

More that a couple of litres ought to show up somewhere! If it was in an
upstairs pipe then you would expect to see mark on a ceiling. If you
have susspended floors downstairs and pipes run under them, then that is
a place you could loose loads of water and not notice it.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 12:58:21 +0000, kafkaian
wrote:


I have a Ferroli Optima Combi boiler and sealed CH system that's been
running pretty well for at least 6 years. However, on start up after
this summer's shut down I have a pressure problem (hot or cold, on or
off) which means having to top up twice a day. Now, I've cured a few
minor valve joint leaks, and there's no water being expelled out of the
pressure relief valve and no water that I can trace anywhere else, but
I'm still having to top up. The situation's driving me nuts.

Any ideas please before I pull all my hair out? I can't see a problem
with the expansion vessel - although I have taken a couple of rads off
for decorating. Could this be the problem?

You have read the FAQ? Particularly Ed's on this very subject, linked
off the group FAQ?

http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html

Phil
The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/
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