Draining a Fortic tank?
 

Every few years, my immersion heater element fails and I have to replace
it. It's a bugger because "draining" my hot water system doesn't
completely drain the tank. The element is still immersed and I gently
undo the element until the thread leaks and shove a bucket underneath.
It then takes hours to drain to below the element. There is no drain
cock for the cylinder.

1. Does anyone know a "Trick of the trade" to do a easier job of
draining the cylinder?

2. I've seen "long life" immersion heater elements. Are they worth
bothering with?

Thanks!

Steve

In article , "Steve
Harris" says...
Every few years, my immersion heater element fails and I have to replace
it. It's a bugger because "draining" my hot water system doesn't
completely drain the tank. The element is still immersed and I gently
undo the element until the thread leaks and shove a bucket underneath.
It then takes hours to drain to below the element. There is no drain
cock for the cylinder.

1. Does anyone know a "Trick of the trade" to do a easier job of
draining the cylinder?

I'd have thought that applying air pressure to the vent would force
water back up the cold feed and into the header tank, where there is
presumably some sort of overflow pipe, but it's not something I've
ever tried.

"Rob Morley" wrote in message
t...
In article , "Steve
Harris" says...
Every few years, my immersion heater element fails and I have to replace
it. It's a bugger because "draining" my hot water system doesn't
completely drain the tank. The element is still immersed and I gently
undo the element until the thread leaks and shove a bucket underneath.
It then takes hours to drain to below the element. There is no drain
cock for the cylinder.

1. Does anyone know a "Trick of the trade" to do a easier job of
draining the cylinder?

I'd have thought that applying air pressure to the vent would force
water back up the cold feed and into the header tank, where there is
presumably some sort of overflow pipe, but it's not something I've
ever tried.

If you look carefully at your Fortic Cylinder you should find a drain point
whcih may have a 1/2" BSP plug in it. Next time you drain off take this out
and replace it with a 1/2" screw-in drain cock. End of problem

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
Every few years, my immersion heater element fails and I have to replace
it. It's a bugger because "draining" my hot water system doesn't
completely drain the tank. The element is still immersed and I gently
undo the element until the thread leaks and shove a bucket underneath.
It then takes hours to drain to below the element. There is no drain
cock for the cylinder.

1. Does anyone know a "Trick of the trade" to do a easier job of
draining the cylinder?

2. I've seen "long life" immersion heater elements. Are they worth
bothering with?

Thanks!

Steve

there is usually a drain hole, out of site round the back, probably.

Aggressive immersion element will last longer, but not indefinitely. Soft
water is the answer, mine has lasted 15 years so far (Normal tank,soft
water, only heat source, so on all the time, nearly)
A neighbour has had at least four elements in the same period (hard water)
He has a double tank fortic thing too, and only turns it on when wanted.

mrcheerful

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 11:22:37 GMT, "mrcheerful
.." wrote:

mine has lasted 15 years so far (Normal tank,soft
water, only heat source, so on all the time, nearly)
A neighbour has had at least four elements in the same period (hard water)

How does that work then? Does one of you have a borehole?

In article , "Andy
Dingley" says...
On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 11:22:37 GMT, "mrcheerful
." wrote:

mine has lasted 15 years so far (Normal tank,soft
water, only heat source, so on all the time, nearly)
A neighbour has had at least four elements in the same period (hard water)

How does that work then? Does one of you have a borehole?


Or a water softener, perhaps?

I think I've worked out a method involving inserting a siphon tube in
the top and through the tube that links the two chambers. The stuff used
by amateur winemakers would be just the job. Unfortunately, my two local
winemaking shops are not answering the phone - possible shut until the
new year.

Can anyone suggest an alternative retail outlet that might seel
tubing. I reckon I want 1/4 inch polythene or other flexible tube.
Ideally, I'd like about 18' so I can drain into the bath rather than a
succession of buckets.

TIA!

Steve

"Steve Harris" wrote
| I think I've worked out a method involving inserting a siphon
| tube in the top and through the tube that links the two
| chambers. The stuff used by amateur winemakers would be just the
| job. Unfortunately, my two local winemaking shops are not
| answering the phone - possible shut until the new year.
| Can anyone suggest an alternative retail outlet that might
| seel tubing. I reckon I want 1/4 inch polythene or other flexible
| tube.

B&Q sell a variety of tubing by the metre in the rope/chain/tube department.

Owain

On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 16:12 +0000 (GMT), Steve Harris wrote:

Can anyone suggest an alternative retail outlet that might seel
tubing.

B&Q do, and probably the other sheds, Halfords as well. Will take a
while to siphon through 1/4" tube how about 3/8" that should fit down
the cold fill tube I would have thought might need a bit more
persuasion around the top bend though.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

In article ,
Steve Harris wrote:
Can anyone suggest an alternative retail outlet that might seel
tubing. I reckon I want 1/4 inch polythene or other flexible tube.
Ideally, I'd like about 18' so I can drain into the bath rather than a
succession of buckets.

My local B&Q sells two sizes of polythene tube by the metre.

--
*If you don't pay your exorcist you get repossessed.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article , (Dave
Plowman (News)) wrote:

My local B&Q sells two sizes of polythene tube by the metre.

Thanks. Can you remember what department it comes under? I've looked on
their site but can find it. Trouble is, I don't know which "department"
to look. Sure, I'm using is for a plumbing job but I don't know the
"proper" use.

Steve

In article , "Steve
Harris" says...
I think I've worked out a method involving inserting a siphon tube in
the top and through the tube that links the two chambers. The stuff used
by amateur winemakers would be just the job. Unfortunately, my two local
winemaking shops are not answering the phone - possible shut until the
new year.

Can anyone suggest an alternative retail outlet that might seel
tubing. I reckon I want 1/4 inch polythene or other flexible tube.

I think you'll find it's normally PVC.

Ideally, I'd like about 18' so I can drain into the bath rather than a
succession of buckets.

car parts, tropical fish supplies, medical/laboratory equipment,
hydraulic/pneumatic supplies?

In article ,
Steve Harris wrote:
Thanks. Can you remember what department it comes under? I've looked on
their site but can find it. Trouble is, I don't know which "department"
to look. Sure, I'm using is for a plumbing job but I don't know the
"proper" use.

In mine it was in hardware next to reels of rope and chain.

--
*Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 03:19 +0000 (GMT), Steve Harris wrote:

My local B&Q sells two sizes of polythene tube by the metre.

Thanks. Can you remember what department it comes under? I've looked
on their site but can find it.

The B&Q site only carries a fraction of the stock that the stores
have. The small useful things like tubing are the sort of things that
you won't find on the website.

Trouble is, I don't know which "department" to look.

Use the search feature much quicker and direct rather than trying to
work out if a bath tap will be in Plumbing or Bathrooms...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 01:03:29 +0000, Lurch wrote:

Use the search feature much quicker and direct rather than trying
to work out if a bath tap will be in Plumbing or Bathrooms...

The search feature isn't much cop either.

I tried for "tube" and "tubing" but failed I guess having stuff that
requires cutting to length is "difficult" to have on website.

Better off going down to the store.

Larger stock range for sure.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Thanks all, I ended up with some B&Q tubing intended as part of an
irrigation system 10m was under 5 quid.

For posterity and Google:

*How to drain a Fortic Tank that doesn't have a drain*

Copyright Steve Harris 2004 but placed in the Public Domain - No
warranties. All possible disclaimers apply.

Allow 10 hours - but you won't be working for 10.
You will need a siphon tube of at least 4m - longer if a bath/sink/drain
is further away. I used B&Q "Water Supply Pipe for use with B&Q easy
watering system! 10m long, 7mm diameter.

1. Start with the tank full
2. Stop cold water coming in. Careful application of elastic cord on the
ball cock can avoid the need to turn off the rest of the system
3. Fill the siphon tube with water. Block one end with a lump of blue
tack and the other end with a finger. (Filling tip: Put tube in a bath,
stuff one end up the cold tap, turn on and wait for a steady stream at
the far end)
4. Plunge your finger, tube and hand into the water in the top tank.
Take your finger off the tube end but ensure the tube end is kept below
the water.
5. Feed the tube into the pipe joining the two tanks. On my tank, it's
angled favourably. Keep feeding, you will probably be able to tell when
it hits the exit and enters the bottom tank.
6. Feed in another 6" of tube for luck
7. Unblock the far end of the tube and check for a steady flow. Have a
cup of tea and come back to make sure it's still flowing.
8. Turn on hot taps etc to assist draining
9. Do something else for about 9 hours - that's how long mine took to
drain.
10. Suggest you leave the tube in place (bunged!) until you are sure you
won't need it again.

Steve

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 17:07 +0000 (GMT), Steve Harris wrote:

9. Do something else for about 9 hours - that's how long mine took
to drain.

Surprised it took that long but is that 7mm ID or OD? How much height
difference did you have between the bottom of the tank and tube
outlet? The bigger the height difference the faster the flow.

I'd also measure the length of the cold feed pipe and mark that onto
the tube so you know you haven't pushed in an extra 18" of tube that
is now curled upwards in the hot tank...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail