Pump for pumping air into combi boiler exansion vessel?
 

The expansion vessel in my combi has stopped doing its job properly
after a leaking radiator valve reduced the system pressure to almost
nothing the other day.

Last time I found the expansion vessel wasn't doing its job, I managed
to pump 10psi of air into it, and it then worked perfectly for a few
months until this latest event.

This procedure would be easy if I had a suitable (cheap) pump. Any
suggestions? A car foot pump is out of the question because the
vessel's valve is about 5 ft above floor level.

Last time I did it, I had an electric tyre pump which I connected to a
long wire which I then plugged into my car's fag lighter. But it was
very tricky because each time I pulled the pump's attachment off the
valve, the air would escape - and it doesn;t take much air to create
10psi in the vesel.. And now I don't have a car with a fag lighter!

I do have a procket pressure guage which can read as low as 10 psi.
It's just the pump which is the problem.

Thanks for any suggestions. A battery-operated pump perhaps? Anyone
know of a cheap one? Someone told me a bicycle pump would work. Is
that correct?

Many thanks

Rich

Rich wrote:

Thanks for any suggestions. A battery-operated pump perhaps? Anyone
know of a cheap one? Someone told me a bicycle pump would work. Is
that correct?


Bicycle pump.


--
Grunff

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Rich wrote:

The expansion vessel in my combi has stopped doing its job properly
after a leaking radiator valve reduced the system pressure to almost
nothing the other day.

Last time I found the expansion vessel wasn't doing its job, I managed
to pump 10psi of air into it, and it then worked perfectly for a few
months until this latest event.

This procedure would be easy if I had a suitable (cheap) pump. Any
suggestions? A car foot pump is out of the question because the
vessel's valve is about 5 ft above floor level.

Last time I did it, I had an electric tyre pump which I connected to a
long wire which I then plugged into my car's fag lighter. But it was
very tricky because each time I pulled the pump's attachment off the
valve, the air would escape - and it doesn;t take much air to create
10psi in the vesel.. And now I don't have a car with a fag lighter!

I do have a procket pressure guage which can read as low as 10 psi.
It's just the pump which is the problem.

Thanks for any suggestions. A battery-operated pump perhaps? Anyone
know of a cheap one? Someone told me a bicycle pump would work. Is
that correct?

Many thanks

Rich

I would use a car footpump, parked on the platform at the top of a step
ladder, and operated by hand. You don't need a lot of force for 10 psi - and
hand-power is quite adequate.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

Last time I found the expansion vessel wasn't doing its job, I managed
to pump 10psi of air into it, and it then worked perfectly for a few
months until this latest event.

I would replace the vessel. It should not require regular precharging.

Christian.

"Rich" wrote in message
...

The expansion vessel in my combi has stopped doing its job properly
after a leaking radiator valve reduced the system pressure to almost
nothing the other day.

Last time I found the expansion vessel wasn't doing its job, I managed
to pump 10psi of air into it, and it then worked perfectly for a few
months until this latest event.

This procedure would be easy if I had a suitable (cheap) pump. Any
suggestions? A car foot pump is out of the question because the
vessel's valve is about 5 ft above floor level.

Last time I did it, I had an electric tyre pump which I connected to a
long wire which I then plugged into my car's fag lighter. But it was
very tricky because each time I pulled the pump's attachment off the
valve, the air would escape - and it doesn;t take much air to create
10psi in the vesel.. And now I don't have a car with a fag lighter!

I do have a procket pressure guage which can read as low as 10 psi.
It's just the pump which is the problem.

Thanks for any suggestions. A battery-operated pump perhaps? Anyone
know of a cheap one? Someone told me a bicycle pump would work. Is
that correct?


I carry in my van a bicycle pump with suitable connector for just this sort
of operation.
Don't forget to depressurise the radiator system before pumping up the
vessel to its design pressure

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
Last time I found the expansion vessel wasn't doing its job, I managed
to pump 10psi of air into it, and it then worked perfectly for a few
months until this latest event.

I would replace the vessel. It should not require regular precharging.

Well not regularly but you do come across the customer who says I had such
and such wrong and I thought I'd check for airlocks. I let a lot of air out
of here but it still won't go g

Christian.