Heating problem - filler tank.

karltimber

hi I have a oil fired open heating system.

all fine until today the bathroom water was getting dirty looking. mains is fine.
felt the expansion/overflow pipe (a continuous pipe from the central heating) and it is very hot going into the attic. this pipe goes into the attic as an overflow.

whats happening is the whole system is getting hot (on the lowest setting) - the expanding hot water is going into the filler tank in the attic and then this is overflowing into the main water tank in the attic.
this dirty radiator water is then making the bathroom water dirty.

so
what way should the balancing valves on the emmersion be - fully open or partially closed ??
I may re-route the filler tank over flow but this will not fix the overall problem.

should I remove some water from the system ??

any ideas... ask q's if doesn't make sense

thx

K

311

Your system is pitching ,have a look at your pump and make sure it's at either 1 or 2 ,it might be on three and the head of water is too strong.

Pitching can cause premature decay in a heating system

Sometimes systems are piped wrong ,this can cause pitching also and has nothing to do with the head of the pump.

Hope you can get it sorted:)

311

This linky is interesting ,http://www.clubi.ie/plumbing-heating/corrosio.htm

If anyone has problems ,I use a unit that completely clears dirt from heating systems

karltimber

Brian,

pump setting was at number 1.
Have in creased the height of the open vent by about a foot & half(added a piece of 3/4")

pump is loacted right beside boiler on the return pipe -ok

have heating on now and will see if it "pitches" again.

will give an update

thx Brian

K

311

Hope it works for you ,keep in mind that you should try and run out an overflow for the expansion tank when you get a chance.

Edit . Is your stat working on your boiler ?? ,try turning the stat down and see if the boiler goes off.

karltimber

boiler is down as low as it can go.

will do - not good having dirty water going into tap/shower water.

heat on 2 hrs now and all fine. will keep check,

thx a lot,

The simple fixes

K

ircoha

karltimber wrote:

......whats happening is the whole system is getting hot (on the lowest setting) - the expanding hot water is going into the filler tank in the attic and then this is overflowing into the main water tank in the attic.
this dirty radiator water is then making the bathroom water dirty.....

K

as advised elasewhere

what ever else u do get this sorted as it is not correct to overflow the header tank into the coldwater tank.

oleras

if the coil went in your emersion would this not cause your hot water to be dirty also ? tbh, its the first thing i thought of when i read the title, but seems to be sorted now, hope it is, i know all too well about heating trouble ! and would not wish it on my worst enemy.....

karltimber

thx all - fully sorted now.

increasing the height of the expansion pipe solved it all.

will have to move the overflow from the header tank.

It's only a new emmersion so didn't even think of that one.

but I could see the water coming out of the expansion pipe !!

thx all.
K