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Firebird/Riello heating system cutting out

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  • 08-10-2008 9:41am
    #1
    bravo
    Registered Users Posts: 233 ✭✭


    Hi Guys, Hope you can help,
    Filled with oil this week, and bled the system as it had locked up. Boiler is now starting but cutting out after 3-4 minutes and panel where you can see the flame is very hot. Know very little so any help appreciated. Is it time to call the experts?


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    #2
    JamesM
    Registered Users Posts: 1,775 ✭✭✭JamesM


    bravo wrote: »
    Hi Guys, Hope you can help,
    Filled with oil this week, and bled the system as it had locked up. Boiler is now starting but cutting out after 3-4 minutes and panel where you can see the flame is very hot. Know very little so any help appreciated. Is it time to call the experts?

    Sounds like you don't have any circulation. The boiler is reaching it's temperature and cutting out, but the hot water has nowhere to go. If it has been off all summer, it is likely that the water pump has just stuck. You can open a screw at one end, or just gently tap the metal body of the pump with a hard object - like a hammer :D. This will often free it. It could also be that you have an indoor thermostat, and it is just turned down. Sometimes the indoor stat controls a motorised valve - this can also stick.
    Jim.


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    #3
    bravo
    Registered Users Posts: 233 ✭✭bravo


    Thanks James,
    thermostat is turned up, pump is worth a try, will have a go this evening when I get back. Are you serious about a hammer? or is is just open it up and give it a clean/spin?


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    #4
    JamesM
    Registered Users Posts: 1,775 ✭✭✭JamesM


    bravo wrote: »
    Thanks James,
    thermostat is turned up, pump is worth a try, will have a go this evening when I get back. Are you serious about a hammer? or is is just open it up and give it a clean/spin?

    Yes, quite serious, a couple of sharp taps can work wonders. If not, depending on the make of pump, there is probably a big screw or nut on the end of the pump, which can be taken out (there may be a little flow of water) and the impeller can be turned with a screwdriver and loosened off.
    Jim.


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    #5
    Avns1s
    Registered Users Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭Avns1s


    I wouldn't use the hammer. You could have a bigger problem!

    Open the screw in the middle of the body. Check that the shaft inside thei screw is turning. If not give it a twist with the screwdriver and it should take off.

    Don't forget to replace the screw cap / cover.


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    #6
    JamesM
    Registered Users Posts: 1,775 ✭✭✭JamesM


    Avns1s wrote: »
    I wouldn't use the hammer. You could have a bigger problem!

    Open the screw in the middle of the body. Check that the shaft inside thei screw is turning. If not give it a twist with the screwdriver and it should take off.

    Don't forget to replace the screw cap / cover.

    I would use the hammer on the metal body of the pump - it works most of the time. Sometimes if you loosen the screw or nut, you cannot seal it up again and it continues to leak. A sharp tap of a hammer cannot damage the solid metal body of the pump - naturally you don't hit the plastic cover over the wiring.
    Jim.


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    #7
    bravo
    Registered Users Posts: 233 ✭✭bravo


    Thanks for the advice guys, sure was the pump.
    No water in the pump, it had a valve leading to it which was closed, water in the pump had obviously evaporated and had not been topped up. Didn'r use a hammer but loosened screw and after turning valve the water flowed into the pump and everything worked. Thanks again.


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    #8
    Avns1s
    Registered Users Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭Avns1s


    JamesM wrote: »
    I would use the hammer on the metal body of the pump - it works most of the time. Sometimes if you loosen the screw or nut, you cannot seal it up again and it continues to leak. A sharp tap of a hammer cannot damage the solid metal body of the pump - naturally you don't hit the plastic cover over the wiring.
    Jim.

    Sure feel free to use the hammer yourself :D It's not good advice to give though in this forum.

    There is a simple fix for the problem which you even referred to in your post where you introduced the hammer. It has worked for the OP and I have used it on dozens of occasions where I have come across this problem and guess what, I have never seen the screw cap to leak afterwards.

    Use of the hammer could crack the (cast metal) case of the pump and lead to a hell of a bigger job, more expense and a much higher possibility of leaks.

    Well done OP. I'm glad your sorted.


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    #9
    JamesM
    Registered Users Posts: 1,775 ✭✭✭JamesM


    Glad you got the problem sorted. When one is giving advice, one can't always allow for the fact that someone may have turned off a valve and caused the problem :D.
    With almost 40 years of experience, I have seen many cases where opening a pump has caused leaks - I have never seen a cracked pump body from a gentle tap of a hammer :rolleyes: And in most cases the pump starts with a few gentle taps :)
    Jim.


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