bypassed the thermostat on boiler

Dylbag

The water thermostat on my boiler seemed to have stopped functioning properly tonight (power not going through thermostat to boiler) I by-passed it just to get the system going.

Is there a chance that I could do some damage to the boiler...(i have turned it off till I find out)

meercat

bit more info please
is it oil or gas
has the high limit stat tripped
any chance if pic
you shouldnt by pass stats as they may be your only safety cut out preventing boiler bursting

kay 9

You won't do any damage to the boiler. But you could have your expansion pipe or vessel hopping if it's on constant too long. Just monitor it if you have no other form of heat until you get the stat going again. When you feel the cyclinder and rads have reached their normal operatinng temp just switch it off manually. If you have a balancing valve on cylinder close it almost fullway and leave the rads as the heat dump and not cylinder. Sooner ya get stat though the better.

Dylbag

thanks for help - i hope to get new thermostat tomorrow - i dont think i have an expansion vessel - just a cylinder - sorry excuse my ignorance. Does this mean i have an open system...

kay 9

It does and is safer for what you want to do. Don;t leave it on all night. Rads will dump the heat these nights anyway keep it on the timer...

Plombier

kay 9 thats bad advise, Dylbag don't use your heating until you have this repaired.

kay 9

If he needs heat that bad, it's not going to do any damage for one night just less economical. Most it can do is pitch

Plombier

Look steam can drive a train, need I sy more.

GopErthike

kay 9 wrote: »

If he needs heat that bad, it's not going to do any damage for one night just less economical. Most it can do is pitch

Expansion might freeze, could be a combined f+e in GB which could be blocked, I wouldn't advise using it without seeing it.
Always err on the side of caution when it comes to heating.

Dylbag

Wish I had of listened to the advice...turned out I had a closed system...although i still haven't found the expansion vessel...anyway put the heat on for half an hour thinking I'd be alright...bad idea! Two pipes burst down in basement...bit of a mess!

Send kay 9 the bill.
Your lucky, it could of been worse, i'v known people to get hurt.

Micky Dolenz

You lost your stat two weeks ago??

By passing any safety device is foolish, but you know that now.

GopErthike

Yeah it was crazy advice to give.

Buford T Justice

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

You lost your stat two weeks ago??

By passing any safety device is foolish, but you know that now.

I agree, it shouldn't have been used without a stat, let alone for two weeks.

Wouldn't the pressure relief valve have taken care of it?

Micky Dolenz

Fingers McGee wrote: »

I agree, it shouldn't have been used without a stat, let alone for two weeks.

Wouldn't the pressure relief valve have taken care of it?

It should have, but how's to say it wasn't faulty/seized. He took out two safety devices, the control and high limit stat. This is a high percentage of safety devices on the system.

As Gary states, he is very lucky that nobody was seriously hurt/killed. He can forget about claiming anything on his home insurance either.

Dylbag

I know....we got away well...and obviously can't claim on insurance! The plumber came out and replaced the thermostat and the two burst pipes but never mentioned the safety release valve... Should I check this somehow? There seems to be safety valve on the back of boiler...

It actually burst the first night that I bypassed thermostat....I just wasnt on this till last night

Buford T Justice

Dylbag wrote: »

It actually burst the first night that I bypassed thermostat....I just wasnt on this till last night

That would have been enough o a warning imo.

Plombier

Wouldn't the pressure relief valve have taken care of it?

If heated from 20 to 100 degrees the density of water will increase by about 4% so the temperature will most likley cause problems first.