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Posted

Doing a bit of work to the house and had to remove a rad from the system so I got a local plumber to drain the system and remove the rad. He left a young fella back to fix it all up but ever since they've left the system just won't fill back up.

 

The only time I've been able to get the pressure up is when I close the coil loop and just fill the radiators. When I do this the system fills as it should. 

 

Any idea why the pressure then drops when I open the coil loop?

Posted
  On 19/04/2022 at 20:24, Bemak said:

Sorry, I don't know the correct term - the loop that feeds the coil in the hot water tank. 

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2 modes ;) 

Heating 

&

Hot water. 
 

So, is this an S-plan or Y-plan? Basically do you have 2x motorised valves or one. The motorised valves are usually the valves with a metal or plastic box head with a wire going to it. 

Posted

How old is the hot water tank? 

 

Any water coming out of overflows when you try to pressurise it?

Posted

I don't see any motorized valves in the hot press or anywhere else. All I have in the boiler is a manual valve for the rads and off that another valve which seems to isolate the coil in the tank. Because last night I closed that valve, pressure built up, rads heated but no hot water

Posted
  On 19/04/2022 at 20:28, Temp said:

How old is the hot water tank? 

 

Any water coming out of overflows when you try to pressurise it?

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It would back ‘leak’ through the grouped return, so isolating the hot water aka coil loop shouldn’t be making any difference? If this achieves pressure filling the heating only, what is being closed to isolate the hot water cylinder so as to get pressure on the heating system? 

  • Like 1
Posted
  On 19/04/2022 at 20:28, Temp said:

How old is the hot water tank? 

 

Any water coming out of overflows when you try to pressurise it?

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Tank is old enough but the boiler is now. Installed last year. Don't see any overflow when trying to pressurize the system.

Posted
  On 19/04/2022 at 20:29, Bemak said:

I don't see any motorized valves in the hot press or anywhere else. All I have in the boiler is a manual valve for the rads and off that another valve which seems to isolate the coil in the tank. Because last night I closed that valve, pressure built up, rads heated but no hot water

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Pressure? 
Are you seeing this on a gauge or guessing that you have pressure?

Posted
  On 19/04/2022 at 20:30, Nickfromwales said:

It would back ‘leak’ through the grouped return, so isolating the hot water aka coil loop shouldn’t be making any difference? If this achieves pressure filling the heating only, what is being closed to isolate the hot water cylinder so as to get pressure on the heating system? 

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No idea. I'm not too familiar with it all but my guess is what you suggest, that I was pushing water out of the system somewhere

Posted
  On 19/04/2022 at 20:40, Bemak said:

Undoing the lock nut on top and then screwing the pin in to introduce water to system. 

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Crikey. Ok. 
 

It looks like the bit you’re “topping up” with is a pressure reducing valve. The purpose of this valve will be to prevent you from over-pressurising the system by inadvertently not fully closing the fill valve back shut 100%.

 

The fog is lifting.
 

What boiler is this please? Make / model?  

Posted
  On 19/04/2022 at 20:49, Nickfromwales said:

Crikey. Ok. 
 

It looks like the bit you’re “topping up” with is a pressure reducing valve. The purpose of this valve will be to prevent you from over-pressurising the system by inadvertently not fully closing the fill valve back shut 100%.

 

The fog is lifting.
 

What boiler is this please? Make / model?  

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Ya the black knob at the bottom let's you set the pressure so that it automatically fills if it goes below. I'm filling on the top as advised by the plumber that installed it.

 

Boiler is a Grant vortex. Irish make

Posted
  On 19/04/2022 at 20:59, Bemak said:

Ya the black knob at the bottom let's you set the pressure so that it automatically fills if it goes below. I'm filling on the top as advised by the plumber that installed it.

 

Boiler is a Grant vortex. Irish make

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I have worked on many Grant Vortex boilers and I have NEVER seen that valve used like that.  There should be a normal fill loop with a valve each end to fill the system with water until it reaches the correct pressure, then you turn the water off.

 

I SERIOUSLY think you need a different plumber, I think what the existing one is telling you to do is wrong and possibly dangerous.

  • Like 1
Posted

I looked for that fill loop everywhere but can't find it. I'm driven mad by incompetence at this stage

Posted
  On 19/04/2022 at 21:08, Bemak said:

I looked for that fill loop everywhere but can't find it. I'm driven mad by incompetence at this stage

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Relax, stay away from the light!  
Ok, which model EXACTLY do you have.

I’ll google the MI’s and see wtf is going on here. 

Posted
  On 19/04/2022 at 21:50, Bemak said:

It's a GRANT VORTEX MODULE 50-90 HE

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Thanks. 
 

OK, the valve you’re fiddling with…..STOP!

That is an automatic filling valve which allows the system to self-maintain pressure in the system to a pre set value. Not seen one before, but I have installed these before by buying the components and forging them in. 
 

E2F3BB48-660A-40B5-801A-AB537A77FB22.thumb.png.f267bad82f9a9074825aabbcfac3e21d.png

 

Interfering with that valve is BAD. 
 

 


20B6162A-DF7B-4075-B87A-F38BCC55C842.thumb.png.256ecfa4ed75a9ee0107fd8f92a71597.png

 

So,

You should have an external filling loop, OR your system is “open pipe” and gets filled by a header tank aka F&E ( feed and expansion ) tank usually up high or in attic space.

You need to look for a silver flexible hose with 2 chrome valves either end with taps on one or both. 

4B0AB178-D706-4F9B-A6AC-FD85C1A0C352.thumb.png.cb61510632c66a135e2052ed7bfcf9ee.png

 

 

We need to know if this is a sealed and pressurised system or not. Having the automatic fill valve and a pressure gauge does not mean that you have a pressurised system. 
The plumber is a cock if he didn’t fully explain all this to you. 😑🙄

0DF25D1C-1250-4D9D-9BA0-8D6DAF111267.png

  • Like 3

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