Solid fuel heating system problem

[chook1976]

I could really do with some advice.

Bit of back history, I have a trianco thorncliffe solid fuel room heater it has a back boiler, my dad put the system in just over 30 years ago, everything was bought from the then local fire shop, installed with lots of advice from them, the system has worked perfectly well for year's, odd problems hear and there.

Recently the over flow pipe started leaking and my intentions were once the fire was shut down for the summer to have both expansion tanks replaced and the pump to a newer model, about a month ago, the back boiler started hissing and the pump started running hot and making a noise, after checking everything found their was a drop in water pressure going to the coil in the hot water tank, the heat dump rad was still hot, but others had gone off, the over flow had also stopped leaking, once fire was out, water pressure was back up, pump no longer noisy and over flow is leaking again, this has all happened twice so far, same thing weeks apart, I was told by a few I had to get someone out who was hetas registered, I did contact someone, who point blank said he wouldn't even bother looking at the system and would just condem it, did explain to him that ithe system has all ran fine for 30 years and tbh my intentions are to eventually get the whole system overhauled, new pipes, rads etc, but he refused to listen, there's no way at the moment I could afford to have it condemned, so now worried about contacting someone else.


Sorry its a bit long.

Jane

 

[Ric2013]

Condemned by whom? I'm not sure he has the power to 'condemn' solid fuel... he can't exactly have you disconnected at the meter, can he?

To have any hope of giving you a sensible answer, we need to understand what you have in there: what overflow you are on about, and how you are measuring the pressure at the cylinder coil. Sounds like a stove with back boiler. Is the installation as on the picture on this link: Boiler Stoves Information - https://www.woodburningstovesdirect.com/boiler-stove-installation-advice.htm ?

Shorter sentences would help. Your writing style is a bit like William Faulkner's: very long sentences that exceed my ability to concentrate.

 

[chook1976]

Hi Ric


Sorry about the essay.

I honestly don't know what he was thinking, I have a feeling he just wanted me to have a whole new fire and system put in, at a cost of 10-15 grand.

OK, no it's not like the picture, apologies as it's hard to explain.

Two pipes go from back boiler, directly to hot water tank coil.

Hot water tank it's self is vented, there's a feed that comes from the expansion tank in the attic, that goes to that system, that also has a vent going to it

The other two go to heating, first rad doesnt have any thermostat valve, rest have them on. Being honest I don't know which the pump is on, in or out pipe and it only has the old fashioned timer- on/off switch

There's also no pipe stat, as I'm not sure they were around 30 + years ago and I honestly never knew about them.

This is one of the reasons why I was going to get the system all redone and updated, as although yes it has been working quite well, it could be better.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Sounds fine to me the one niggle you need to make sure you have enough rads without trvs on to keep the stove happy eg if you have a 5kw stove you need 5kw of un restricted rads etc

 

[chook1976]

Sounds fine to me the one niggle you need to make sure you have enough rads without trvs on to keep the stove happy eg if you have a 5kw stove you need 5kw of un restricted rads etc

Tbh I was thinking that the other day.

Currently there's only 3 rads linked up to the system, its a small one that's no thermo valve on , the other two rads do play up and stick quite often.

I'm not sure what wattage it is, I think it can do, I'm sure it was 6 - 8 rads, I need to get at least 3 more put in, living room, hall and bathroom, which could all be open without a thermo valve on.

Think I may ring around a few places tomorrow and see if can get someone out to have a look at the system and look to putting more in once the weather warms up a bit.

Need to see if I can get someone to out to put in a new feed/expansion tank as well, as I'm sure that's where the original problem lies, as it's never been touched in 30 years.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Tbh I was thinking that the other day.

Currently there's only 3 rads linked up to the system, its a small one that's no thermo valve on , the other two rads do play up and stick quite often.

I'm not sure what wattage it is, I think it can do, I'm sure it was 6 - 8 rads, I need to get at least 3 more put in, living room, hall and bathroom, which could all be open without a thermo valve on.

Think I may ring around a few places tomorrow and see if can get someone out to have a look at the system and look to putting more in once the weather warms up a bit.

Need to see if I can get someone to out to put in a new feed/expansion tank as well, as I'm sure that's where the original problem lies, as it's never been touched in 30 years.

Is it a copper tank ?

 

[chook1976]

Is it a copper tank ?

Feed/expansion tank ? No its simler to the cold water one, plastic, except its in the attic, the cold water one is directly above the hot water tank, in the airing cupboard.

There's only the hotwater tank thats copper.

I was originally going to go up and have a look at it and possibly order a new one,
however when the attic had new insulation put in year's ago, the idiots have put it across the beams. So you cant see where they are and I've not a clue size I would need to oder either.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Shouldn’t be plastic needs to be copper as if the stove vents it’s boiling water and will just melt the tank also copper ball on the ball valve

 

[chook1976]

Shouldn’t be plastic needs to be copper as if the stove vents it’s boiling water and will just melt the tank also copper ball on the ball valve

Thanks, you've been a big help, it's much appreciated.

I've now book marked a lot of different websites, wither different stuff, feel like I'm going down a rabbit hole, as didn't realise there was so many different products out there.

Although ours from what I can tell is a simple system, I do think theres newer stuff thats come out now that could help make it better.

I've looked at some of the copper header tanks, I've mostly seen round ones, that are insulated, I would have to check that I could actually get one through the attic door.

I'm presuming the over flow pipe would have to be changed to copper pipe also ? As that's plastic piping as well.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Correct warning pipe should be 22mm copper

They make rectangular one see below etc

High temperature metal F&E and Header tanks | Tanks suitable for use with uncontrollable high temperature heat sources such as AGA and Wood Burning stoves

Metal header tanks (copper) suitable for high temperature water in vented solid fuel systems and for use with a thermal store.

www.gasapplianceguide.co.uk

FEED & EXPANSION TANK 40 LITRE COPPER INC BALL VALVE & FLOAT - Harworth Heating

…Read More...

www.harworthheating.co.uk