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Collapsed hot water cylinder

View the thread, titled "Collapsed hot water cylinder" which is posted in Bathroom Advice on UK Plumbers Forums.

N

Networks1

Hello everyone

im new to this forum so I would like to say 'hello' and ask a question about a problem that has just happened with a horizontal hot water cylinder

there was a huge loud bang last night and the cylinder has imploded. At the time I had a wood burning stove on and just before the bang there was a loud grumble noise from the loft area. The cylinder has completely collapsed in and having looked on the web it would appear that this is not too common. Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what would cause this. I assume the heat from the stove must have been a factor but I'm guessing there should/ must be some sort of release valve that would usually prevent this from happening. The only thing that has been done to the system since I moved in two years ago is I had two pumps fitted by a plumber to help with low pressure on the cold an hot warer feeds. There are two pumps in the loft and it looks like one is connected to the hot water cylinder at the top in two places.

Many thanks in advance for any guidance with this .
 
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Yeah, some pics would help, you can't automatically blame the last plumber for a couple of booster pumps fitted 2 years ago unless fitted incorrectly or in a dangerous manner.
The tank should have an anti syphon valve on it.
 
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if it was a vented cylinder it should have vented over if your boiler running away was the cause of it you should have ran the hot taps to cool the coil down
 
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gas man said:
if it was a vented cylinder it should have vented over if your boiler running away was the cause of it you should have ran the hot taps to cool the coil down
Click to expand...

Something doesn't add up to me. Implosions occur as the hwc cools down. Vent issue if it's vented. Something else if it's not.
 
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I shouldn't have thought that it had over heated as surly that would have exploded..

implosion would imply vacuum a negative energy perhaps. I've only ever seen this once and it was on a copper thermal store. Some one had bunged it to change a part stuck a drain hose on ans sucked the tank inward
 
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This totally new to me - seen some balloned cylinders in my 30 years plus

Frankly I would be REALLY CONCERNED - thankfull no body was hurt and then really WORRIED about
the cause.

HETAS enginners are your 1st call and quite frankly who ever you used
last time - let him know and invite him to call by but GET A SECOND OPINION ANYWAY

chkING
 
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Centralheatking said:
This totally new to me - seen some balloned cylinders in my 30 years plus

Frankly I would be REALLY CONCERNED - thankfull no body was hurt and then really WORRIED about
the cause.

HETAS enginners are your 1st call and quite frankly who ever you used
last time - let him know and invite him to call by but GET A SECOND OPINION ANYWAY

chkING
Click to expand...

best advice yet
 
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Networks1 said:
Hello everyone

im new to this forum so I would like to say 'hello' and ask a question about a problem that has just happened with a horizontal hot water cylinder

there was a huge loud bang last night and the cylinder has imploded. At the time I had a wood burning stove on and just before the bang there was a loud grumble noise from the loft area. The cylinder has completely collapsed in and having looked on the web it would appear that this is not too common. Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what would cause this. I assume the heat from the stove must have been a factor but I'm guessing there should/ must be some sort of release valve that would usually prevent this from happening. The only thing that has been done to the system since I moved in two years ago is I had two pumps fitted by a plumber to help with low pressure on the cold an hot warer feeds. There are two pumps in the loft and it looks like one is connected to the hot water cylinder at the top in two places.

Many thanks in advance for any guidance with this .
Click to expand...

Are you sure the cylinder was horizontal like the R101 ( strange) how can that function ?
 
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If it's boiled under pressure and then hot run off with no cold back in it will fold like a Crisp packet when the remaining vapour cools. Probably no vac relief ?
 
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Implosion would occur when cooling down as croppie said ... if pumping over occurred, was the expansion tank overfill outlet clear?! If the expansion outlet submerged and tank cools down the tank gets huge vacuum generally from the cold feed tank causing suction from the top and bottom of the cylinder.
 
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Keen to see a photo of this. For it to sporadically implode, I'm thinking it's been plumbed up totally wrong and whatever vent it had got blocked. Needs someone to look at it in person. What area are you in OP?
 
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Yep that's me.. living right next to the suicide bridge.. Erk.. but you can't jump off any more as tjey put anti climb spiky rollers you name it.. but the views from there are brilliant you can see all of London.. and yes I do work within the M25 London. Where you from. Pop in for a cuppa tea or beer when you're free..
 
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Centralheatking said:
spanner -just saw your address - Archway London - you must be £m doing plumbing inside m25

CHK
Click to expand...
Nah its just like keep it up and running with another day. Working with a great gas engineer Imran, a clever guy knows his stuff and always helps me when available for technical issues.
Could not wish for anyone else.. YEHAA
 
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