New system fitted problem

[Peterd123]

Advice needed please.
My partner owns a 3 bed flat in Stockwell. The council was renewing all the heating systems in the block, and asked her if she wanted her one changed.
The system was quite old. A boiler in a cupboard with a small tank above, plus a hot water cylinder in another cupboard. The water pressure to the shower was never very good. but did work, but since they have installed the new system, it does not work at all, unless you lower the shower head to your knees, then it works. From what I can see they have removed the tank from above the boiler and put one above the hot water tank. The tank and hot water tank are on the same level as the shower. As the flat is all on one level and is at the top of the four storey block. The plumber who installed the system said it was the taps, but all the hot taps throughout the flat are very low pressure now, so i'm not convinced he's right. The hot water tank they installed looks like a straight replacement of the old one. Is this right or would it be better to have used an unvented mains fed tank? We have got the council coming round on Friday to have a look. As we told them we are not happy with the system. They never changed any pipework, only radiators, boiler, and tank. I think for the money she will end up paying she could have got a system that works better, am I right?
Will be taking some pics. and will get a presure reading from the mains cold tap tonight, will post pics and results.
Will be grateful for any advice please.

Regards
Pete

 

[Bunker]

Hello Pete. Sounds like they may have installed a 'system' boiler (is there a red metal can inside or near the boiler?) which is fine, and your hot water is probably still relying on gravity from the tank above the cylinder. The height of this tank is relative to the pressure from your taps. If the old tank was your cold water store, and was higher, then thats why the pressure has changed. Might be helpful to us if you can post a photo of each cupboard.
It could be simply that the tank needs raising up as far as poss into the cupboard BUT without compromising access to the tank when required.

 

[Peterd123]

Hello Pete. Sounds like they may have installed a 'system' boiler (is there a red metal can inside or near the boiler?) which is fine, and your hot water is probably still relying on gravity from the tank above the cylinder. The height of this tank is relative to the pressure from your taps. If the old tank was your cold water store, and was higher, then thats why the pressure has changed. Might be helpful to us if you can post a photo of each cupboard.
It could be simply that the tank needs raising up as far as poss into the cupboard BUT without compromising access to the tank when required.

Ok, Will be taking some pics tonight or tomorrow. Will post on here.

Thanks
Pete

 

[Peterd123]

As you can see there is no header tank. Here are the pics.

Ok, Will be taking some pics tonight or tomorrow. Will post on here.

Here are the pics

 

[Bunker]

Ok that's out of my league. Looks to me like a system boiler with indirect vented cylinder but no water store.
Is there a loft there?

 

[Peterd123]

No there is no loft.

 

[Peterd123]

There is a massive tank on the roof above our flat, it's almost the size of our flat. If it were connected to that we would have loads of pressure. The tap in the kitchen flows so slow it would take more than a min. to fill the kettle.

 

[Peterd123]

When I log into this, I get a message saying that I should mention in the thread, the operative no. so everyone knows it was installed by a qualified engineer.

 

[Rickster123]

I don't think you should be putting the fitters licence number on the Internet for all to read to be honest.
did the council come back today?

 

[Peterd123]

Have taken it off and explained why i put it on here. No the council never turned up. Waited all afternoon.
Won't be paying them a penny until they sort it. Plus might pay an independent engineer to do a report on it and what it will cost to get things right.

 

[glenno1]

It looks like it is closed circuit on the heating side but fed from communal tank for hot water

 

[Peterd123]

It looks like it is closed circuit heating on heating but fed from communal tank for hw

That's what the company "Range" said. They made the cylinder. I showed them the pics. They think that may be there is a valve that is closed slightly somewhere.

 

[glenno1]

ye thats possible your best bet is a local plumber to have a look

 

[Peterd123]

Yes that's what I will be doing soon. If anyone knows someone in the South London area, who would have a look for a reasonable price. Just let me know.

 

[tolly]

As above, it looks like the only tank they would have taken out would have been the f&e tank which just feeds the heating circuit. Theyve put in a system boiler and made the heating side of things a sealed system as you can see by the filing loop. The vented indirect cylinder has probably always been fed by the cold water tank on the roof unless there is another one somewhere like in a cupboard on the hallway on the floor above. How about connecting a hose onto the drain cock i can see on the cold feed going to the cylinder, then run the other end of the hose into the bath and open the drain cock. See what the flow of water is like coming out of the hose then?

 

[tolly]

Is there a gate valve on the cold feed going to the cylinder, is it fully open. Although this would not explain why the shower only works at knee height, as it would only effect flow rate not pressure

 

[tolly]

whats the flow like on the cold taps in bathroom aswell, are they the saem as the hot?

 

[Peterd123]

As above, it looks like the only tank they would have taken out would have been the f&e tank which just feeds the heating circuit. Theyve put in a system boiler and made the heating side of things a sealed system as you can see by the filing loop. The vented indirect cylinder has probably always been fed by the cold water tank on the roof unless there is another one somewhere like in a cupboard on the hallway on the floor above. How about connecting a hose onto the drain cock i can see on the cold feed going to the cylinder, then run the other end of the hose into the bath and open the drain cock. See what the flow of water is like coming out of the hose then?

But won't that just drain the tank?

 

[tolly]

Nope, It would only drain the hot water cylinder if you closed the gate valve on the cold feed to the cylinder.

 

[Peterd123]

Nope, It would only do that if you closed the gate valve on the cold feed to the cylinder.

So if we get good flow from there, would that indicate a partial blockage?

 

[tolly]

Or if you mean would it drain the cold water tank, then yes it would be trying to drain it down but i wouldnt worry about that.

The reason i suggested this was to see if the problem lies on the cold feed dropping down from the tank on the roof down into your flat.

 

[Peterd123]

Or if you mean would it drain the cold water tank, then yes it would be trying to drain it down but i wouldnt worry about that.

The reason i suggested this was to see if the problem lies on the cold feed dropping down from the tank on the roof down into your flat.

Ok will have to try over the weekend. Will let you know. Thanks for you advice.

 

[tolly]

Whats the flow and pressure like on the cold bathroom taps aswell, they should be matching, are they?

 

[Peterd123]

Whats the flow and pressure like on the cold bathroom taps aswell, they should be matching, are they?

The flow on the cold throughout the flat is about 0.8bar the hot does not register at all.

 

[plumber0808]

Just a idea. Has the installer fitted a new gatevalve feeding your cylinder and also left your old one in.
if your old one did not close properly he might of put one in after that allowing the water to be turned off.
Gatevalves can seize up, you can turn the head and it will keep turning, maybe it has seized when nearly closed.