Permananetly remove old copper cylinder

[Dougal Deans]

Hi,

New on here and hoping somebody can help me out.

I've been renovating our bedroom and come across the old copper cylinder which is located in the recess above the combi boiler. I want to take it out and make this into a cupboard. See pic of cylinder below.


So the stopcock works and although there doesn't seem to be any water coming through the pipes from the old header tank, I have shut it off.

1. There is no drain point so I just loosened the bottom T joint which I think is the cold water inlet and this T's off into the tank and the opposite direction down to an old fireplace. Anything not right here?
2. The pipe above the cold water inlet coming away from the tank - is that an alternative hot water feed from the fire? This pipe also goes to the fire. If not what is it, how best close it off?
3. Now my real confusion is the hot out to feed taps and vent. So I drained 6 buckets of water from the tank and decided to loosen the joint at the hot out to feed taps (This was already blanked off) to see what would happen. Why is there water still coming from it? What to I need to do to stop it? I was sure that by emptying the tank a little it would drain the water from these pipes? Probs a stupid lack of know how but anyone got the answer?

Also, the power supply the boiler was cut a long time ago :grin:... and it's a pretty standard tenement flat in Glasgow. 1st floor if that makes any difference.

Cheers,
Dougal

 

[Ermintrude]

Get a hose pipe and wet vac. Get some one with good set of lungs on end of hose- outside, shove 3ft of 15mm copper tube into end of hose . Punch hole in top of cylinder - hammer and sharp chisel. Use wet vac to catch spillage or towel. Shove in tube and get siphon going , tank will be dry in 15mins.

 

[tamz]

A quality cylinder and a nice bit bush (brass) and even an old Howdens 6 bolt. They don't make em like that anymore. 60 quids worth even with a wee 27".

You will need to syphon it off as Zeb said and dont blank off any old pipes that go in the direction of the fireplace. They will be connected to an old circulator which if you blank them and at some point someone lights a fire you have created a bomb.

 

[Ermintrude]

Can I have the cylinder and associated pipe work ?

 

[tamz]

Good quality soft copper you could pull a bend around the apprentices neck with :lol:

 

[Dougal Deans]

Get a hose pipe and wet vac. Get some one with good set of lungs on end of hose- outside, shove 3ft of 15mm copper tube into end of hose . Punch hole in top of cylinder - hammer and sharp chisel. Use wet vac to catch spillage or towel. Shove in tube and get siphon going , tank will be dry in 15mins.

Thanks Zeb for your response. yeah someone at work suggested the hammer and chisel option but went or the slow and painful dribble option - which has not worked so far. if i go ahead and do this, will this stop the water coming from the top? I know it should but just want to check to be sure.

Dougal

 

[Dougal Deans]

A quality cylinder and a nice bit bush (brass) and even an old Howdens 6 bolt. They don't make em like that anymore. 60 quids worth even with a wee 27".

You will need to syphon it off as Zeb said and dont blank off any old pipes that go in the direction of the fireplace. They will be connected to an old circulator which if you blank them and at some point someone lights a fire you have created a bomb.

Thanks for your response. So what do i do with the pipes from the fire?

Must say that it's unlikely that anyone will ever open that old fireplace again and when I found it it would need tonnes of work to make it operational again... other fire place is disused but could be made into a gas fire... does this make any difference?

Cheers

 

[Ermintrude]

Yes, smash or drill back boiler. If some unwitting person ...... May be your kids in 25 years opens up fire and lights it they may, if boiler becomes Sealed create a bomb. Pressure in boiler builds until it explodes and shreds who ever is in the room.

 

[AWheating]

The two larger dia pipes going into the side of the cylinder come from an old circulator/bottle which would have been behind the old open fireplace. So when you had a fire back in the day water would circulate using gravity from this up and around your cylinder to warm it up. The danger is when the cylinder and pipework get removed when the hot water system is upgraded to gas most of the time the circulator behind the fire get left in position. If left and sealed and then heated up it can go pop. So leaving the pipework open would remove this risk as it would vented and not sealed.

 

[Dougal Deans]

Can I have the cylinder and associated pipe work ?

Zeb, totally happy for you to have the boiler and any of the fittings and pipe with it if you remove it for free... Not sure how much it would cost a plumber to do but thought I'd put this one to you :wink_smile: Guessing you are a plumber??? One thing, the pipe at the top is still letting water out when I loosen it so I think it is connected to the old supply in the loft hence why I have not just gone and stuck a hole in it myself.

 

[Ermintrude]

Turn off your cold water. Go into loft disconnect pipe going to ball valve. Siphon water out of header tank then do cylinder. If you feeling like standing for 45mins get a big funnel, fix hose pipe to it. With sharp object punch hole in base of cylinder position funnel to collect water. Blank off supply pipe to old headder tank before turning water back on. You will need 15mm compression stop end. Send pic of attic tank if unsure.

 

[Ermintrude]

Would do job but probably nowhere near me!

 

[Dougal Deans]

Would do job but probably nowhere near me!

Thought it would be a long shot... Glasgow G11

 

[tamz]

Thought it would be a long shot... Glasgow G11

That will be an dear bus fare :smile:
Phone a local plumber They will have it out in an hour and negotiate on the scrap value.

 

[Ermintrude]

Shout a local smack heed? Out in 30 seconds !

 

[jtsplumbing]

Makes you wonder what else has been bricked up ! (Found any skeletons) What sort of plumber fits a new combi then leaves all that scrap .

 

[Ermintrude]

Makes you wonder what else has been bricked up ! (Found any skeletons) What sort of plumber fits a new combi then leaves all that scrap .

Don't the jocks have a different system for scrap? Can't remember what or why but one of lads was working up there and said most jobs he went to tanks and primary's just left!