USA Unvented cylinder - water pressure

[Tim0212]

Hi, looking for advice about unvented cylinder. I had one installed as part of a horrific modular loft conversion that was recently finished. The water pressure in the bathrooms is poor, probably worse than when just had combi and I cant use two showers/bathrooms at one time which was the point in having it installed. When first installed it seemed good but then there was a leak in the system. Leak was fixed but pressure now poor. The tested cold incoming measures at 22 lpm and 3 bar but when i check this in bathrooms its less than 8lpm. The plumber is refusing to return as loft company arent paying him(think theyre going under) and his only advice is that the incoming supply is the issue. Im not convinced though due to rate during test and i've recently tested outside tap and its 3 times quicker than inside. The new shower in loft occassionally has fluntuating pressure that you can see by eye. Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Chuck]

Is that a vertical Tempest cylinder that has been turned on its side and mounted horizontally?

If so, WTF???

Time to get a new, G3 qualified, plumber in to survey the installation and quote for fixing any issues.

I hope you haven't paid the loft conversion company yet... :-(

 

[Tim0212]

Would it now be impossible to remove the cylinder?

Was just thinking that. Would have to remove eaves plasterboard wall

 

[Tim0212]

I owe loft company 2k for ongoing issues...looks like thats gone.

 

[Riley]

He’s a cowboy. Should’ve done the cold feed right at the start. An accumulator or similar could help solve your problem but it certainly shouldn’t be at your expense. And no. Pressure and flow rate are key don’t drop to 15

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I owe loft company 2k for ongoing issues...looks like thats gone.

At a minimum

 

[Scott_D]

Was just thinking that. Would have to remove eaves plasterboard wall

You are going to need to get an Independant report done I think
How much money are you withholding?
Will it cover major work?

 

[Riley]

Get in quick if they are going under as you say, you need to be a party of interest

 

[Riley]

what’s the rest of the install like dare I ask

 

[Tim0212]

Landmark lofts are the loft firm and landmark heating managed the cylinder installation. I dont think landmark heating are in trouble but think landmark lofts are. So incoming goes straight through house and under kitchen tiles. This and feed to cylinder(once correct) would all need to be replaced to get a good flow? The loft firms "engineer" that scoped the job and did pressure and flow tests never mentioned anything about incoming.

 

[Tim0212]

what’s the rest of the install like dare I ask

Are there other photos that would help with this?

 

[Riley]

Well he clearly wasn’t qualified. He should as a minimum have tested static and dynamic pressure as well as lpm did he do any tests or just turn on a tap and say ooh that’s good

 

[Riley]

Are there other photos that would help with this?

Well if they’ve installed a potential bomb like that one would be remiss not to ask about the rest of it

 

[Tim0212]

Im not sure of tests. He just said 22lpm and 3bar

 

[Riley]

So he’s plucked figures out of thin air?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Easy way to test from the kitchen sink fill a 1l bottle and time it

 

[Tim0212]

The loft company came round to test it sometime ago. Thats when they specified it.

 

[Riley]

Also you can buy a cheap pressure tester that will screw on at your washing machine valve

 

[Riley]

They were clearly naive though as they should know about the need to upgrade mains

 

[Tim0212]

J have done. Kitchen sink comes straight from boiler and hot is about 8lpm. Same as shower in loft. Test on outside tap is consistent with their test. Was definitely over 20lpm

 

[Riley]

And to be fair the incoming is the least of your worries with the abortion cylinder install

 

[Riley]

I may be hedging my bets here but is there a chance that these cowboys have actually accidentally bypassed the cylinder and your hot water is all coming from the Combi still

 

[Tim0212]

I will get somebody onto it. What are the main risks of having it on side?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

J have done. Kitchen sink comes straight from boiler and hot is about 8lpm. Same as shower in loft. Test on outside tap is consistent with their test. Was definitely over 20lpm

Cold water test the cold please

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I will get somebody onto it. What are the main risks of having it on side?

No warranty could split due to not designed for that

Have they allowed for the weight load in that area

 

[Riley]

It’s not installed to spec. It won’t heat correctly, your drawing off hot water from half way up so it won’t be hottest if cylinder is going through a reheat

 

[Tim0212]

I may be hedging my bets here but is there a chance that these cowboys have actually accidentally bypassed the cylinder and your hot water is all coming from the Combi still

Thats exactly what i thought had happened because shower in loft hardly works when kitchen tap on

 

[Riley]

It wouldn’t as the water will take the easiest route and that’ll be to the kitchen tap

 

[Riley]

Turn on the shower does the boiler fire up

 

[Tim0212]

No warranty could split due to not designed for that

Have they allowed for the weight load in that area

It does sit on a huge 'I' beam and this loft firm have done hundreds of these. Doesnt mean their installers haven't been completely useless!

 

[Riley]

It does sit on a huge 'I' beam and this loft firm have done hundreds of these. Doesnt mean their installers haven't been completely useless!

Based on what you’ve told us I wouldn’t trust any of it and would be getting it independently signed off

 

[Tim0212]

The boiler doesnt come on when either showers are on but it does come on with kitchen tap.

 

[Tim0212]

Based on what you’ve told us I wouldn’t trust any of it and would be getting it independently signed off

I will do. Thanks for your advice. Its much appreciated. What i still dont understand though is why when i first used the shower on first floor it was like a power shower!

 

[Riley]

I will do. Thanks for your advice. Its much appreciated. What i still dont understand though is why when i first used the shower on first floor it was like a power shower!

I don’t think it matters mate. Get it fixed properly and safely. Let us know how you go

 

[Tim0212]

I will do. Thanks again.

 

[Tim0212]

Just one further question. The plumber put a pump on the cold water supply because he said without it i wouldnt get many showers worth. Is this kind of pump needed on vertically installed units or did he know what he was doing was rubbish and decided to get the best out of it? He advised at the time that he was going to tell the loft firm that it needed one.