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No hot water. Heating is okay.

  • 19-03-2014 1:27pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭


    Hi all. I've an old oil heating system. Rad and hot water all on one switch. I've heat to all my rads but nothing to my hot water. I've no stats that I can see. Any idea what could be wrong??????


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 9,000 ✭✭✭mad m


    Could be an airlock? try turning off all rads and see does it push through.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Billy Bunting


    Check expansion tank in loft for water.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭Sir Arthur Daley


    You could have a leak off the domestic hot pipe from cylinder.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,008 ✭✭✭scudo2


    Check expansion tank in loft for water.

    +1 on that.
    Ball cocky often jams closed after a number of years and tank goes dry due to heat and evaporation.
    If water level is very low, below the ball float, shake float to free up ballcock and water should refill.
    Failing that, you might need a plumber.

    Let us know how you get on. Ta.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭adam88


    Went routing at the hot tank. There is a pipe going into the bottom of the tank that is fairly warm, not as hot as the rads and not hot enough that you'd burn yourself. This was about 35 mins after I turned on the heating. The water coming out of the hot taps is marginally warmer than the cold water supply. The tank itself seems cold. No big change in how hot it feels.

    Just to note this pipe I'd imagine is a 3/4" or inch and has that scummy blue green build up around it. Just if it may offer insight.

    Also the heating has been off for the last 18 months


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭adam88


    WikiHow wrote: »
    You could have a leak off the domestic hot pipe from cylinder.

    There's good flow coming from the hot taps. It's just marginally warmer than the cold taps


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Billy Bunting


    Check expansion tank in loft for water.

    :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭adam88


    :rolleyes:

    What am I checking for here. I presume this is the smaller tank on top of the bigger tank. ;?

    Am I checking to see is there water in it and does the ball cock work ???


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭Sir Arthur Daley


    adam88 wrote: »
    There's good flow coming from the hot taps. It's just marginally warmer than the cold taps

    In a council estate I maintain I often come across a slow leak underground in a hot pipe servicing a hot tap somewhere, you wouldnt see the leak as being underground, the cylinder would be constantly filling with cold water thus failing to heat or heating marginally, depending how small/big the leak may be.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Billy Bunting


    adam88 wrote: »
    What am I checking for here. I presume this is the smaller tank on top of the bigger tank. ;?

    Am I checking to see is there water in it and does the ball cock work ???

    Yes.

    Its usually the first and easiest thing to check, loss of water will hit cylinder first as its the highest point, and stop using any water and check large tank at same time, as per WiziHow.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭adam88


    WikiHow wrote: »
    In a council estate I maintain I often come across a slow leak underground in a hot pipe servicing a hot tap somewhere, you wouldnt see the leak as being underground, the cylinder would be constantly filling with cold water thus failing to heat or heating marginally, depending how small/big the leak may be.

    The immersion is heating up the water a lot better than the oil heating. Would this still be the case if there was a leak


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭Sir Arthur Daley


    Leak looking unlikely if immersion is heating, Have you checked the expansion tank?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭adam88


    WikiHow wrote: »
    Leak looking unlikely if immersion is heating, Have you checked the expansion tank?

    No I'll give it a go when I get home. Does the expansion tank fill the tank and this water then comes out through the hot or does it fill the pipes that heat this water. As you can tell I'm not that savvy lol


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,008 ✭✭✭scudo2


    adam88 wrote: »
    No I'll give it a go when I get home. Does the expansion tank fill the tank and this water then comes out through the hot or does it fill the pipes that heat this water. As you can tell I'm not that savvy lol
    Big tank for tap water. Small tank is for heating. If small tank is empty it will affect heating and the heating of your cylinder. Cylinder is the first to be affected if low on water.
    CHECK SMALL TANK IN ATTIC FIRST.

    If you don't have a small tank and only one big one let us know. Also take a photo of hotpress.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭adam88


    scudo2 wrote: »
    Big tank for tap water. Small tank is for heating. If small tank is empty it will affect heating and the heating of your cylinder. Cylinder is the first to be affected if low on water.
    CHECK SMALL TANK IN ATTIC FIRST.

    If you don't have a small tank and only one big one let us know. Also take a photo of hotpress.

    I remember seeing a tank up in attic on top of the big tank.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,008 ✭✭✭scudo2


    adam88 wrote: »
    I remember seeing a tank up in attic on top of the big tank.

    Your all talk and no action !!!
    Have you checked it yet ?
    Ta


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Billy Bunting


    It's like pulling teeth.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭adam88


    Rite. Sorry for delay. That top tank seems okay. Ball cock is free and there's water in it. There's one flow connected to ball cock and a out flow that seems to be opened. There's also another flow in (don't know where that water comes from and there seems to be am over flow too from this tank. Any suggestions


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭adam88


    More pics


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 914 ✭✭✭shane 007


    Firstly you have a combined feed & vent which is not ideal as this can certainly lead to bad air locks.
    Secondly, can't make out if there is a balancing valve on the cylinder. Check to see if this was accidentally turned off. Fully open & close this valve a few times, perhaps tapping lightly with a hammer. Some crud may be blocking.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭adam88


    shane 007 wrote: »
    Firstly you have a combined feed & vent which is not ideal as this can certainly lead to bad air locks.
    Secondly, can't make out if there is a balancing valve on the cylinder. Check to see if this was accidentally turned off. Fully open & close this valve a few times, perhaps tapping lightly with a hammer. Some crud may be blocking.

    Balancing valve?????


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,696 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    adam88 wrote: »
    Balancing valve?????

    On the first pic of the second lot where there's 2 pipes entering the cylinder, one over the other. Is there a valve anywhere on these pipes?
    Where do the pipes go when they disappear under the floor?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭adam88


    Dtp1979 wrote: »
    On the first pic of the second lot where there's 2 pipes entering the cylinder, one over the other. Is there a valve anywhere on these pipes?
    Where do the pipes go when they disappear under the floor?

    I don't know but I presume it goes back and joins the heating system. The blue scaley one that goes into the bottom of the tank Is getting hot the other one isn't hot


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,696 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    adam88 wrote: »
    I don't know but I presume it goes back and joins the heating system. The blue scaley one that goes into the bottom of the tank Is getting hot the other one isn't hot

    The one going into the top should be hot first. Take more pics of it and the joints


  • Registered Users Posts: 218 ✭✭The Buster


    I have a similar problem. Moved into house about a month ago. It had been vacant for 3 or 4 months.

    Firstly I was having problems with the gas boiler. Found out that I needed to drain some water from it and all seems to be working ok sense. Gas boiler heats rad's and water. Yesterday morning I had no hot water (slightly warmer than cold tap but wouldn't even describe as lukewarm). Rads were working perfectly, house very warm. I turned on immersion for 30-45 mins. didnt make any difference.

    The house is fairly new (4 or 5 years). There are two tanks in the hot press, large cyclinder and a smaller one over it. I'm guessing the smaller one is the hot water one. How do i check if the water is flowing into the smaller one. Any ideas on what can be causing my problems.
    thanks


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