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Gravity Fed, or do I really have to activate that Red pump?

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  • 18-06-2013 8:24am
    #1
    magnethead123
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭



    Hi fellow Diyers,

    I moved into a house, which has a broken heat controller onthe wall, it had an old clock with hands and little pins you pop out going in a circle around the clock, I pulled it out since the timer doesn’t work and got anew horstmann C27. The Horstmann talks about connecting your Boiler and Pump tothe different outputs.

    20130617_154316_zps15633d11.jpg

    Please see the pic of my boiler room, (Oil fired boiler),the current setup,The Red pump and Boiler are wired together. Can I split this circuit out? So the pump and boiler are wired separately?

    The tank is on the first floor, and has a Red expansion tank(small one) sitting just above it. I think from what I’ve read on the internet that this is a gravity fed system…. Or else it’s a fully pumped system?

    There are only 2 pipes coming out of the Boiler (The 2 pipes on the left of the boiler, are just taped out of the main 2 pipes for a newly built extension)

    I ran a test anyway, and disconnected the pump, and ran the heating (it cut out after 10 minutes) but after an hour I had a full tank of hot water, and the downstairs Rads were still cold.

    I just want to be sure about this from a plumber who knows his stuff…..Is there any negative affects from not using the pump for the hotwater heating? Less efficient doing the gravity fed method or does it createair pockets that way?
    NB...I read on the internet that new "Condensing" boiler will not run a gravity cicuit...Is my boiler one of those? Firebird Popular 115


    EDIT: Just found this link, I guess it's not a condesing boiler which is a good think, I think if I want to use both HW and CH functions on the new controller
    http://www.firebird.ie/index.php/products/standard-efficiency-boilers/112.html

    Thanks

    Nathan


Comments

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    #2
    magnethead123
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭magnethead123


    Hiya,
    Maybe I asked a stupid question or didn't include enough information?
    I put the controller on the wall last night and hooked it up.....

    The HW circuit ran for 1 hour and the Tank was showing 40c at the top of the copper cylinder (ifrared thermeter used)
    I was slow to get there, maybe after 30 mins I started feeling some heat...It's about 7 meters across and 3 meters above the boiler.

    I ran the CH and only the Pump ran without the boiler, I have since read the instructions and apparantly if I wanted the system to operate as gravity fed, I should remove a blue plastic block from the back of the controller...

    Can someone please tell me if this is gravity Fed or fully pumped, will I do damage running it as gravity Fed? I'm going to try running it tonight as fully pumped and see the difference in time taken to heat the hot water cylinder and how hot it gets... Thermostat on the Boiler is set at 70c

    Thanks

    Controller_zpsaa593e6d.jpg


  • Options
    #3
    corkgsxr
    Registered Users Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭corkgsxr


    You need the pump working. Too much resistance to work without it


  • Options
    #4
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    And buy yourself a level!


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    #5
    magnethead123
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭magnethead123


    Fairplay corkgsxr, Would you mind letting me know how there is too much friction out of curiosity please. Is it the tank heating too slowly or the pipes been too skinny coming out of the boiler?


    Shane, what do you mean I need a level :D dead straight eye me :eek:


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    #6
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    magnethead123 wrote: »
    Shane, what do you mean I need a level :D dead straight eye me :eek:

    You could be right & it was the last guy who fitted your old clock that needs a level.


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    #7
    corkgsxr
    Registered Users Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭corkgsxr


    Pipes too small. They wont be piped in a way to facilitate a gravity circuit. And loads more reasons


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    #8
    magnethead123
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭magnethead123


    Thanks again for the advice again, corners were cut all over this house so I'm not surprised everything was left on the same heating circuit.
    I have it connected up to the controller now as a "Fully Pumped" system..

    Shane, I was only messing with ya, The controller is hanging by the wires above, I hadn't drilled any holes for it yet :rolleyes:


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