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Stove working on sealed system,,crazy

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  • 02-03-2014 9:30am
    #1
    jameser123
    Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭


    Changing taps at rented house yesterday, got talking to tenant, told me he fitted stove, heating water and rads, working great,
    That conversation passed, when I was in the utility passed the oil boiler I seen am expansion vessel and pressure gauge reading 1.5 bar
    I went investigating da stove, and to my horror there is was ,3/4" flow and return copper with a pipe stat and pump , circulating around the existing sealed central heating system, they connected the the pipes the first place they seen 3/4" pipe.
    No gravity circuit
    No header tank
    No cooling loop ,just a safety valve

    Obviously I scared him when I told him day dangers etc, death and at best severe burns,
    So I was thinking what wud really happen if power cut or pump failure,
    My take is
    Water pressure would reach 3 bar just before safety wud kick in, (if). at this stage water temp would be 140deg plus inside the stove, as increased boiling point under pressure
    Then it would blow out safety where it would turn to supper heated steam which wud expand a 1000 times, this would burn any one in the same room,
    What else could happen,
    Plastic piping could split leading to burns
    Joints popping with pressue
    Safety valve may not be able to cope with load of water/steam
    Stove would be dancing on the hearth, burst the steal in the stove

    Just wondering , relistically what wud happen,
    We all know it's dangerous, potentially lethal,
    If a plumber installed it he could get jail if someone got badly hurt or worse,
    ,
    Seen the myth buster video on YouTube of the exploding cylinder, /without safety valves or vessels,

    Any thing happen in this country regarding exploding stoves,

    So what's your take on it
    Thanks
    Tagged:


Comments

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    #2
    TPM
    Registered Users Posts: 871 ✭✭✭TPM


    installations like that are more common they you would think.

    I think a back boiler exploded in donegal a few years ago.


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    #3
    Dtp1979
    Registered Users Posts: 12,734 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    jameser123 wrote: »
    Changing taps at rented house yesterday, got talking to tenant, told me he fitted stove, heating water and rads, working great,
    That conversation passed, when I was in the utility passed the oil boiler I seen am expansion vessel and pressure gauge reading 1.5 bar
    I went investigating da stove, and to my horror there is was ,3/4" flow and return copper with a pipe stat and pump , circulating around the existing sealed central heating system, they connected the the pipes the first place they seen 3/4" pipe.
    No gravity circuit
    No header tank
    No cooling loop ,just a safety valve

    Obviously I scared him when I told him day dangers etc, death and at best severe burns,
    So I was thinking what wud really happen if power cut or pump failure,
    My take is
    Water pressure would reach 3 bar just before safety wud kick in, (if). at this stage water temp would be 140deg plus inside the stove, as increased boiling point under pressure
    Then it would blow out safety where it would turn to supper heated steam which wud expand a 1000 times, this would burn any one in the same room,
    What else could happen,
    Plastic piping could split leading to burns
    Joints popping with pressue
    Safety valve may not be able to cope with load of water/steam
    Stove would be dancing on the hearth, burst the steal in the stove

    Just wondering , relistically what wud happen,
    We all know it's dangerous, potentially lethal,
    If a plumber installed it he could get jail if someone got badly hurt or worse,
    ,
    Seen the myth buster video on YouTube of the exploding cylinder, /without safety valves or vessels,

    Any thing happen in this country regarding exploding stoves,

    So what's your take on it
    Thanks

    It's crazy alright. Came across one myself last week. Know you're customer though, if he saw the safety valve dripping he'd probably blank it. Was there even a safety valve?


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    #4
    DGOBS
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 3,496 ✭✭✭DGOBS


    Last year one exploded and took the poor mans leg with it! (I believe it was shortly after it was installed)


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    #5
    Robbie.G
    Registered Users Posts: 1,884 ✭✭✭Robbie.G


    http://www.hse.gov.uk/services/localgovernment/boilers.htm
    Even though this is about redundant back boilers it is the same as a sealed stove
    If people knew how dangerous solid fuel is they would think twice


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    #6
    TPM
    Registered Users Posts: 871 ✭✭✭TPM


    http://www.heatingandventilating.net/news/news.asp?id=5803

    Sadly a death from a redundant backboiler explosion. the information in the 2nd last paragraph is worth noting


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    #7
    jameser123
    Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭jameser123


    Interesting links, thanx
    Just going back on what wud happen, if the safety did it's job
    Wud the 3 bar water at 140deg turn to super heated steam when it exists the safety valve, I'd nearly love to test this,see exactly what wud happen

    There nearly want to b an organisation set up for installing these,
    Eg , Rgi. Offtec , and stoves can be more dangerous than the whole offtec thing,
    Passports to be signed of when fitting stoves, could be da future ,


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    #8
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    DGOBS wrote: »
    Last year one exploded and took the poor mans leg with it! (I believe it was shortly after it was installed)

    :D


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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    jameser123 wrote: »
    Interesting links, thanx
    Just going back on what wud happen, if the safety did it's job
    Wud the 3 bar water at 140deg turn to super heated steam when it exists the safety valve, I'd nearly love to test this,see exactly what wud happen

    There nearly want to b an organisation set up for installing these,
    Eg , Rgi. Offtec , and stoves can be more dangerous than the whole offtec thing,
    Passports to be signed of when fitting stoves, could be da future ,

    The dangers are well known and could be policed as other country's do, but the powers that be chose not get involved and prefer the easy route by prosecuting the installer after the fact.


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    #10
    Wearb
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 6,228 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wearb


    gary71 wrote: »
    :D

    And you a mod............you should be ashamed of yourself :P

    Please follow site and charter rules. "Resistance is futile"



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    #11
    kerryplumbing
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭kerryplumbing


    I came across one a few weeks ago -stove in an old cottage - it had been installed three years ago on a one pipe system and sealed - it was a time bomb - He called me as he had been experiencing problems with it!!!!
    Needless to say I explained all the issues and fortunately got the job to put it right


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