Copper cylinder boiling

hsan

A man rang me this morning asking could I have a look at his cylinder. He has an old oil range heating the water. Lately he has been leaving the range on all day to heat the room because it is very cold. The problem is that the cylinder is banging because it's getting too hot and he keeps having to leave off hot water at the sink. I was thinking about putting in a radiator in the room over head the hot press to act as a dump rad. Hp is beside the range. I'm wondering would it circulate without a pump? By the way the cylinder is a direct one

JohnnieK

hsan wrote: »

A man rang me this morning asking could I have a look at his cylinder. He has an old oil range heating the water. Lately he has been leaving the range on all day to heat the room because it is very cold. The problem is that the cylinder is banging because it's getting too hot and he keeps having to leave off hot water at the sink. I was thinking about putting in a radiator in the room over head the hot press to act as a dump rad. Hp is beside the range. I'm wondering would it circulate without a pump? By the way the cylinder is a direct one

If it's a direct cylinder then you would need a brass rad as a standard rad would rust to nothing.

Dtp1979

JohnnieK wrote: »

If it's a direct cylinder then you would need a brass rad as a standard rad would rust to nothing.

Would an aluminium rad work I wonder?

shane0007

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Would an aluminium rad work I wonder?

I think aluminium & copper react badly together without inhibitor & being direct, can't inhibit.

JohnnieK

shane0007 wrote: »

I think aluminium & copper react badly together without inhibitor & being direct, can't inhibit.

Spot on shane. And one of the reasons silicat is added to aluminium heat exchangers, it slows down the process.

Brass rads are mad expensive.

hsan

Cheers lads. That puts a stop to that idea so! Any other ideas of a way out of the problem? Just a quick question... If the cyl was indirect and i put a rad upstairs, would it circulate without a pump?

shane0007

It would if the flow pipework was continuously rising to the rad with no drops.
The rad would still have to be copper though.

hsan

How much do you reckon a 1000mm double rad would cost? Is there any other way out of this problem? Thanks for advice

shane0007

It would not have to be a meter double. I wouldn't have a clue how much one costs but I would imagine very expensive.

The only alternative I can think of would be to install an aluminium radiator along with a sacrificial anode in the circuit but this would have to be changed annually & so an added annual cost to the system. If it was forgotten about & not changed, you will be dealing with leaks & replacing components.

fredgalway

Hi all why would you need to use a brass radiator if you change to indirect cylinder.

JohnnieK

fredgalway wrote: »

Hi all why would you need to use a brass radiator if you change to indirect cylinder.

You wouldn't. That was only if the existing direct cylinder was being used.

hsan

Lads now he wants to disconnect the range from heating the hot water and just heat the room. Would it be safe to let the flow and return of the range open and blank the cylinder side? He would use his immersion then for the hot water

hsan

Anyone??

Cerco

I am not a plumber but I would not do this unless you are absolutely sure there is a separate pipe up to the expansion tank. Even then I would seek professional help.

You do not want to convert an open system to a closed one without protection.
You have much less control over heating generated by a range than other boiler types.
I would suggest you consult an experienced professional.

Dtp1979

hsan wrote: »

Lads now he wants to disconnect the range from heating the hot water and just heat the room. Would it be safe to let the flow and return of the range open and blank the cylinder side? He would use his immersion then for the hot water

Your not making sense. Do you mean he wants to disconnect a solid fuel range from the cylinder and heat only rads??

hsan

At the moment the oil range is only heating hot water and the room it's in. Its not connected to rads.The flow and return from the range are connected to a direct copper cylinder. They want to keep the range heating the room but want it disconnected from heating hot water. What's easiest way to do this?

Dtp1979

hsan wrote: »

At the moment the oil range is only heating hot water and the room it's in. Its not connected to rads.The flow and return from the range are connected to a direct copper cylinder. They want to keep the range heating the room but want it disconnected from heating hot water. What's easiest way to do this?

If u do that the empty boiler will burn out and fumes will probably leak from it

anthonyos

you could make a rad out of one inch copper kinda like a towel rail handy enough a few tees and a manual air vent:)

esox28

What model oil range is it? Pressure jet or vapourising burner?

Depending on how the boiler is configured imo your best and cheepest option is to install a summer grate or deflector plate against the boiler even a refectory brick would help.