What is going on with my plumbing?

Ogg

Hi all,

Hopefully someone here can be of some assistance regarding a problem we are having with bits of blue/green matter passing through the taps in the bath and shower in our bathroom.

Around a year ago, we had a larger copper cylinder installed in the hot press along with a longer immersion. When we first turned it on after the job, we noticed small green/blue coloured crystals similar in size to grains of sugar passing through the bath tap and shower head.

The plumber assured us that it was probably just some sediment that was disturbed during the installation process and that it would sort itself out shortly. Well, fast forward to now and the bits are still coming out thick and fast, I reckon even more so than when the cylinder was first installed.

A few weeks ago, we had a Mira 1.5 bar twin pump fitted under the bath to improve the water pressure in the gravity fed shower and since then I have been needing to clean out the shower head roughly every 5 showers due to all of the jets being blocked by this stuff (it didn't block the shower head before the pump was installed.) Yesterday, the pump wouldn't start when I tried to take a shower, it just made a buzzing sound before screeching a bit. Then it made grinding noises (like you would probably hear if you put sand in a blender) and started pumping a little bit before stopping and making the buzzing sound again. It has been like that ever since and I suspect it is this mysterious blue/green stuff that is the culprit.

So, does anyone have any idea what this stuff might be? I had images to post here, but boards won't allow me to because I am a new user. If anyone would like to see them let me know and I'll send them in a private message.

Thanks a million everyone!

K.Flyer

By any chance is it the same colour as the insulation foam on the new cylinder?

corkgsxr

K.Flyer wrote: »

By any chance is it the same colour as the insulation foam on the new cylinder?

Sur that would stop quickly.

Sounds like a cylinder rotting

Ogg

K.Flyer wrote: »

By any chance is it the same colour as the insulation foam on the new cylinder?

It is identical from what I can see, and my Dad was thinking that maybe a lump of foam had fallen into the cylinder during installation or something. Another plumber thought it was lime. Stumped!

corkgsxr wrote: »

Sur that would stop quickly.

Sounds like a cylinder rotting

Cylinder rotting? That doesn't sound too pleasant.

What would cause a cylinder to rot after only 1 year? Though I have my doubts about the integrity of the plumber that installed it (at first he fitted an undersized immersion element compared to what was required for the new cylinder size, lied about it and then owned up when another plumber removed it to check it!)

scudo2

Your use of boards and highlighting is very good for your first day + first post.

+ Molly 1978 ??? First post too.






Makes me wonder, but don't worry, lots of things make me wonder.
I think.

whizbang

By any chance do you have a water treatment/ filtration unit installed. ??

Ogg

scudo2 wrote: »

Your use of boards and highlighting is very good for your first day + first post.

+ Molly 1978 ??? First post too.






Makes me wonder, but don't worry, lots of things make me wonder.
I think.

Sorry, you've lost me!
I think you have me mixed up with someone else. As for my Board skills... I'm not a Boards.ie veteran, but I am an internet message board veteran.

whizbang wrote: »

By any chance do you have a water treatment/ filtration unit installed. ??

No, I don't have either of those installed.

Dtp1979

Ogg wrote: »

Sorry, you've lost me!
I think you have me mixed up with someone else. As for my Board skills... I'm not a Boards.ie veteran, but I am an internet message board veteran.



No, I don't have either of those installed.

What is the texture of the blue/green stuff? Is it soft or sharp and brittle? Do you live in a hard water area?

Ogg

Dtp1979 wrote: »

What is the texture of the blue/green stuff? Is it soft or sharp and brittle? Do you live in a hard water area?

It is sharp and brittle, like little fragile grains of sugar. You can crush them up in your fingers.

We live in a serious hard water stronghold! All of the appliances get coated in limescale in no time around here, but as I said, we never had this stuff coming out until we fitted the new cylinder.

Dtp1979

Ogg wrote: »

It is sharp and brittle, like little fragile grains of sugar. You can crush them up in your fingers.

We live in a serious hard water stronghold! All of the appliances get coated in limescale in no time around here, but as I said, we never had this stuff coming out until we fitted the new cylinder.

Are you sure the cylinder is new?
Also, did he drain down your attic tank when installing? Is there much limescale buildup in your attic tank?

Wearb

Just a stab in the dark, but if it was a damaged glass lined cylinder, would that be an explanation for the particles?

Ogg

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Are you sure the cylinder is new?
Also, did he drain down your attic tank when installing? Is there much limescale buildup in your attic tank?

That's the thing, the plumber was caught trying to scam us with the immersion size, so I don't know the real depths of his integrity! Is there any way to tell the age of it?

He didn't drain down the attic tank from what I remember... I had a look at it the other day and it looks clear to me, apart from some sediment/dust on the bottom, but that is a good few inches below the hole where the water exits.

Dtp1979

Ogg wrote: »

That's the thing, the plumber was caught trying to scam us with the immersion size, so I don't know the real depths of his integrity! Is there any way to tell the age of it?

He didn't drain down the attic tank from what I remember... I had a look at it the other day and it looks clear to me, apart from some sediment/dust on the bottom, but that is a good few inches below the hole where the water exits.

Take out the immersion and shine a light into the tank. Is there corrosion inside?

nmacc

I'll bet proper folding money that there's nothing wrong with the cylinder.

Your plumber was a lazy waster who didn't bother to rinse out the new cylinder before he fitted it.

When a cylinder is made the insulation is sprayed on, often more than one layer. The various ports are plugged to stop the foam getting in, but once the cylinder has dried the foam is cut out and the plugs removed. Problem is that the process of working with the foam-covered cylinder generates a lot of static electricity. The loose bits of foam are attracted by this and actually get sucked into the ports - it's interesting to watch.

The point is that this happens to a greater or lesser extent with all spray-foam cylinders and before installing a new cylinder you need to take it out into the garden, lash in a gallon or so of water and rinse the entire cylinder before tipping it upside down and pouring it out the top. Usually you get some foam, sometimes a lot.

It might be worth your while to dismantle all of the hot fittings and clear the grilles, etc. It sounds like a really bad case, so it could be an idea to connect a pipe to the vent connection at the top of the cylinder and run off some water to clear the system.