Perplexed…

ccarry167

Sealed loop heating system. Zero compression on the gauge in the hot press, safety valve and circulation pump replaced recently. No sign of any leaks anywhere. No heat in the house since NYE.

Symptoms started with burner tripping the fuse, when I checked the burner (oil, outside) water pouring out of the external burner overflow pipe. Turned water off at the mains which of course stopped the overflow water outside. Tank in attic is fine, fills up no problem. Plumber unhooked water pipe into burner, nothing, not a drop coming through. Most of the radiators checked have no water in them.

Two (good) plumbers have looked at this and can’t figure out what the problem is. Any thoughts?

Wearb

Come on... 2 good plumbers couldn't find why there was no water entering the system. Nonsense.

jimf

having read this twice im totally lost

just doesnt make sense

TheChizler

Faulty relief valve in the boiler? Id be surprised if 2 plumbers missed that though.

antoinolachtnai

Did the plumbers try refilling the system?

ccarry167

If anyone’s been following, here’s what happened;

First problem was the safety valve on the outside boiler was triggered (presuming it was caused by high pressure)

1st plumber (who was doing me an after hours favour) replaced the valve and then realised there was no pressure at all coming back into the system. He said, “there’s a leak somewhere”. He suggested digging up the ground outside as there was no evidence of a leak inside the house anywhere. Everything was checked.

I wanted a second opinion before I dug up concrete. Family friend plumber called over, tried to fill the system again, build up pressure etc he wasn’t sure it was a leak as there was no evidence of one and he suggested it could be sludge/sediment blocking the flow. He recommended a guy to blast a wash through the system, who after arrival and triage said, nope, you definitely got a leak and btw your burner is really old and on its last legs

I hired a con-saw and cut/dug out the concrete and found a leak 18” down on a joint. 1st plumber came back, fixed the problem got the heat going and left with the rads working and 1.5 bar on the dial. Half an hour after he left, heat was gone again.

I rang the house insurance folks the following morning to check my cover and they told me I had the use of an emergency plumber to look at the problem. So I called and he came out. Given the circumstances, no heat no pressure, he said you may have fixed A leak but you've got TWO leaks. He found the other under the burner which was dissipating into the gravel ground and wasn’t visible. Boiler was bust.

Cue one new Grant Vortex (the last one must have been 20 years old) which is due to be installed tomorrow evening.

Know that I’ve become over familiar with basic level heating systems if anything like this happens again I won’t be so clueless!!

10-10-20

Well thanks for the update! Always appreciated.

Can I ask, what material was leaking - copper piping or a plastic/pex pipe joint? Any photos?