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Steps to safely remove expansion vessel?

  • 22-01-2025 11:40AM
    #1
    Martee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14 ✭


    Hi folks, hoping someone can provide some confidence.

    We had a leaking expansion vessel over the weekend. It looks like it's been leaking a while, based on timber condition, but started to ramp up over the weekend with water seeping into walls. The vessel was actually wobbling on the fitting(s). I tightened it up and it's OK for now but I'd like to disassemble the fittings and tidy them up (see pic). There doesn't seem to be a way to isolate the leg to the vessel - which I think is appropriate for safety. If I close off the water into the system and depressurise the vessel, can I remove it safely? There is a flexible dead leg close to the vessel which is ball valved which I guess I could open first to drain any remaining water before removing the vessel? Refitting / re-pressurising is another matter but my main concern is avoid the flood.

    Thanks for any confidence you can inspire.

    Pressure Vessel.jpg


Comments

  • #2
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 10,141 ✭✭✭✭10-10-20


    Hi, so if your vessel is still holding air then if you depressurise the whole system then the water will be forced out of the vessel by the internal bladder. Then you can disconnect the vessel, repair the joints and then refit and repressurise the system, all without depressuring the vessel itself. You'll just have to deal with the remaining few mills of water from the vessel, nothing too difficult.

    There is something not right with that setup, seems like it's connected to a 3/4 converter, then 1/2, then back to a 3/4 converter-elbow and then back to 1/2… Maybe bin those fittings and just run 1/2 directly to the converter at the base of the vessel.



  • #3
    Martee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14 ✭Martee


    Thank you, appreciate that. The arrangement looks ugly so hoping to tidy up.



  • #4
    Lenar3556
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,375 ✭✭✭Lenar3556


    The installer made a bad job of that.

    A 3/4” tap plate with a 3/4” to 1/2” compression reducer would solve it.

    It is also good practice to fit a valve on the branch to the expansion vessel. It makes a job like this much easier and also allows for routine testing of the vessel (which needs to be done at 0 water pressure)

    The expansion vessel doesn’t provide a safety critical function. In the event of it failing or a valve to it being shut, a pressure relief valve is deigned to operate.



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