lpp1612 Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Good afternoon Until Sunday my sur-cal vertical 55l calorifier was working fine, providing hot water and running one radiator since Sunday I have only tepid hot water to the taps, the radiator seems to be working fine. Heat is provided by a Boatman stove with a back boiler, I have monitored the temperature on the return pipe temperatures seem no different as previously, today I have fitted a new sur cal thermostat but with no difference . Thanks ,Any ideas lpp2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) An airlock possibly, or low on water in the boiler circuit .Is the pump coming on ok? Edited February 19, 2019 by rusty69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpp1612 Posted February 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Hi Rusty 69, the pump is working fine, how would I look for an air lock? Thanks lpp2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Have you tried bleeding the radiator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzard Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) There's probably a tide mark on the engine where the water reached. Is it above things like the starter motor, dipstick hole ect and gearbox filler,-dipstick hole. Check dipstick on engine for water ingress, white emulsion. Sorry don't know how this ended up here, it belongs to,''water in the hold''. Edited February 19, 2019 by bizzard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Just now, bizzard said: There's probably a tide mark on the engine where the water reached. Is it above things like the starter motor, dipstick hole ect and gearbox filler,-dipstick hole. Check dipstick on engine for water ingress, white emulsion. Wrong thread, Bizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzard Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 1 minute ago, WotEver said: Wrong thread, Bizz I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creuse23 Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Generally if there is air in a closed system it will make its way to the highest point in the system, the circulation pump can start making a racket due to cavitation caused by the air. If as you say both In &Out pipes are the same temperature then the water is not circulating. Maybe if there is no trapped air the impeller has parted company with the pump shaft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpp1612 Posted February 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 HI All Just bead the radiator didn't appear to be any air trapped, the pump is working just checked it, do calorifers get furred. up either in the hot water circuit or the tank it's self. Just to avoid confusion the system doesn't have a pump, it relies oh the heated water running slightly upwards, the system has worked fine till Sunday the pump I'm referring to is the general cold water pump on the boat sorry for any confusion. Thanks lpp1612 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creuse23 Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Not knowing your set up, I would be inclined to connect a garden hose to the mains and the other end to my system (open the system) and flush out any foreign body that might be in side! Does the trym of your boat have any effect normally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 6 minutes ago, lpp1612 said: HI All Just bead the radiator didn't appear to be any air trapped, the pump is working just checked it, do calorifers get furred. up either in the hot water circuit or the tank it's self. Just to avoid confusion the system doesn't have a pump, it relies oh the heated water running slightly upwards, the system has worked fine till Sunday the pump I'm referring to is the general cold water pump on the boat sorry for any confusion. Thanks lpp1612 Apologies. I thought the thermostat you changed was for a circulation pump. It sounds like you have a gravity system. So assume the thermostat was for the immersion heater? Seems odd if the return pipe is getting hot . You haven't possibly moves a valve somewhere? If you have checked the levels in the system, and the fire is heating up well, no flue blockages, crap on the back boiler etc. Someone clever will be along in a bit.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpp1612 Posted February 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Hi I've never noticed the trim of the boat make any difference in the four years the system has been in. I think i@m leaning towards flushing the system out and see if that helps. REGARDS LPP1612 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 The back boiler/radiator/calorifier circuit must have a header tank somewhere. Have you checked whether this has water in it? My guess is it needs topping up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpp1612 Posted February 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 yes i've checked the header tank and there is water in it. thanks lpp1612 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boater Sam Posted February 20, 2019 Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 Not the engine header tank, but the heating circuit tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted February 20, 2019 Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 14 hours ago, David Mack said: The back boiler/radiator/calorifier circuit must have a header tank somewhere. Have you checked whether this has water in it? My guess is it needs topping up. Yes and no really. If some idiot has followed domestic practice and installed a sealed system with an "accumulator" as the pressure vessel (I have seen this on diesel fired eberbatso type systems) the OP may very understandably believe there is no central heating header tank. I would be trying to bleed air from the higher calorifier connection that connects to the central heating system, especially if its a vertical calorifier. If that worked I would fit a bleed valve there in the summer. I have never known the calorifier coil to fur up enough to stop the calorifier contents getting hot. My own calorifier is 20 years old and still works fine. It takes time for a ccalorifier to come up to temperature so are you waiting long enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boater Sam Posted February 20, 2019 Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 He says he bled a radiator, would be good to know if much came out. Still doubtful as to if there is sufficient water in the system, please tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dor Posted February 20, 2019 Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 Is there antifreeze in the system? If so, did you add some undiluted to top it up? The density is different and a glug of it can easily upset gravity circulation (and radiators in a pumped system). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpp1612 Posted February 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 Good morning all Still at it! yes there is a header tank on the heating system with anti freeze in it, I've just drained that all out and refilled it to the prescribed level. I have also I also tried cleaning the coil of any obstructions and crud a few pieces of rust and slime did come out so we'll see how we get on. I'll let you know thanks for all the replies lpp1612 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpp1612 Posted February 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 Hi Tony as for the time I've waited, on Sunday night I set the fire going to heat the water at 4 p.m. only tepid at 11 p.m. Regards lpp1612 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted February 20, 2019 Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 How did you clean the coil and is that the highest part of the system by any chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpp1612 Posted February 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 Good Afternoon I'm very pleased to report I now have hot water. Today I drained the system down and using a long flexible brush type thing I cleaned out the coil, as I said earlier quite a bit of slimy crud came out then i connected everything up again, refilled the system, bled it and it's now working. Looking back I suspect an airlock Thanks for all the replies. Best wishes lpp1612 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creuse23 Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 Good news well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 Thanks for coming back to us on the fix, many dont Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creuse23 Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 I guess it must have been a relief to get the heating sorted, and pleasing to get assistance from all who contributed.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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