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Running a Squirrel Morso with dry backboiler?


DHutch

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On 21/02/2018 at 17:17, rusty69 said:

I understand some of the earlier Morso squirrel boilers were glass lined, so running without water in could cause damage. The later ss ones, i'm not sure.It is often advised that if you want to keep the boiler in situ, then one method is to fill it with sand.

Is there any way of telling if you have a glass lined one or not? 

How safe is it to run a stainless steel one that is dry?

 

Asking because it's going to be cold this weekend and our central heating has developed a good hard weep (nearly an actual leak...) and I'm not quite sure what I'm going to find  tonight!

 

I believe our original one (1991 ish) was glass lined but we replaced the stove maybe around 2002-2004ish. 

 

Daniel

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21 minutes ago, DHutch said:

Is there any way of telling if you have a glass lined one or not?

Er give it a sharp tap with a mooring hammer and listen for the tinkle? ?

21 minutes ago, DHutch said:

How safe is it to run a stainless steel one that is dry?

Tricky one. Long term, no. Most of the metalwork in the stove exposed to the hottest parts of the fire are protected by refractory fire brick. The back boiler is protected by being full of circulating water. The only parts that aren't are the grate and they are thick cast iron. Even so, they do erode over time and can be seen as a consumable. Short term, one weekend, maybe yes, maybe no.

How long might it take to fix the central heating leak? Could you take an extra duvet for the bed and spend the evening in a nice warm pub, before coming back wearing a booze overcoat? ?

 

Jen

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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^^^^^

 

Wot Jen said. 

 

(except for the booze overcoat bit. Alcohol lowers your body temp. Try horlicks and a gilet). 

 

If you do run it, I would try and protect the boiler (don't block the flu) with a firebrick,or sheet of metal, and only a small fire. If it were mine, I don't think I would risk it, and just put on another jumper, or leave the system partially filled with water circulating through one rad if possible.

Edited by rusty69
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Worst case is when the boiler itself is shot and leaking inside the stove, but even so, if the leak is not too fast, I'd keep the header topped up until a proper fix can be done - asap. It happened to me, original replaced with a stainless steel boiler. And, if the leak is in a position tape can be applied, self-amalgamating tape could be useful.

 

 

 

Edited by Higgs
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50 minutes ago, BruceinSanity said:

Can you wrap the weep with self-amalg tape?

 

Or possibly Fernox F4 leak sealer. I have used it successfully on weeping radiator joints.

 

https://www.directheatingsupplies.co.uk/fernox-central-heating-leak-sealer-f4-500ml?gclid=Cj0KCQjwh8jrBRDQARIsAH7BsXfhfXWcve-nbxUF3m9rrXQf9NdyrQ4pMidFh4QJEzFTTMKoW2_CEesaAhJfEALw_wcB

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Sounds like a good load of advice, and good information about glass linner dates. Presumably an enamel type finish?

 

We have decided to eat at the pub, which is a start. Have good duvets. Boiler will be lit Saturday morning. We do also have some LS-X but maybe that can wait till another day!

 

Closed loop gravity based system with no header tank, so unsure how well leaking fluids would work. 

 

Daniel

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9 hours ago, DHutch said:

Sounds like a good load of advice, and good information about glass linner dates. Presumably an enamel type finish?

 

We have decided to eat at the pub, which is a start. Have good duvets. Boiler will be lit Saturday morning. We do also have some LS-X but maybe that can wait till another day!

 

Closed loop gravity based system with no header tank, so unsure how well leaking fluids would work. 

 

Daniel

 

 You can remove a bleed valve and put the leak sealing fluid in there. Easiest if you have a heated towel rail with the  bleed valve on the top.

 

If you only have ordinary radiators you can use one of these.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eezyfill-Central-Heating-Dosing-Tool/dp/B0082AKWDA/ref=asc_df_B0082AKWDA/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=231920353356&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11843421181771511789&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007147&hvtargid=pla-421896610290&psc=1

 

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I lit my 2005 Morso Panther last spring and forgot that I'd drained the system. I only realised an hour later when I heard a loud bang and then saw lots of steam coming out of the header tank vent. I shut the stove vents and eventually the stove cooled down. Refilled the system the next day and there were no leaks so I guess I got away with it. It definitely didn't like it though.

Edited by blackrose
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9 hours ago, cuthound said:

 

 You can remove a bleed valve and put the leak sealing fluid in there. Easiest if you have a heated towel rail with the  bleed valve on the top.

 

If you only have ordinary radiators you can use one of these.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eezyfill-Central-Heating-Dosing-Tool/dp/B0082AKWDA/ref=asc_df_B0082AKWDA/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=231920353356&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11843421181771511789&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007147&hvtargid=pla-421896610290&psc=1

 

I put mine in via a rad in the utility room in the cottage, spilt a drop on the floor ties. Super polish doesnt come into the finish you get when you wipe it up, slippery as hell when dry for weeks

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