Calorifier pump?

[David Mack]

If your calorifier matches The Biscuits diagram, then the two engine hoses would appear to be connected to different coils, with the other end of those coils connected to the domestic plumbing. I doubt if that is actually the case as that would mix the two circulations and cause all sorts of problems.

 

So first thing for @Janz to check is do the all the hot and cold water taps work as expected (with cold water coming out of the hot taps)? If they do then we can probably confirm that the domestic plumbing side is OK.

The black knob is the temperature adjuster for the thermostatic valve which mixes hot water from the calorifier with cold water to give a regulated temperature output. For now I would leave this in mid position which should give warm water from the hot taps once the calorifier is up to temperature, and then it can be adjusted to suit.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I cannot see where the coil connections can vent any air. If the coil  is not full of water with no air trapped you will not get circulation. Try gently opening the joints and see if any air comes out.

 

OR...

 

Rev the nuts off the engine and see if the increased water pump pressure shifts the air-lock...

 

 

[Janz]

24 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

OR...

 

Rev the nuts off the engine and see if the increased water pump pressure shifts the air-lock...

 

 

I'll definitely try this...👍

29 minutes ago, David Mack said:

If your calorifier matches The Biscuits diagram, then the two engine hoses would appear to be connected to different coils, with the other end of those coils connected to the domestic plumbing. I doubt if that is actually the case as that would mix the two circulations and cause all sorts of problems.

 

So first thing for @Janz to check is do the all the hot and cold water taps work as expected (with cold water coming out of the hot taps)? If they do then we can probably confirm that the domestic plumbing side is OK.

The black knob is the temperature adjuster for the thermostatic valve which mixes hot water from the calorifier with cold water to give a regulated temperature output. For now I would leave this in mid position which should give warm water from the hot taps once the calorifier is up to temperature, and then it can be adjusted to suit.

 

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Janz said:

I'll definitely try this...👍

 

 

 

It's a well-known professional technique but oddly, rarely found in the training books....

 

 

 

[Janz]

31 minutes ago, David Mack said:

If your calorifier matches The Biscuits diagram, then the two engine hoses would appear to be connected to different coils, with the other end of those coils connected to the domestic plumbing. I doubt if that is actually the case as that would mix the two circulations and cause all sorts of problems.

 

So first thing for @Janz to check is do the all the hot and cold water taps work as expected (with cold water coming out of the hot taps)? If they do then we can probably confirm that the domestic plumbing side is OK.

The black knob is the temperature adjuster for the thermostatic valve which mixes hot water from the calorifier with cold water to give a regulated temperature output. For now I would leave this in mid position which should give warm water from the hot taps once the calorifier is up to temperature, and then it can be adjusted to suit.

Thanks man, it's all starting to make sense now. I shall give it all I've got tomoz & see. I'll maybe rotate the whole thing so it roughly coincides with the diagram, examine the connections, bleed all the air out & see what it does.

If it's weird I'll take some pics & see what you guys think. Then probably set it up like the diagram...👍

6 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

It's a well-known professional technique but oddly, rarely found in the training books....

 

 

 

Haha. I'll find somewhere to do donuts.

[MtB]

8 minutes ago, Janz said:

Thanks man, it's all starting to make sense now. I shall give it all I've got tomoz & see. I'll maybe rotate the whole thing so it roughly coincides with the diagram, examine the connections, bleed all the air out & see what it does.

If it's weird I'll take some pics & see what you guys think. Then probably set it up like the diagram...👍

Haha. I'll find somewhere to do donuts.

 

Lol...

Doesn't need to be in gear!!!!

 

[Janz]

12 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Lol...

Doesn't need to be in gear!!!!

 

Well I do need to move but I won't go far. Where I am is about a mile from several locks called the Hanwell flight & I ain't going through all those, they're painful.

Once I get all the air out & check the connections make sense, I'll give it berries & put some heat into it & see what it does. I probably need water. Must see if there's a CRT water thing there. My neighb will know, she knows everything & she's fairly hot. Good excuse to go chat...

 

[MtB]

43 minutes ago, Janz said:

My neighb will know, she knows everything & she's fairly hot.

 

 

Lol I'm sure she would be delighted to hear that!! 

 

 

[TheBiscuits]

7 hours ago, David Mack said:

If your calorifier matches The Biscuits diagram, then the two engine hoses would appear to be connected to different coils, with the other end of those coils connected to the domestic plumbing.

 

Look at the photo again David.  The angle of the photo makes it look like the domestic hot water out is connected to top coil in, but it's not.

 

I think it's plumbed in with both coils being connected to the engine circuit.  There is a short speedfit pipe running from bottom coil out to top coil in, with the engine hoses connected to bottom coil in and top coil out.

 

I reckon loosening the connection to the coil top right will let a huge bubble of air out.

 

 

 

 

[TheBiscuits]

6 hours ago, Janz said:

I'll maybe rotate the whole thing so it roughly coincides with the diagram, examine the connections, bleed all the air out & see what it does.

 

It's already rotated correctly, exactly as the diagram.  The cold water feed is at the bottom, the hot water takeoff is at the top.

 

Bleed the highest point of the short speedfit pipe that runs diagonally from bottom left to top right as that's your most likely culprit.  You might need to add more engine coolant though!

[Janz]

2 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

It's already rotated correctly, exactly as the diagram.  The cold water feed is at the bottom, the hot water takeoff is at the top.

 

Bleed the highest point of the short speedfit pipe that runs diagonally from bottom left to top right as that's your most likely culprit.  You might need to add more engine coolant though!

I shall head down there in a bit. The wind is starting to pick up again but I don't think it will get as bad as Eunice. I'll see if I can pick up some mix with water antifreeze on the way, otherwise it'll have to be straight water.. but in any case, it should be sorted by the afternoon now that I know what I'm up against. Thanks all of you for babysitting me through this. Hot water will be a godsend on the floating building site...👍

[Janz]

Citizens of Canal World...

Your boy has hot water..!

Oh yeah..!

Bless you learned hosts...

[TheBiscuits]

10 minutes ago, Janz said:

Citizens of Canal World...

Your boy has hot water..!

Oh yeah..!

Bless you learned hosts...

 

Did you find a specific problem or did you just try everything until it worked?

[Janz]

5 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Did you find a specific problem or did you just try everything until it worked?

Massive air lock just like you said...👍

[MtB]

3 hours ago, Janz said:

Massive air lock just like you said...👍

 

The strangest thing is now you've fixed it, and if you think about it, all the evidence was there to be seen had you looked carefully enough. The only element missing was that wonderful ingrediment called hindsight. 

 

I find this with my most difficult boiler fixes. All the evidence was there to be seen, if only i could see it.

[Janz]

10 hours ago, MtB said:

 

The strangest thing is now you've fixed it, and if you think about it, all the evidence was there to be seen had you looked carefully enough. The only element missing was that wonderful ingrediment called hindsight. 

 

I find this with my most difficult boiler fixes. All the evidence was there to be seen, if only i could see it.

What I like about boating is the non-standard custom ethos - no two boats are the same. Boaters, like bikers, are expected to do all the work themselves at the side of the canal, or road. The onus is on the individual to know his or her machine & how the sum of the parts produces a satisfactory experience of the whole plot. I like the pioneer spirit of doing something I've never done in a place I've never been. Above all else, I like to learn... usually the hard way because the easy way demands money & there's no learning to be had if you pay for it...